Methodist University is a private university that is affiliated with the North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and located in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The university offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including doctoral-level options, on campus and online. It offers 22 fully online degrees and certificate programs. Methodist University also features more than 80 student clubs and organizations, along with 20 NCAA intercollegiate sports. It has graduated more than 12,000 students since its first graduating class in 1964.

History

Originally known as Methodist College, the state of North Carolina chartered the school on November 1, 1956. On its 50th anniversary, the board of trustees voted unanimously to change the name from Methodist College to Methodist University. The university has had five presidents in its history:

Relationship to the United Methodist Church

Current president Stanley T. Wearden says, “While Methodist University values its affiliation with The United Methodist Church, the Church does not set the policies of the University.” The university also states it provides access and inclusion to all students regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, origin, ethnicity, or creed.

Academics

Methodist University’s more than 80 academic programs live under three different colleges: College of Arts, Humanities & Sciences, College of Business, Technology & Professional Studies, and College of Health Sciences & Human Services.

College of Arts, Humanities & Sciences

The College of Arts, Humanities & Sciences carries six different divisions, each hosting a variety of majors, minors, and certificates:

College of Business, Technology & Professional Studies

The College of Business, Technology & Professional Studies offers five separate divisions that offer a variety of majors, minors, and certificates:

College of Health Sciences & Human Services

Set up a differently than the other two colleges, seven departments (Health Care Administration, Kinesiology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, and Social Work) live within the College of Health Sciences & Human Services:

Online programs

Methodist University began offering online programs in the 2020-21 school year. Primarily designed to help adult learners, active-duty soldiers and their family members, veterans, and untraditional students, MU offers 24 different programs and certificates:

College of Medicine

The Methodist University College of Medicine is home to the Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, which is currently an applicant school with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). Conversations between Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health System began in the fall of 2022. Both institutions recognized the need for expanded physician services in the Sandhills Region of North Carolina and understood the potential impact of a medical school to have a positive effect on health outcomes in the region. On February 27, 2023, a formal announcement was made by Methodist University President Stanley T. Wearden and Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Michael Nagowski of a partnership designed to created the medical school. On May 28, 2023, Hershey S. Bell, MD, MSMedEd, FAAFP was introduced as the Founding Dean of both Methodist University College of Medicine and the Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine. The curriculum, currently under development, will emphasize health systems science and social determinants of health. It will be based on the principles of social accountability, community engagement, and patient-centeredness. Pending receipt of preliminary accreditation by the LCME and approval for substantive changes by SACSCOC, the school (to be physically positioned on the campus of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville, N.C.) plans to begin recruitment of an inaugural class of 80 students.

Athletics

Methodist University teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. The Monarchs are a member of the USA South Athletic Conference (USA South). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cheer, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and indoor/outdoor track and field. Women's sports include basketball, cheer, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor/outdoor track and field, and volleyball. Methodist University's teams have won 83 team and individual national championships along with 183 conference championships. To date, Methodist University has also produced 375 NCAA Division III All-Americans and 65 Academic All-Americans. Golf is one of the most popular sports at Methodist. The women's golf team has won 26 national titles, winning every national title from 1986 to 2012 except 1990 and 1997, when they finished as the national runner-up both years. They later won again in 2021. The men's team also has 14 NCAA Division III national golf championships (1990–1992, 1994–1999, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2024) and were runners-up three times (1984, 1989, 2000). The school also holds multiple conference championships in other sports. The baseball team is coached by coach Tom Austin, currently sixth overall among all-time NCAA Division III head coaches and fourth among active Division III head coaches in victories. Tom Austin has been the coach of Methodist University's baseball team since 1980 and is one of 64 college baseball coaches ever to reach a thousand career wins. The Monarch baseball team has reached the NCAA National Tournament 22 times and the Division III College World Series six times, finishing fifth or better each time, including national runners-up in 1995.

Notable alumni