History
CIU focuses on developing leaders while affirming the Bible as the foundation for all learning.
We live by our motto “To Know Him and to Make Him Known.”
We are a multidenominational, evangelical, coeducational Christian university, graduate school and seminary, all with full accreditation.
Education
During your academic experience at CIU, we want you to engage your head, heart and hands. That's the Educational Triad.
Yes, we want students to excel academically, but we also want to help you yield to Christ unconditionally while enriching your spiritual life, achieve your personal and career goals, and practice your vocational skills wherever God leads you.
Distance Learning Courses
Humanities (11)
- MDiv Bible Exposition
- M.A. Bible Exposition
- M.A. Chaplaincy
- MDiv Chaplaincy
- B.Sc. General Studies (Online)
- M.A. Ministry Studies
- MDiv Ministry Studies
- M.A. Theological Studies
Social Sciences (7)
- M.A. Care and Counseling
- MDiv Care and Counseling
- M.A. Clinical Counseling
- B.Sc. Human Services (Online)
Business & Management (6)
Education & Training (4)
Medicine & Health (2)
Student services
Student Services provides the support CIU students need to remain focused on pursuing a life serving Christ while achieving academic excellence.
Students and their parents, and all guests to our biblical university, can rest assured they’re safe and secure. Campus Security officers are engaged and alert, and patrol the grounds 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Academic Success Center also provides special-needs amenities on an individualized basis, such as test adjustments and note-takers, so that all students can benefit fully from CIU’s commitment to academic success.
Housing services
When the long day is over, CIU students retreat to comfortable, safe housing accommodations.
Students living in residence hallshave the unique opportunity to build friendships, while being challenged spiritually, through interaction with fellow students.
Pine View apartments are an ideal choice for students with families, as well as single graduate and seminary students, and upperclassmen who wish to live on campus. The dining hall, located in the Rossi Student Center, offers convenient, affordable and fresh food options.
Library services
When you need quiet time to study, our library has several study rooms available. With a student I.D., you can also check out a laptop to use while inside the library for up to four hours.
Medical services
The Health Services Clinic is open Monday through Friday during spring and fall semesters when classes are in session.
The clinic provides nursing assessments and recommendations, referrals, over-the-counter medication, screening and weekly doctor’s appointments. Hours of operation are posted at the beginning of each semester.
Campus life
More than 700,000 people live in and around Columbia, but it doesn’t feel like it. The vibe here is more like a small Southern town: friendly and welcoming, much like it was when the future CIU first opened its doors in 1923.
But then again, the city’s motto is “Famously Hot, Surprisingly Cool.” It is hot in the summer, but the winters are mild and Columbia offers up the entertainment, cultural and sporting events you’d expect in a much larger town.
Sports facilities
Get involved and get active! At CIU, athletic competition and physical fitness are an integral component of spiritual health. Become a CIU Ram, or participate in intramural/club sports. The Moore Fitness Center offers aerobics equipment, a weight room, and basketball and volleyball courts. For students who prefer to get in touch with nature, on-campus hiking trails and the lake provide a pleasant outdoor experience.
Student clubs
Several student organizations assist CIU students in exploring their interests beyond the classroom by offering creative ways to serve one another and the community.
CIU is accredited by the:
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees.
- Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education, a North American accrediting agency for undergraduate and graduate institutions offering degrees in Bible and ministry.
- Commission on Accreditation of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, a North American accrediting agency for seminaries and theological graduate students.
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (Master of Arts in Counseling and Post-graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Certificate only)