Southwestern Christian University

Southwestern Christian University was founded in 1946 as an educational institution based on the Bible. As first a Bible college, for the training of Christian church leaders within the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, the denomination had plans to expand the school into a junior college as soon as possible. It was originally located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was first called Southwestern Bible College.

Original buildings on the Northwest Tenth Street location included the Falcon Music Hall, and the McNew Hall, holding the offices, classrooms, and the library.

CU history

The 1960s

By the 1960s the college had developed a junior college program (becoming accredited in 1964) and was able to open its doors to an expanding student body. During this time it began a steady growth as one of the largest junior colleges in the country and the largest within the Pentecostal Holiness Church. These broad changes resulted in various buildings being built (Light Library, Irwin Learning Center, Mabee Science Center, and the Mash Loflin Field House) and degree offerings saw the name shifting to Oklahoma City Southwestern College (OCSC) to better reflect the scope of the expanded school.

The 1980s

However, in 1981 the governing body of the denomination decided to re-focus the goals of the institution. The International Pentecostal Holiness Church ended the school's junior college plan and scaled back the institution to an abbreviated form of its original design. As a result, it became a Ministry training college. In addition to this they moved to the Oklahoma City suburb of Bethany, Oklahoma. At this time the name changed from Southwestern Bible College to Southwestern College of Christian Ministries (SCCM).

2000 to present

In 1998, in response to changing needs, the school implemented a five year program to change the direction of the school. A Master of Ministry graduate program was developed and added in this time period. As a result of these combined changes, in 2001 the school, Southwestern Christian University, was granted a name change by the North Central accrediting body. An integral part of Oklahoma City history for over half a century, SCU developed beyond the parameters of just a Bible college to become a full Christian liberal arts university.

Accreditation and approval

SCU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. It is approved by the General Department of Church Education Ministries of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church for training ministers, missionaries, and Christian workers and is approved by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) to offer Bible and theology courses for teacher certification for Christian day schools.

Sports

The university is a member of both the NCCAA and the Association of Christian College Athletics.

ee also

*International Pentecostal Holiness Church

External links

* [http://www.swcu.edu Southwestern Christian University Online]
* [http://www.iphc.org International Pentecostal Holiness Church Online]