Founded in 1949, Grand Canyon University (GCU) is a private, Christian university located in Phoenix, Arizona, and has been regionally accredited since 1968 by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. GCU offers bachelor and master degree programs to traditional, professional, and online students through four colleges: Ken Blanchard College of Business, College of Nursing, College of Education, and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. At the turn of the century, the University moved away from being owned and operated by the Arizona Southern Baptists Convention to being self-owned by the Board of Trustees. Four years later, in 2004, the University’s ownership once again changed when it was purchased by Significant Education, Inc. At this time, the University became a for-profit institution with a vision for maintaining the strength of its campus-based programs, as well as a strong emphasis on online program offerings.

Mission Statement
Grand Canyon University prepares learners to become global citizens, critical thinkers, effective communicators, and responsible leaders by providing an academically-challenging, values-based curriculum from the context of our Christian heritage.

Typical Student
Grand Canyon University has three distinct student populations that it serves. The University provides bachelor and master programs to approximately 10,000 online, traditional, and professional studies students with approximately 3,000 Arizona students attending GCU. Of the total GCU population, 72.5% are female and 27.5% are male. The average age of the student population is 34 years old and the University has 500 students living on campus.