Salem University

Salem University is a private for-profit university in Salem, West Virginia. It has about 250 students on campus and about 600 online students that are enrolled in undergraduate as well as graduate programs. The university was founded by the Seventh Day Baptist Church in 1888.

The school was founded after the Eastern Seventh Day Baptist Association decided to build an academy in the city of Salem. The state granted a permit in December 1888 to build what was called the Academy of Salem, specifying that the institution was subject to the regulations and decisions of the Society of Seventh Day Baptist Education. The charter required the institution to make a college as soon as possible, which occurred in 1890. Over the next 100 years, the school continued as a liberal arts, teacher education, and nursing college.

In 1989, Salem formed an alliance with Teikyo University in Tokyo, Japan, which changed the focus of the school to one of education of international students. "Salem College" was renamed "Salem-Teikyo University". Nearly 200 freshmen from Japan enrolled in the college as part of an experiment by Japanese educators to teach the 145 boys and 45 girls how to speak fluent English, experience American culture firsthand and to acquire a valuable American college degree. The alliance with Teikyo ended in 2000, when the school was purchased by investors from Singapore. At that time, the school changed its name to "Salem International University". Salem International University was acquired by Salem Education LLC in June 2005. The school was renamed "Salem University" in September 2017.

The Salem College Administration Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. However, due to ongoing safety concerns, the building was demolished in 2023. Historical documents and the original bell from the building were found in that demolition and are now housed in Salem's Benedum Library.

Salem is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The university offers undergraduate degrees including the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Science. The School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (a degree-completion program for registered nurses) and an Associate of Science in Nursing that prepares students to become Registered Nurses.

At the graduate level, Salem offers a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Education, and a Master of Science in Nursing. Teachers may take courses in the School of Education as non-degree students to renew their licenses. A post-master's certificate in Educational Leadership is offered that leads to advanced licensure and a certificate in Special Education Leadership is also offered.

All programs, including distance education programs, are delivered in a monthly format allowing students to complete their degrees more quickly than their counterparts at other traditional or online universities. This attracts non-traditional students conscious of time and accessibility.

Since classes are four weeks long, the MBA or M.Ed. can be completed in 12 months or fewer, a Bachelor's in 40 months, or an Associate in only 20 months, if a student were to start college studies without any prior college credits.