Southern Nazarene University

What is the history of Southern Nazarene University?

Southern Nazarene University (SNU) is a private Christian university in Bethany, Oklahoma, whose institutional history dates to 1899. Its roots lie in Nazarene higher education in the south-central United States; the university was previously known as Bethany Nazarene College before adopting its current name in 1986.

Those changes help explain why SNU combines a residential undergraduate campus with graduate and adult-focused programs. Its affiliation with the Church of the Nazarene remains part of its identity, although applicants should evaluate the requirements of their particular degree program rather than assume that every program has the same format or expectations.

What are the faculties and departments at Southern Nazarene University?

SNU offers undergraduate and graduate study across liberal arts, sciences, business, education, religion and health-related fields. Its academic offerings include traditional undergraduate degrees as well as programs designed for working adults.

Examples of undergraduate subjects include biology, business, computer science, education, music, nursing, psychology and theology. Graduate applicants can find programs in areas such as business, education and counseling. Program format matters: an adult degree-completion program may have a different schedule, admissions process and tuition rate from a traditional campus-based major.

Students comparing majors should use SNU's current academic catalog to check the required courses, available delivery format and any admission standards that apply after entry to the university. Admission to SNU does not, by itself, establish eligibility for every professional program or clinical placement.

What is the location of Southern Nazarene University?

SNU's main campus is in Bethany, a city within the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The setting gives students access to a residential campus while placing jobs, clinical sites and other metropolitan resources within commuting distance.

Will Rogers World Airport serves the region. Students planning to commute or attend an off-campus placement should account for local transportation needs; first-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus. Applicants to online or adult programs should check where any required in-person courses, advising sessions or field experiences take place.

What is the mission and vision of Southern Nazarene University?

SNU describes its mission in explicitly Christian terms, connecting higher education with service, leadership and spiritual development. The university is affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene, a Protestant denomination.

That identity is relevant to campus life as well as academics: prospective students should review the university's current statement of faith, chapel expectations and student conduct policies to understand what participation may involve. A stated mission describes institutional priorities; it is not, on its own, evidence of a particular student outcome.