Baylor University was founded under the leadership of Judge R.E.B. Baylor, Reverend James Huckins, and Reverend William Milton Tryon, three visionary pioneer missionaries working through the Texas Baptist Education Society. They, along with other associations, sent representatives in 1848 to create the Baptist State Association, which later became the Baptist State Convention.

Historical Highlights

Year	Highlight
1845	Baylor chartered on February 1 by the Republic of Texas.
1849	Instruction in law began.
1857	School of Law organized.
1883	School of Law closed.
1920	School of Law reorganized.
1886	Baylor merged with Waco University and moved to Waco.
1903	College of Medicine organized in Dallas by assuming responsibility for operations of the University of Dallas Medical Department.
1943	Moved to Houston.
1969	Given independent status.
1903	College of Pharmacy organized in Dallas.
1930	College or Pharmacy terminated.
1905	Theological Seminary organized in Waco.
1907	Separated from Baylor University.
1910	Moved to Fort Worth.
1918	College of Dentistry organized in Dallas by taking over the State Dental College, founded in 1905.
1971	The College was separately incorporated in 1971, although Graduate programs continued to be offered through Baylor University.
1996	The College became a part of the Texas A&M System on September 1.
1919	Baylor Hospital organized in Dallas, now Baylor University Medical Center.
1919	College of Arts and Sciences organized.
1919	College of Fine Arts organized, which consisted of offerings in music and in expression.
1921	Terminated in favor of the present School of Music.
1919	School of Education organized.
1921	Training School of the Texas Baptist Memorial Sanitarium, originally organized as a diploma-granting program in 1909, incorporated into Baylor University as Baylor Hospital School of Nursing.
1950	The School of Nursing reorganized as an academic unit of Baylor University offering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
2000	Renamed Louise Herrington School of Nursing in honor of Louise Herrington Ornelas.
1921	School of Music organized.
1923	School of Business organized.
1959	Renamed Hankamer School of Business in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hankamer of Houston.
1947	Graduate School organized. (Graduate study and degrees have been offered since 1894.)
1951	Graduate program in hospital administration established in conjunction with the Army Medical Field Service School, Fort Sam Houston.
1971	Graduate program in physical therapy added at Fort Sam Houston.
1971	Program in physician’s assistant added in collaboration with the Army Medical Field Service School, Fort Sam Houston; terminated in 1977.
1972	Army Medical Field Service School renamed Academy of Health Sciences of the U.S. Army.
1973	Baylor University Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Army Academy of Health Sciences affiliated over 20 programs of instruction with 150 course offerings for academic credit at Baylor University; terminated in 1977 for all programs except Health Care Administration and Physical Therapy.
1987	University School organized. Responsibilities reassigned to other academic units in 1992.
1993	George W. Truett Theological Seminary organized in Waco.
1994	Seminary classes began.
1995	School of Engineering and Computer Science organized.
2002	Honors College organized.
2005	School of Social Work granted independent status from the College of Arts and Sciences.
2015	Renamed Diana R. Garland School of Social Work in honor of its inaugural dean, Diana R. Garland, Ph.D.
2014	Robbins College of Health and Human Services organized.
2021	Achieved “R1” status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as a university with “very high research activity.”