The University of the Southwest has a long history. It opened its door for the first time in 1956 as Hobbs Baptist College, and then changed to New Mexico Baptist College when the school became a four-year college in 1958.

But in March 2008, the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of College of the Southwest to University of the Southwest to better communicate the type of academic community into which the institution was evolving.

Teaching at University of the Southwest adheres to belief in God, in the Bible as the inspired Word of God, in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and in the separation of church and state.

University of the Southwest challenges graduates to become enterprising members of our society contributing to the common good by advocating and participating in the productive commerce of free enterprise, the constitutional privilege of self-government, and the practical contributions of community service.

We offer baccalaureate degrees in education, business administration, computer science, sports management, criminal justice, psychology, and others. In addition, the college awards the master's degree in a variety of educational disciplines including counseling, special education, and educational testing.

Be sure, you’ll find here many of the same things you would expect to find at any educational establishment – from outstanding professors and great academic programs to state-of-the-art facilities. But one thing that makes us noticeably different from many other colleges is the genuine, active, and personal interest that faculty, staff, and even our president take in our students.