Troy University’s tradition of teaching excellence dates to its founding on February 26, 1887, when an act of the Alabama Legislature established Troy State Normal School as an institution to train teachers for Alabama’s schools. Joseph Macon Dill was the institution’s first president. In 1893, the school was renamed Troy State Normal College.
The Normal College offered extension courses for teachers and granted teaching certificates until 1929, when the State Board of Education changed the charter of the institution and renamed it Troy State Teacher’s College. That same year, the college moved to its present site and the first two buildings were dedicated: Shackelford Hall, named for Edward Madison Shackelford, president of the school from 1899-1936, and Bibb Graves Hall, named for David Bibb Graves, Alabama’s “education governor.” Governor Bibb Graves is also remembered for commissioning the Olmsted Brothers architectural firm of Brookline, Massachusetts, to design the campus landscape plan. The building has since been renamed to honor the memory of Civil Rights icon and longtime Georgia Congressman John Robert Lewis, a Pike County native.
Like many American universities, Troy State Teacher’s College enjoyed one of its most prosperous periods of growth in the years following World War II when returning veterans took advantage of the VA Educational Benefits. The enrollment of the College more than doubled and this growth led to the introduction of degree programs in disciplines other than education, most notably in business. In 1957, the State Board of Education recognized this expanded role and dropped “Teacher’s” from Troy State College’s name.
The decade of the 1950s also marked the University’s long relationship with the United States Military, as extension courses were offered on nearby bases, first at Fort Rucker, near Dothan, and later at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. A separate Troy State College teaching center was established at Fort Rucker in 1961, which evolved into the present-day Dothan Campus. A similar center, begun at Maxwell Air Force Base in 1965, led to the creation of the present-day Montgomery Campus. These programs were the forerunners of the modern TROY Service Centers division of Troy University, which operates all TROY teaching sites outside Alabama. In 1973, the University opened sites at military bases in Florida. Today, TROY Service Centers operate some 20 sites in seven U.S. states, at locations in Japan and South Korea, and partnerships with universities in Vietnam and Malaysia.
In 1967, Gov. Lurleen B. Wallace appointed eight members to the newly established Troy State College Board of Trustees, removing the institution from the control of the State Board of Education. One of the first acts of the new board was to recommend the change of the name to Troy State University. The new name became official on Dec. 14, 1967.
In 1975, the Phenix City Campus was opened as a branch of the main campus.
In 1982, the Troy State University System was formed, as the campuses in Dothan and Montgomery were granted independent accreditation status. In April of 2004 the Board of Trustees voted to drop "State" from the University's name to better reflect the institution's worldwide mission. Starting August 2005, all TROY campuses were again unified under one accreditation.
Troy University Mission with Institutional Goals
Troy University is a public institution comprised of a network of campuses throughout Alabama and worldwide. International in scope, Troy University provides a variety of educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, to include doctoral programs, for a diverse student body in traditional, nontraditional and emerging electronic formats. Academic programs are supported by a variety of student services which promote the welfare of the individual student. Troy University's dedicated faculty and staff promote discovery and exploration of knowledge and its application to life-long success through effective teaching, service, creative partnerships, scholarship and research.
Institutional Goals
Institutional goals refer to the central themes of the mission. They enable the mission and stand as major areas for institutional development. As derived from the Troy University mission, below are the institutional goals of the University.
Lead the higher education community in growing enrollments to provide access to
academic programs through innovative educational technology and a culture of
caring.
Provide an exceptional college experience for all TROY students that results in
meaningful careers and lives for our graduates.
Ensure through effective stewardship that TROY students have an affordable
academic experience.
Provide an international perspective for domestic students and an American
experience for international students.
Proactively reach out and serve those who serve, and have served, our country in
the armed forces and their families as part of the TROY family.
Improve the diversity within the University’s administration and staff and provide
TROY students with the values of diversity, servant leadership, professionalism
and democratic principles so they will serve as good citizens and leaders in their
communities.
Address educational needs that will promote the economic and social growth of
Alabama and the southeastern United States.
Nine degree programs at Troy University have been recognized as being among the nation’s best. TROY's Master of Science in Sport Management program was ranked 4th nationally. The Master of Science in Nursing program was ranked 10th. Other rankings include: Online Social Work degree (17th), Online master's in history (18th), Online Nurse Practitioner Master's program (30th), Best Online Master's in Nursing programs (38th) and Most Affordable Online Bachelor's in Psychology program (38th).
Military Times ranked TROY as the only four-year, public university in Alabama in its 2022 Best for Vets rankings. TROY ranked 13th in the southeast and 41st nationally among public colleges and universities.
U.S. News & World Report recognized TROY among the best regional universities in the South in its 2022-2023 Best Colleges Rankings. TROY ranked 44th among all regional universities in the south and 17th among public regional universities in the south. TROY was also recognized for its commitment to the military, ranking 21st in U.S. News’ Best Colleges for Veterans rankings.
Troy University’s ACCESS Virtual Learning program (Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide), an outreach program of the College of Education, has received accreditation through 2027. The program met the criteria for educational quality established by Cognia Global Commission and was accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, the Northwest Accreditation Commission and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement.
The Princeton Review has named Troy University among the best colleges and universities in the southeastern U.S. for the 18th straight year.
Fortune has ranked Troy University’s online Master of Science in Nursing program as the 36th best in the country in its 2022 Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs rankings.
The Partners for College Affordability and Public Trust recognized Troy University as a national model for providing quality, affordable education. The study examined the leadership of Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr. and the Board of Trustees and the decisions that have made TROY an adaptive and affordable institution focused on meeting the needs of students and the community.
Fortune has included TROY’s online MBA program among its “Best Online MBA Programs in 2022” ranking. The listing included 108 colleges and universities with TROY’s program coming in at 88th.
Online MBA Coach has ranked TROY among its top 100 “Most Affordable Online MBA Programs.”
Master’s Programs Guide ranked TROY’s MBA in Global Business 6th among its “Best Affordable Master’s in International Business Degree Programs” ranking.
Online Master’s Degrees has ranked TROY’s Master of Public Administration program 13th in its “Best Online MPA Programs for 2022.”
Stacker has named TROY’s Rosa Parks Museum among its top museums in Alabama. The museum was ranked as the 6th best in the state.
Abound has ranked TROY among its “Top 100 Online Colleges 2022,” making it one of only two universities in the state to achieve the recognition. Abound also included TROY among its “Best Colleges for Military and Veterans 2022” listing and its “Best Colleges for Adults 2022” listing.
U.S. News & World Report ranked several of TROY’s online degree programs among the “2022 Best Online Programs” rankings. TROY’s bachelor’s degree in Psychology was ranked 21st nationally, the online master’s program in Criminal Justice ranked 31st overall and 16th in “Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice for Veterans.” The master’s program in non-MBA Business programs ranked 34th best of such programs for veterans. TROY service to veterans was also recognized in the categories of “Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs for Veterans,” and “Online Master of Business Administration Programs for Veterans.” TROY was also recognized among the nation’s best in the “Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs,” “Online Bachelor’s in Business,” “Online Master of Business Administration Programs,” “Online Master’s in Business Non-MBA,” “Online Master’s in Education,” and “Online Master’s in Nursing” categories.
