Our History

Western Spirit, Bulldog Pride & a Tradition of Excellence

Oklahoma Territorial School

The University was established by an act of the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature in 1901 as the Southwestern Normal School. The Normal School was authorized to offer two years of training and four years of preparatory work for students who were not qualified for college admission. The first classes met in 1903.

Southwestern State Teachers College

In 1920 the preparatory or academy courses were eliminated and two additional years of college work were added. The state legislature approved a change of name to Southwestern State Teachers College. The first baccalaureate degrees were awarded in May, 1921.

Southwestern State College of Diversified Occupations

Other major changes in name and purposes occurred in 1939 when the institution was designated as Southwestern State College of Diversified Occupations. In 1941, it became Southwestern Institute of Technology when the college added a School of Pharmacy, degree work in the arts and sciences, and trade schools to its original function as a teacher-training institution.

Southwestern State College

The Oklahoma State Legislature in 1949 again changed the name, this time to Southwestern State College, without altering the broad scope of its purposes and education objectives. Since that time there has been full accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools). In addition, the University is accredited/certified by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education; Accreditation Council on Occupational Therapy Education; Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc.; Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools; American Chemical Society; American Music Therapy Association; Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering; Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology; Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education; Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education; Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education; International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education; Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology; National Association of Schools of Music; National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education; Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement, Education, & Training; Oklahoma Board of Nursing, Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation, and Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

In 1953 the University inaugurated an advanced professional program leading to the Master of Teaching degree, now called the Master of Education degree.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University

In 1974 the Oklahoma State Legislature changed the name of the institution to Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). In addition to the M. Ed. degree in 16 different fields of specialization, SWOSU offers the Master of Business Administration, the M. S. degrees in Management and School Psychology, the Master of Music degree, and its first professional doctorate program, the Doctor of Pharmacy.

SWOSU @ Sayre

On July 1, 1987, by an act of the Oklahoma Legislature, Sayre Junior College merged with Southwestern Oklahoma State University. This location, designated as Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Sayre, is 59 miles west of Weatherford.

SWOSU Today

Today SWOSU’s two campuses educate more than 5,000 students a semester and employ more than 200 dedicated faculty and staff. We hold more than 1,000 classes a semester, have 14 nationally accredited programs and are nationally recognized for our online programs. We enrich and entertain as well as educate the people of Western Oklahoma by bringing nationally acclaimed artists, musicians, athletes and speakers to our campus. We offer early educational experiences to area youth throughout the year and work to better our community through service learning, student outreach and business leadership training.