
The University of Redlands was founded in 1907 in Redlands, California, by Southern California Baptists. It began as a liberal arts institution and has since expanded into a private university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional education.
That expansion helps explain the university's academic mix today. Alongside its traditional undergraduate programs, Redlands developed graduate education, programs for working adults, and the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies, where undergraduates can pursue an individually designed course of study. Its history also includes the 2019 integration of San Francisco Theological Seminary, which broadened the university's theological education. Applicants should distinguish programs based at the Redlands campus from those offered at other locations or online.
The University of Redlands organizes its programs across the College of Arts and Sciences and schools focused on business, education, music, and theology. The appropriate school matters because credentials, admission procedures, schedules, and tuition can differ by program.
Undergraduates can explore subjects such as biology, psychology, environmental studies, business, economics, communication sciences and disorders, the arts, and the humanities. The Johnston Center for Integrative Studies offers a more individualized undergraduate academic structure. Graduate and professional offerings include business and education programs, while music students may pursue specialized study and performance opportunities.
Prospective students should use the current academic catalog - not a general list of majors - to check whether a particular program is available at their intended location, whether it leads to a bachelor's or graduate credential, and whether it has prerequisites, auditions, fieldwork, or separate admission requirements.
The university's main residential campus is in Redlands, an Inland Empire city in San Bernardino County, Southern California. The setting differs from that of a college in central Los Angeles: students have a campus near downtown Redlands while remaining within reach of the wider region.
Ontario International Airport is a practical regional airport for students traveling longer distances. Local transit and Southern California's Metrolink service may help some commuters, but routes, travel times, and evening service need to be checked against class schedules. Driving and parking can also be important considerations for students traveling to placements, jobs, or activities beyond campus.
Not every Redlands program follows the same residential-campus model. Graduate, professional, and online applicants should confirm where their required classes and in-person activities take place before making housing or transportation plans.
The University of Redlands describes its educational purpose in terms of liberal learning, personal development, and preparing students to contribute to their communities. Its stated approach connects study across disciplines with opportunities to apply what students learn.
The university's Baptist founders are part of its history, but applicants should not assume that every academic program has a religious requirement. Theology is also a distinct area of study within the university. Students evaluating institutional fit can look beyond a mission statement to the requirements of their intended program: general education, experiential learning, and expectations for discussion and independent work show more concretely how an educational philosophy affects daily study.
Name of the institution
University of RedlandsLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: SmallInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999School type
UniversityMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
4-1-4Foundation year
1907University of Redlands is institutionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of less than 1 year
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.