OUR Story

About HPU

A Christian liberal arts institution, Howard Payne University prides itself on fostering a close community where personal connection is valued. Through teaching, learning and service, the faculty and staff truly invest in students’ success.

At HPU, students choose from more than 100 majors, minors and pre-professional programs in seven schools: Business, Christian Studies, Education, Humanities, Music and Fine Arts, Nursing, and Science and Mathematics. The Guy D. Newman Honors Academy challenges students with a multidisciplinary curriculum and exciting travel opportunities. Co-curricular organizations include the Model UN, Moot Court and Student Speaker Bureau, and more than 25 student organizations round out the school’s extracurricular options.

HPU’s eighty-acre, tree-lined campus in Brownwood sits on the northern side of the Texas Hill Country. Off-campus activities include visits to nearby Lake Brownwood. Students who enjoy athletics take part in well-attended intramural sporting competitions. Student athletes at HPU compete in six men’s and six women’s sports through the American Southwest Conference.

Mission Statement

Howard Payne University is a Christ-centered academic community dedicated to excellence by developing and equipping the whole person for intellectual inquiry, personal and professional integrity, and service to God and humanity. 

Approved by the Howard Payne University Board of Trustees, July 27, 2010.

Mission Statement

Howard Payne University is a Christ-centered academic community dedicated to excellence by developing and equipping the whole person for intellectual inquiry, personal and professional integrity, and service to God and humanity. 

Approved by the Howard Payne University Board of Trustees, July 27, 2010.

Core Values

Howard Payne University’s mission and vision are built on the foundation of certain core values. Click here or below for more information.

Vision Statement

Howard Payne University aspires to be a premier Christian university, intentionally engaging the life of the mind and the life of the Spirit.

Vision Statement

Howard Payne University aspires to be a premier Christian university, intentionally engaging the life of the mind and the life of the Spirit.

Curriculum

The educational program of the university is presented to residential and commuting students at its main campus in Brownwood, Texas, and to commuting students in New Braunfels and El Paso, Texas. The instructional programs are presented through a variety of media, including traditional face-to-face lectures, laboratory experiences and electronic delivery. Various academic programs engage in service learning that includes a public outreach component. These are addressed in the learning outcomes of individual programs. Howard Payne University is not a research institution and does not include research in its Mission Statement.

Accreditation

Howard Payne University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, and masters’ levels. Howard Payne University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Howard Payne University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA  30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Accolades and Recognition

  • Ranked 61st out of 905 private institutions of higher education in the Forbes 2022 College Financial Grade list 
  • Awarded with 2021 Tree Campus Higher Education® status by the Arbor Day Foundation

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