Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University is a public research university located in Kennesaw, Georgia, with a second campus in Marietta. Part of the University System of Georgia, it serves tens of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students across a wide range of academic disciplines. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees through multiple academic colleges, including programs in business, engineering, computing, education, health sciences, and the arts. Classified as a doctoral university with high research activity, Kennesaw State attracts students seeking a comprehensive public university experience in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Kennesaw State University was founded in 1963 when the Georgia Board of Regents approved the creation of a junior college in Cobb County during a period of rapid growth in Georgia’s higher education system. The institution opened in 1966 as Kennesaw Junior College under its first president, Horace T. Sturgis. In 1976 it became a four-year institution and was renamed Kennesaw College, expanding its academic offerings. Graduate programs were introduced in the 1980s, and in 1988 the institution became Kennesaw State College. Kennesaw State University achieved university status in 1996, reflecting continued enrollment growth and program development. In 2015, Kennesaw State University consolidated with Southern Polytechnic State University, adding the Marietta campus and strengthening engineering and technology programs. Today, Kennesaw State University is one of Georgia’s largest public universities, serving the Atlanta metropolitan region.