Authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1899, Southwest Texas State Normal School opened its doors in 1903. Over the years, the Legislature broadened the institution's scope and changed its name, in succession, to Normal College, Teachers College, College, University, and in 2003 to Texas State University-San Marcos.

Academics
Texas State's 29,105 students choose from 100 bachelor’s, 88 master’s and eight doctoral degree programs offered by the following colleges: Applied Arts, McCoy College of Business Administration, Education, Fine Arts and Communication, Health Professions, Liberal Arts, Science, University College and the Graduate College.

Texas State students come from around the globe, and the student body is diverse. Thirty-two percent of Texas State students are ethnic minorities. In fact, Texas State is ranked 16th in the nation for the number of degrees we grant to Hispanic undergraduates.

Moreover, the Offices of Correspondence, Extension & Study Abroad Programs enable students to customize their education by offering a full range of traditional correspondence courses, online courses, classroom courses located throughout Central Texas, and study abroad programs. Students can take advantage of the non-credit offerings, as well as earn either undergraduate or graduate college credit, and be assured that the quality of their courses meets the high standards set by Texas State.

Texas State offers numerous distance learning opportunities, including courses in Arts, Biology, Business, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Dance, English, Health Information Management, Communications, History, Mathematics, Sociology, Philosophy and others. There are also flexible evening and weekend classes, which can be taken on the main campus in San Marcos, at various off-campus locations, and at the Round Rock Higher Education Center. Distance learning courses involve the use of distributed technologies including the Internet, e-mail, video, two-way interactive TV, and broadcast.

Distance learning programs combine online (web-based) and on-campus (on-site) material delivery. To the distance learning programs belong such programs as the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management, Master of Applied Geography, Master of Applied Geography, Master of Education in Mathematics (Secondary and Community College Teaching), Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, Master of Social Work in Direct Practice, and Master of Social Work in Administrative Leadership.

Texas State University-San Marcos is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools