Sam Houston State University

For more than 137 years, Sam Houston State University has been preparing students for meaningful lives of achievement. Its motto, “The Measure of a Life is its Service,” echoes across SHSU’s seven colleges and beyond its Texas campus through student research, creative endeavors, service learning, volunteering and more.

Named for Sam Houston, Texas’ greatest hero, SHSU continually strives to honor its historical rootsthrough academic excellence that includes exceptional teaching from faculty members who care as much about their students’ success as they do about furthering the knowledge of their fields.

While embracing its legacy, SHSU also strives to meet the needs of contemporary students, both traditional and online. With a variety of fully online undergraduate and graduate degrees and numerous certificates and certifications, all of which are taught by on campus professors, SHSU Online has the option you’re looking for to reach your academic, personal, and professional goals.

SHSU offers over 80 bachelor's degree programs, more than 50 master’s degree programs, and six doctoral programs, including nationally-recognized programs in Business, Fine Arts, Education, Mathematics and Criminal Justice. SHSU is classified as a “Doctoral Research University” by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education and was recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report for being among the best in the country for online graduate programs. In addition, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education classified SHSU as a "Community Engaged" university. This honor has been awarded to 311 public institutions nationwide, and acknowledges the university's significant commitment to serving the community.

Our 316-acre campus is more than just a place to learn, it's your home away from home. From where you live and eat, to the friends you make, you're sure to be at Home at Sam Houston. Get involved in Greek Life or any one of our more than 250 student organizations and clubs and you'll not only be building your resume, but your social and professional networks as well. Must haves for post-graduation life.

At Sam Houston State University we want you to graduate. To support that goal, SHSU offers a variety of resources to help students pursue their educational goals. The SHSU Counseling Center provides individual, couples, and group therapy to students who are currently enrolled. Our mission is to provide service within the university environment that contributes to the academic success, personal growth, and positive social contribution of Sam Houston State University students. We embrace a student-oriented philosophy that is respectful of diversity and is committed to the development of the student as a whole person.

The mission of the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) is to promote full and equal access on the part of students with disabilities to educational and extracurricular programs and activities at SHSU.

Sam Houston State University, located in Huntsville, Texas, is a member of The Texas State University System. The school was created by the Texas Legislature in 1879 as Sam Houston Normal Institute to educate teachers for the public schools of Texas. The baccalaureate degree was first awarded in 1919. In 1923, the institution’s name was changed to Sam Houston State Teachers College. Two years later, the college was admitted to membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as an accredited institution of higher learning. A graduate degree was authorized in 1936, and the curriculum was expanded to emphasize preparation in a variety of fields. Following World War II, an increase in students and faculty as well as a wide range of faculty-research activities provided impetus for the continued emergence of a multi-purpose institution. In recognition of these developments, the institution’s name was changed by the Texas Legislature to Sam Houston State College in 1965.

The number of graduate degrees conferred increased significantly in the late 1960s; and the Texas Legislature, recognizing the changes that had taken place, changed the name of the institution to Sam Houston State University in 1969. In the 1970s, the University was granted permission to offer its first doctorate, a Ph.D. in criminal justice.

This program grew to be one of the largest and most recognized doctoral programs in the country. In the 1980s and 1990s, the University completed a number of academic, athletic, and support facilities. With the improvement of faculty and facilities, the University set a vision to become one of the best regional universities in the country.

During the last five years of the twentieth century, the University expanded its reach by offering programs online, at The Woodlands in a multi-institutional teaching center, and various other off-campus sites. Beginning in 2000, the University expanded its building program and committed resources to develop and maintain nationally-recognized academic support programs. Sam Houston State University increased the number of doctoral programs, including programs in education and psychology, and experienced a tremendous surge in enrollment and name recognition. Currently Sam Houston State University is organized academically into five colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Education, and Humanities and Social Sciences. Students are offered an extensive range of bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as doctorates in selected areas. The faculty and the University are recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally.