Sam Houston State University

Sam Houston State University is a public research university located in Huntsville, Texas. Founded in 1879, it is part of the Texas State University System. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across colleges that include business administration, criminal justice, education, humanities and social sciences, health sciences, and the arts. Sam Houston State University is particularly known for its programs in criminal justice and teacher education, reflecting its historical roots as a teacher training institution. With a residential campus and additional facilities in The Woodlands and online, it attracts students seeking a comprehensive public university experience in East Texas.

Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 in Huntsville, Texas, as Sam Houston Normal Institute, one of the first teacher training schools in the state. Established to prepare teachers for Texas public schools, the institution began classes in October 1879 under its first president, Bernard Mallon. In the early twentieth century, the school expanded its curriculum beyond teacher education and was renamed Sam Houston State Teachers College in 1923. It became Sam Houston State College in 1965 as academic offerings broadened to include liberal arts and professional programs. In 1969, the institution achieved university status and adopted the name Sam Houston State University. Over the decades, Sam Houston State University developed graduate and doctoral programs and expanded its campus facilities, emerging as a comprehensive public university within the Texas State University System.