Our SCU Identity

Presidential Vision

Providing a values-driven holistic Christian liberal arts education designed to train, equip, and deploy servant-leaders throughout the world.

University Mission

SouthwesternChristianUniversity is a Christ-centered liberal arts institution equipping students for a life of learning, leadership, and service; integrating faith, learning, and living; and empowering graduates to excel and to positively impact their world for Jesus Christ.

University Motto

Scholarship ● Sprit ● Service

University Core Values

Scholarship

Scholarship at SouthwesternChristianUniversity is pursued from the perspective of a Biblical-Christian worldview. The integration of faith, learning and living is central to every academic discipline and is led by dedicated faculty members who are committed to academic excellence, the elevation of critical thinking skills, and personal, spiritual and intellectual growth. SCU is committed to:

  • Holistic Christ-centered academic excellence
  • Embracing change, diversity & emerging technologies to ensure relevance & the establishment of strategic & collaborative partnerships
  • Research & inquiry in an assessment & data-driven academic culture
  • Being an organization centered on lifelong learning, social skills & servant leadership development

Spirit

SouthwesternChristianUniversity is dedicated to cultivating a Spirit-led environment where students grow in their interpersonal relationship with others. SCU is committed to:

  • Building a Christ-centered community
  • Honoring our Pentecostal Holiness heritage
  • Respecting diversity & various Christian backgrounds
  • A campus culture where His Spirit & school spirit are prevalent & powerful

Service

SouthwesternChristianUniversity is focused on service both Christ and others. Through the development of servant-leadership SCU empowers graduates for a life of learning, leadership and global impact. SCU is committed to:

  • Developing & modeling servant leadership
  • Fostering an environment of relevant social & self-awareness
  • Ethics, respect, & integrity
  • Instilling the value of stewardship in all aspects of life

University Student Learning Outcomes

Scholarship: Being a Disciplined Learner,

Spirit: Embracing a Christ-like Identity, and

Service: Pursuing Servant-minded Leadership

Institutional Overview and Historical Background

SouthwesternChristianUniversity is a private, four-year Christian university located inOklahoma City. The university was founded in 1946 by the InternationalPentecostalHolinessChurch and embraces the Holiness, Pentecostal, and Charismatic traditions. Southwestern currently offers an Associate of Arts degree, 25 Bachelors degree options with 46 programs of study, as well as aMaster of Ministry degree and a Master of Arts in Theology. The campus of SCUadjoins the GlobalMinistryCenter of the InternationalPentecostalHolinessChurch, the institution'sparent body.

SouthwesternBibleCollege opened its doors in 1946 in a former nightclub on Tenth Street in Oklahoma City. The founders felt compelled to begin a college that would train people to serve humanity and to share their faith through Biblical education. The original degrees were all related to ministry, but the founders’ vision included other professional degrees with which individuals could serve their community, their country, and the world.By the 1960’s, Southwestern was one of the largest junior colleges in the state. In 1973, Southwestern was accredited as a two-year institution of higher learning by the Association of Colleges and Schools and, in 1979, was approved to offer four-year degrees by NCA. This accreditation status has been reaffirmed in subsequent comprehensive visits.

In 1981, the college was relocated to its current location on old Route 66 which runs through Bethany, Oklahoma. During this time, Southwestern made a substantive institutional change by eliminating its junior college programs and only retaining its baccalaureate degree in religion. Also, the institutional name was changed to Southwestern College of Christian Ministries with a focus placed on training ministers under the Unified Education Program of the InternationalPentecostalHolinessChurch. The associate’s degree program was reinstated in 1986. A non-traditional baccalaureate program and a graduate program were added in the 1990’s.

By the late 1990’s, the Unified Education Program was no longer operational in the denomination. Under the leadership of a new president, Southwestern clarified and updated its mission. In 2001, the name was changed to SouthwesternChristianUniversity to reflect this new mission as defined by the founders of the institution.

This return to the original mission of Southwestern is evidenced by the expansion of its educational programs. Majors in the Humanities, such as Music Performance and English, were added as well as professional degrees in Business Administration, Behavioral Sciences, and Sport Management. In addition to the expansion of programs, the university has also recently expanded to an additional location in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, which is a mirrored program of the adult and graduate studies programs from the Bethany campus.