An Historical Note
Centenary University has been related since its founding to the Methodist Church. The name chosen for the University in 1867 commemorated the centennial of the beginning of Methodism in the United States. Today, Centenary, as an independent, New Jersey nonprofit corporation, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate level institution, proudly continues its relationship with the United Methodist Church and enjoys a student body rich in diversity in religious and ethnic backgrounds.
Centenary University throughout its history has always been ready to adapt to meet the changing needs of its students. Founded in 1867 as the Centenary Collegiate Institute, a coeducational preparatory school, in 1910 it became a preparatory school for girls. Later, junior college courses were offered and in 1940 Centenary Junior College was formed. Centenary College became a four-year institution for women, granting associate and baccalaureate degrees, in 1976. In the same year, Centenary’s coeducational Continuing Studies Department was created, offering men the opportunity to pursue degrees at Centenary in the evening and significantly expanding the ability of the College to serve the citizens of Northwest New Jersey. This growth in adult education led to the College’s creation of the School of Professional Studies (SPS), originally known as the Center for Adult and Professional Studies (CAPS), an accelerated degree program at both the baccalaureate and master level designed for the working adult whose schedule prevents them from attending a more traditional schedule.
In 1988 Centenary admitted men and women to all full-time and part-time programs, returning to its original role as a coeducational institution. Originally men were only admitted as commuter students. By the fall of 1989, residence facilities for men became available, allowing men to participate in the College’s full residential programs. In 1992, the College established the Office of International Programs to coordinate recruitment of international students for study at Centenary, and to develop opportunities for our students to study abroad. These efforts have greatly enhanced diversity at the College.
In the fall of 1995, Centenary College introduced its first master degree program – Master of Arts (MA) in Education: Instructional Leadership. Since then Centenary has added a Master of Arts (MA) in Special Education, Master of Arts (MA) degrees in Counseling, Clinical Counseling, and School Counseling, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Master of Arts (MA) in Education: Educational Leadership, an online Master of Education (MEd) in Educational Practice, a Master of Education (MEd) in Literacy Instruction (formerly the MEd in Reading), a Master of Arts in Happiness Studies and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership.. All of the graduate programs are coeducational.
In 2016, Centenary continued its evolution as a premier institution of higher education in New Jersey, receiving approval from the New Jersey Commissioner of Education, the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education as a teaching university. Centenary University also introduced a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership in the 2016-2017 academic year. The Ed.D. program continues Centenary’s long-standing legacy of meeting the changing needs of its students and the State of New Jersey.