About APU: APU at a Glance - Media Relations

APU at a Glance

Azusa Pacific University students attend chapel services three times a week. These services strive to encourage an intimate, personal relationship with God, providing challenging, biblically based teaching intended to produce transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Students take six Bible courses during their studies at APU. These courses serve to enrich students’ knowledge of the Bible and provide a foundation for the everyday application of its teachings.
Under the Training School for Christian Workers’ first president, Mary Hill, more than 80 percent of the student body traveled abroad as full-time missionaries. During the first six years of operation, student missionaries were sent to Alaska, China, Guatemala, Honduras, India, and the Philippines. And while today the majority of APU’s students do not become full-time missionaries, they go on short-term mission trips to Africa, Brazil, China, Haiti, India, Montserrat, Romania, Russia, and others.

For the first year, Azusa Pacific University secured a place in the most prestigious category of national universities in U.S.News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2008 rankings. Previously, APU was ranked in the top 25 schools within the Western Universities-Master’s category, enjoying prominent placement and recognition for outstanding first-year and service-learning programs.
In 1944, the school granted its first four-year degrees. Today, APU offers more than 50 areas of undergraduate study, 23 master’s degree programs, and 7 doctorates.
On January 6, 1964, Azusa College became accredited as a liberal arts institution by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

In 1928, APU reflected a definite international flavor with students hailing from Canada, China, England, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Norway, the Philippines, Romania, and Wales. Today, more than 200 APU students travel abroad to study every year and more than 200 international students come to APU.
Each year, APU awards $25,000 in Celebrate Azusa/Nancy Moore scholarships to five graduates of Azusa and Gladstone high schools who exemplify solid academics and community-minded involvement. In order to maintain the $5,000 renewable scholarships, recipients must maintain a 2.7 grade point average, take at least 12 units a semester, and devote 10 hours a week to community service.
Each year, Azusa Pacific University Athletics host community nights during which local residents can attend APU athletic events for free. APU athletics rank third among active NAIA Division 1 institutions, holding 22 national championships, and second with 39 top-two finishes among several additional semifinal appearances. In 2004-05, the Cougars captured the Directors’ Cup, recognizing it as the NAIA’s top athletics program in the country. Within the GSAC, APU has claimed a conference-leading 71 conference championships. APU athletes own the reputation for achieving excellence, not only as athletes, but also as disciple-scholars.

The fourth annual City Links event attracted more than 2,000 students, staff, faculty, and community members, who took time out of the day to clean up and beautify the city of Azusa.
APU encourages students to give back to the community by participating in more than 20 community service programs offered through the Office of Ministry and Service. Each student completes at least 30 hours of community service per year at APU.
APU offers several service learning courses, which use community service as a teaching and learning device, empowering students to become lifelong learners and building community by meeting specific needs in the community.