From the School

University of the Southwest is a Christ-centered educational community dedicated to developing men and women for a lifetime of servant leadership by emphasizing individual faith, responsibility, and initiative.

Located in Hobbs, New Mexico, the story of University of the Southwest is an inspiring one. It is a story of vision and dreams, faith and determination, work and wisdom. It encompasses countless numbers of hearts and hands who have joined together to build an institution that not only enriches human lives but also glorifies God. It is the story of one community’s belief in the future.

The story begins, so it is told, in the early half of the century when “a young man on horseback scaled the heights near Cloudcroft and climbed the Wofford fire lookout tower to gain a panoramic view of ‘The Land of Enchantment.’ In prayerful meditation atop the tower, the youth was inspired to beseech God to give him New Mexico for Christian Education.” Through the intervening years, we are told, “God made this young man ready to help answer his own prayer.”

That young man was B. Clarence Evans, and he was destined to become the founder and first president of what was to eventually become University of the Southwest.

And so, after many prayers and dreams and plans, Clarence Evans finally saw his “college for Christian Education” become a reality. Hobbs Baptist College was chartered as a two-year junior college in 1956, and changed to New Mexico Baptist College when the school became a four-year college in 1958.

Within a few years, however, it became apparent that the college had grown beyond the original design, and the move to a larger, permanent location became a motivating force. By 1961, the present site north of Hobbs on the Lovington Highway was obtained.

In 1962, to reflect the expanded vision of the entire community that had now embraced this fledgling institution as their own, College of the Southwest was founded as an independent, non-denominational, four-year liberal arts college to serve the southeastern New Mexico and West Texas region, an approximately 21,000 square-mile service area.

In 2008, the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of College of the Southwest to University of the Southwest to better communicate the type of academic community into which the institution was evolving.

University of the Southwest is an accredited member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, one of the six regional agencies that evaluate educational institutions. The accreditation process assesses such characteristics as governance and administration, financial stability, admissions and student personnel services, institutional resources, student academic achievement, institutional effectiveness, and relationships with constituencies outside the institution. This voluntary accreditation function has two fundamental purposes: quality assurance and institutional and program improvement.

The North Central Association's accrediting process for institutions of higher education is accomplished through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). USW was granted accreditation in 1980, and has maintained continuous accreditation.

Also known as

  • USW

Institutional Enrollment

Total Post-Bac Enrollment
953
74.1% Female
25.9% Male

Institution Overview

School Type
Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation)

Region
Southwest AZ NM OK TX

Academic Calendar
Semester

Setting
Rural: Fringe

Academics


Graduate Assistantships
No

Full Time Graduate Enrolled
Yes

Part Time Graduate Enrolled
Yes

Total # of Programs
3

Number of Programs Available (in Category Selected Above)
Master's
1
Distance
3

Degrees Offered

Master's
Certificate Offered

Postbaccalaureate

Student Body

Demographics
0.31%
American Indian or Alaska Native
0.94%
Asian
29.17%
Black or African American
12.17%
Hispanic or Latino
0.21%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
44.39%
White
4.51%
Two or more races
7.24%
Unknown
1.05%
Non-resident Alien

Admissions


Admissions Office Web Address
www.usw.edu/admissions

Tuition & Aid


Average Tuition
$12,528

Overall

From The School



Academics: Programs - Overview


Academic
Yes

Occupational
No

Continuing Professional
No

Recreational or avocational
No

Highest Degree offered
Master's degree

Distance Learning Options

Grad programs or courses
Yes

Degree Programs Offered (in Category Selected Above)

Master's
1
Master's (Distance)
1
Postbaccalaureate Certificate
1
Postbaccalaureate Certificate (Distance)
1

Program Area Program Type Program Format
Campus Distance
Secondary Education and Teaching Master's Degree
Postbaccalaureate Cert.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Faculty

TotalInstructional StaffResearchPublic Service
Total 30 30 0 0
With faculty status 30 30 0 0
Not on tenure track 30 30 0 0
Multi-year contract 1 1 0 0
Annual contract 29 29 0 0
Less-than annual contract 0 0 0 0

Graduate Assistantships


Graduate Assistantships
No

Additional Information


State-Approved Teacher Certification?
Yes

Medical Degree Offered?
No

Institution Has a Hospital?
No

Overall

From The School



Overview


Average Tuition
$12,528

Financial aid office web address
www.usw.edu/admissions/financial_aid

Tuition fee varies by residency status
No

Typical Room
$4,068

Typical Board
$3,236

Tuition & Fees
Amount
Full time Average Tuition$12,528
Full time Fees$0
Part time, per credit hour$580

Tuition Plan Options


Alternative Tuition Plans Offered
Yes

Tuition Guaranteed Plan
No

Prepaid Tuition Plan
No

Tuition Payment Plan
Yes

Other Alternative Tuition Plan
No

Institutional Enrollment

Total Post-Bac Enrollment
953
74.1% Female
25.9% Male

Post-Bac Race / Ethnicity

Demographics
0.31%
American Indian or Alaska Native
0.94%
Asian
29.17%
Black or African American
12.17%
Hispanic or Latino
0.21%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
44.39%
White
4.51%
Two or more races
7.24%
Unknown
1.05%
Non-resident Alien

Gender
Race / Ethnicity Men Women
American Indian Or Alaska Native 1 2
Asian 3 6
Black Or African American 83 195
Hispanic Or Latino 24 92
Native Hawaiian OrOther Pacific Islander 1 1
Non-resident Alien 7 3
White 104 319
Two Or More Races 8 35
Unknown 16 53

Services offered

Service Offered
Academic Career Counseling ServiceYes
Employment Services For StudentsNo
Placement Services For CompletersNo

Advanced Awards/ Degrees Conferred Statistics

Award: Master's degree
Total
165
31.5% Male
68.5% Female

Award: Postbaccalaureate certificate
Total
20
25.0% Male
75.0% Female

Overall

From The School



Overview


Library Facilities at Institution
Yes

On-Campus Housing Available?
Yes

Services offered

Service Offered
Remedial servicesYes
On-campus day care for student's childrenNo

Admissions Office Contact

Address
6610 North Lovington Hwy
Hobbs, NM 88240

Phone
575-392-6561

Fax

Email


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