About Otterbein University
Otterbein is a regionally-accredited liberal arts university. Since its founding in 1847, Otterbein has been recognized for its pace-setting ideals, its ground-breaking integrative studies curriculum, its standing among the country’s first co-education institutions, and its commitment to serve the public good. Located in picturesque Westerville, Ohio — just minutes away from downtown Columbus — we are a perfect location for undergraduate and graduate students to find internships and worldwide networking opportunities.
Location: Westerville is a residential community of 36,000 residents on the northeast side of Columbus, Ohio, offering a small-town atmosphere with all the conveniences and opportunities of a big city. Otterbein’s 140-acre campus is accented by the historic Towers Hall, which was constructed in 1872 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Enrollment: Approximately 3,000 men and women from throughout the United States and several foreign countries.
Curriculum: Otterbein offers a choice of more than 70 majors and 44 minors, as well as individualized courses of study. We also offer five graduate programs in business administration, education and nursing, including our doctor of nursing practice degree.
Student/Faculty Ratio: The student to faculty ratio at Otterbein is 12:1.
Otterbein's History
Otterbein’s story begins in the mid-1800s, before the abolition of slavery, before the women’s rights movement, before equality and inclusion were rights. Otterbein was founded by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ in 1847. Those qualities have built Otterbein into what it is today: a regionally and nationally accredited and recognized university offering bachelor and master degrees to a wide variety of students.
We included women as faculty members and as students from our founding, and we were the first institution in the nation to do so. Otterbein admitted students of color before the Civil War and welcomed Japanese-American students who had been sent to internment camps during World War II. And, we gave students a voice in our story through our unique governance system beginning in the 1960s. Today students from diverse backgrounds enhance Otterbein’s campus by sharing their unique experiences and perspectives.
1847
Otterbein was founded in 1847 in Westerville, Ohio—less than 15 miles from center-city Columbus.
25,000+
Over 25,000 proud alumni make up Otterbein’s global network.