Shorelight Group - Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City USA 2025

As a top liberal arts and sciences university, Oklahoma City University has been leading students to their creative edge for nearly 120 years. We are a diverse community of academic achievers, big thinkers, independent spirits, and dedicated artists. At OCU, students from across the globe follow their passions and excel in the arts and sciences, religion, business, health care and the performing arts. Discover why Oklahoma City University is such a great place to learn, live, and call home.

Oklahoma City University is a private, nonprofit university located in Oklahoma City, in the historic Uptown 23rd District. The university offers a wide variety of degrees in the liberal arts, fine arts, sciences, health care, performing arts and business. OCU is consistently ranked as one of the top universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report and is listed in Forbes' "100 Best College Buys."

Founded in 1904, what we know now as Oklahoma City University had several names and locations in its early years. One thing has remained constant; the university has remained firmly attached to its Methodist roots.
The first incarnation of OCU was a little school called Epworth University. Anton Classen was heavily involved with development in his community and had been in love with the idea of a Methodist university in Oklahoma. Classen managed to generate interest in this idea and in 1901 two branches of the Methodist Church embarked on the establishment of a Methodist university. Construction began in 1902 and classes started in 1904 with enrollment growing by almost 100 students during that first year.

Epworth closed in 1911, but classes began at OCU’s second incarnation — Oklahoma Methodist University, in Guthrie — only months later.

In 1919, trustees decided to close the Guthrie location and make a fresh start in Oklahoma City with a new institution called Oklahoma City College. With funding from the Methodist congregations, new college grounds were planned and built-in 1922. The school thrived in its new home and its successful transition was formally acknowledged when OCC changed its name to Oklahoma City University in 1924.