The College of Education will be 150 years old in 2017!
Chicago State University (CSU) has deep historical roots in public higher education in Illinois. Founded in 1867 in Blue Island, Illinois, as an experimental teacher training school, CSU is the second oldest public university in the state. From its beginnings in a leaky railroad boxcar in Blue Island, Illinois, CSU has transformed with the City of Chicago and its surrounding region. As Chicago changed during the postwar eras of the 20th century, CSU changed to respond to postwar demands and the needs of the populations served. Each change reflected a renewed commitment to academic excellence and community service. Until the 1960s, CSU was housed in one building that occupied approximately one city block. At that time institution was principally a teacher training college with a predominantly European-American student body. Today, CSU is located on a picturesque urban campus of 161 wooded acres on Chicago's south side. The institution is currently housed in ten buildings and is strategically located to serve the populations who reside on the City's south side and beyond. CSU currently services a diverse blend of predominantly African American and Hispanic students. It has evolved from a teacher training institution to a comprehensive university that served commuting students to its current status as a comprehensive residential doctoral degree granting institution of higher learning offering 36 undergraduate and 20 graduate degree programs to more than 7,200 students through its Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, and Health Sciences, Pharmacy, and its Division of Continuing Education and Non-Traditional Programs.