Southern Oregon University (SOU) is a campus of approximately 6,200 students that serves the state of Oregon with a focus on southern Oregon and the northernmost counties of California. SOU provides a comprehensive education with selected professional programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. One of seven public universities in Oregon, SOU provides intellectual and personal growth through theoretical and experiential education. Southern Oregon University emphasizes diversity, and inclusion, and focuses on preparing students to live and lead in a multicultural, global society. SOU has been ranked among the top 25 campuses in the nation for three years running by the Campus Pride Index.

SOU’s culture of engaged faculty is ideal for undergraduate and graduate instruction. Its rising national recognition is thanks to the faculty’s notable research and creative talents. With over 90% of SOU instructors possessing the highest degrees in their fields, the faculty provides a friendly, service-oriented environment where students learn and grow.

Hands-­on experience in research and community projects enhances classroom, laboratory, and studio learning. An Accelerated Baccalaureate Degree program, Honors College, Innovation and Leadership degree completion program, and an array of other special programs and certificates provide students with an education that best accommodates their lifestyles, particularly through its online education offerings.

In 2015, Southern Oregon University was named the first “Bee Campus USA” in the nation. In keeping with the University’s goals of environmental stewardship, SOU was also distinguished as a “Tree Campus USA” institution by the Arbor Day Foundation. SOU remains a major partner in the economic, cultural, and environmental development of the region, offering students a variety of opportunities for direct participation. SOU is a regional leader for its outstanding education and research in the science fields and technology.

The university maintains close global connections through its many international students, exchange programs, and longstanding sister university alliances, including the flagship, Universidad de Guanajuato, Mexico.

SOU’s main campus is located in vibrant Ashland, Oregon. With the location largely residential in character, students live both on campus or in Ashland’s student­-friendly local neighborhoods.

On­-campus housing offers four complexes with residence halls, fine dining featuring many organic and locally-­sourced ingredients, apartments for upper­ division housing, family housing in Old Mill Village with childcare services, and a facility for visiting groups who participate in SOU’s educational enrichment offerings.

Serving a growing number of commuter students from as far away as Roseburg, Oregon and Redding, California, SOU provides many educational programs and services at the RCC/SOU Higher Education Center in Medford. SOU enjoys many fruitful and growing partnerships with regional community colleges, including Rogue Community College, Klamath Community College, Umpqua Community College, and the College of the Siskiyous, as well as Oregon Health & Science University.

The Region

The region is a uniquely diverse geographic, geological, and ecological area. It is distinguished by the Rogue, Umpqua, and Klamath Rivers; Crater Lake National Park; many lakes; and the convergence of three mountain ranges: the Cascades, the Siskiyous, and the Coast Range. Such qualities give rise to the University’s distinctions in environmental studies and outdoor adventure leadership, as well as its tremendous recreational opportunities, ranging from golf, rafting, fishing, and sailing to hiking, skiing, biking, horseback riding, and camping.

Arts and culture, recreation, tourism, retail sales, natural resources, and burgeoning healthcare services are the driving forces of the region’s economy. Technology industries are diversifying the economy as new companies move into the area, start-up firms emerge, and technology advances locally. There are three medical centers that offer world-class healthcare services.

The region hosts five fairs and thirteen festivals, in addition to nearly thirty art galleries and more than two dozen cultural and art museums. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) in Ashland and Britt Music Festivals in Jacksonville are the most notable festivals. Theatre venues include Oregon Cabaret Theatre and Medford’s Craterian Theater at the Collier Center for the Performing Arts. Recreational facilities include 151 public and 110 commercial campgrounds, seventeen golf courses, three racetracks, two ski areas, two ice-skating rinks, and four horse stables. There are sixty-four registered guided tours in southern Oregon.

Accreditation

Southern Oregon University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The Business program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.  The Chemistry programs have earned the approval of the American Chemical Society. The Education programs are accredited by the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. The Environmental Education Program is accredited by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).  The Music program is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music. The Mental Health Counseling program is nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).