History of Nova Southeastern University

Years from now, historians will look back and discover that the future officially began in 1964. The Beatles arrived and changed the face of music. The first Ford Mustang rolled out of Detroit. And, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a tiny college was born, with a handful of students and some revolutionary ideas. That college grew up to become Nova Southeastern University, and the rest is history.

Today, NSU is the nation’s eighth-largest, not-for-profit, independent university, with more than 28,000 students and 148,000 alumni; a sprawling, 300-acre Fort Lauderdale-Davie campus; and a presence in nine countries around the world. Through five decades of explosive growth, our reputation for academic excellence and innovation continues to flourish.

In 1964, what was then called Nova University of Advanced Technology was chartered as a graduate institution in the physical and social sciences. Over time, Nova added programs in law, education, business, psychology,  computer science, and oceanography. In 1972, the university introduced its first off-campus course of study in education. Soon, Nova became nationally recognized for its innovative distance-learning programs. Today, field-based programs are located throughout Florida, in 23 states, and at selected international sites.

While Nova University continued to expand its educational reach, Southeastern University of the Health Sciences also was on a course for expansion. The school was created by osteopathic physicians committed to establishing a college in the Southeast. As a result, the Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine, as it was first known, opened in 1981.

From 1987 to 1997, Southeastern added colleges of Pharmacy, Optometry, Allied Health, Medical Sciences, and Dental Medicine. In 1994, Nova University merged with Southeastern University of Health Sciences to form Nova Southeastern University.

So what exactly is NSU? We’re a small, nurturing, private, undergraduate college. We’re an exciting, multifaceted university. We’re young and agile, fearless and forward thinking. And we’re  traditional. NSU doesn’t fit easily within a standardized niche because neither do you.

NSU Presidents