Historical Highlights of Baylor University

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.

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.”