Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University (commonly referred to as GCU or Grand Canyon) is a private Christian metropolitan research university[3] located in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. GCU was founded in 1949 as a non-profit liberal arts college, and was purchased by Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOPE) in February 2004. Currently Grand Canyon is the only for-profit university participating in NCAA Division 1 athletics.

The university is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission[5] and provides campus-based as well as online post secondary education services focused on graduate and undergraduate degree programs in education, liberal arts, business, science, engineering, math, theology and Christian studies, and health care through its eight colleges. 

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education classifies GCU as a research university with moderate research activity.

History
The college was founded as a nonprofit institution in 1949 in Prescott. Arizona Southern Baptists felt the need to establish a faith-based institution that would allow local Baptists the opportunity to obtain a bachelor's or master's degree without going east to one of the Baptist colleges in Texas or Oklahoma. On October 8, 1951, Grand Canyon College relocated to its current location in Phoenix.

Suffering financial and other difficulties in the early part of the 21st century, the school's trustees authorized its sale in January 2004 to California-based Significant Education, LLC, making it the first for-profit Christian college in the United States.

GCU is growing rapidly with plans for continued expansion. Since 2009, we have invested millions into the university to improve the quality of academic offerings and student experiences. This infrastructure includes new classrooms, laboratories, libraries, student support centers, residence halls and recreational facilities. In fall 2014, we welcomed a record number of students to our Phoenix campus and we plan to expand our student population and campus facilities going forward.

Our university also continues to accommodate our growing online and evening student communities. We have tens of thousands of online students attending class from across the globe. In turn, we are constantly refining our digital platforms to deliver GCU's outstanding campus experience to virtual settings. We are also building additional campus locations to help full-time and evening students attend class closer to home.

"New" is infused throughout GCU's curriculum. In summer 2014, we proudly announced our new College of Science, Engineering and Technology, which we will continue to grow over the next several years as we add degree programs to the innovative areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

GCU has also expanded outside of campus to include new properties. The GCU Hotel is located close to campus and offers affordable room rates and newly renovated accommodations - the perfect place for families to stay when visiting their student. Students in GCU's hospitality management program have an opportunity to gain firsthand experience at the hotel and the new restaurant, which will open in 2016.