Columbia College, also known as Columbia College of Missouri, is a private college based in Columbia, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1851 as a nonsectarian college, it has retained a covenant with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since its inception. In addition to its main campus, the college operates at locations in nine U.S. states with many of them on U.S. military bases. As of 2019^[update], one third of Columbia's almost 10,000 students were associated with the U.S. military.

Christian Female College received its charter from the Missouri Legislature on January 18, 1851, making it the first women's college west of the Mississippi River to be chartered by a state legislature. The city of Columbia strongly supported female education, in part because the University of Missouri did not yet admit women. Columbia was also home to Stephens College, founded in 1833 and chartered in 1856. Infrastructure was a problem; the first classes were held in an unfinished mansion.

A typical day for female students in 1851 started at 6 a.m. with a morning walk, followed by worship in the chapel. They attended classes until late afternoon and then wrote a daily composition. After they studied and did chores, the students attended a Bible lecture every evening. They studied arithmetic, ancient history, grammar, ancient geography, philosophy, the five books of Moses, and composition. The college purchased the estate of Dr. James Bennett and formally dedicated the buildings and grounds as the Christian College campus in 1852. By 1856, there were 150 students, including 85 boarders.

During the Civil War, Christian College President Joseph K. Rogers vowed to keep the school open. The majority of the city of Columbia was pro-Union, but the surrounding agricultural areas of Boone County and the rest of central Missouri were decidedly pro-slavery. Rogers was successful, thanks in part to faculty who relinquished pay.

President Rogers insisted the college remain neutral and did not allow newspapers on the grounds, but privately he read them. As the fighting continued, so did the fight for the college's survival. Only three students graduated in 1862, and four the following year. However, Christian College never missed a day of classes. After the war, Christian College saw its largest enrollment to date, with 182 students taught by nine faculty members.

Growth continued through the start of the 20th century, especially under Luella St. Clair Moss, a "steam engine in petticoats." St. Clair served three different terms as president of the college between 1893 and 1920, and was one of the first female college presidents in the country.

During her administration, she spearheaded the construction of four new buildings—St. Clair Hall, Dorsey Hall, Launer Auditorium and Missouri Hall—all of which are still in use today. She doubled the size of the faculty, held the first Ivy Chain ceremony, launched a college magazine, created a college orchestra, started a women's basketball team, and implemented the then-innovative cap-and-gown uniform, which students wore in public. She also changed the college from a four-year school to one of the first accredited junior colleges in the country.

In 1970 the college changed from a four-year conservative all-female college to a liberal coeducational college, and changed its name to Columbia College. Between 1970 and 1971, more than 70 courses as daring as cycling and flying were added to the curriculum; all graduation requirements except freshman English and a GPA of 2.5 were dropped; more foreign students were admitted; and a host of lifestyle choices such as off-campus living for juniors, a relaxed dress code, and smoking were allowed. President W. Merle Hill said in 1971 that the time had come to openly allow discussions of poverty, the Vietnam War, racism, sex, drugs and abortion. All of this was a radical departure from the college's conservative heritage and alienated some students and alumni.