Biola University

Biola University is a private, nondenominational evangelical Christian university located in La Mirada, California. Founded in 1908 as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, it developed from a Bible training institute into a comprehensive university offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Biola integrates Christian faith with academic study across disciplines including business, psychology, education, theology, science, and cinema and media arts. The university operates several schools, including the Talbot School of Theology and the Rosemead School of Psychology. Biola attracts students seeking a Christ-centered education that combines professional preparation with required biblical studies and an evangelical theological framework.

Biola University was founded in 1908 in Los Angeles, California, as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles by Lyman Stewart and Thomas C. Horton to provide Bible and missionary training. In its early decades, the institute focused on two-year diploma programs centered on Scripture and evangelism. William P. White became the institution’s first president in 1929, helping guide it through the Great Depression. The school broadened its curriculum over time and was renamed Biola College in 1949. In 1959, Biola relocated to La Mirada, California, where it expanded its campus and academic offerings. The institution achieved university status in 1981, becoming Biola University. Subsequent decades saw the growth of graduate and professional schools, including Talbot School of Theology and the Rosemead School of Psychology, shaping Biola University into a comprehensive evangelical university with undergraduate and doctoral programs.