Overview
Brenau University is a private, nonprofit university in Gainesville, Georgia, offering undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs across a range of disciplines including healthcare, business, education, arts and sciences. With a campus community of several thousand students from across the U.S. and around the world, Brenau emphasises personalised attention, career-focused learning, and a liberal arts foundation that fosters professional and personal development.
History
Founded in 1878 as the Georgia Baptist Female Seminary to educate women, the institution was renamed Brenau in 1900—a blend of the German brennen (“to burn”) and the Latin aurum (“gold”), reflecting its motto “As Gold Refined by Fire.” Originally a women’s college, Brenau evolved over time to admit men across most programmes, expanded graduate study, and achieved university status in 1992 to reflect its comprehensive offerings.
Unique Features
- Diverse academic portfolio: Brenau offers more than 80 degree options through multiple colleges, including strong programmes in health sciences, business, education, occupational therapy, clinical psychology, and the arts.
- The Women’s College: The historic Women’s College remains a distinctive core of campus life, preserving traditions while offering modern academic and extracurricular experiences.
- Flexible delivery: The university’s Evening & Weekend College and Online College provide flexible pathways for adult learners, military service members, veterans, and non-traditional students.
- Campus culture and Greek life: Students can engage in a vibrant Greek life with one of the oldest sorority systems among U.S. women’s colleges, along with theatre, dance, music, and community events.
- Athletics: The Golden Tigers compete in the NAIA’s Appalachian Athletic Conference across multiple varsity sports, contributing to spirited campus life.
Location
Brenau’s main campus sits on approximately 50–57 acres in Gainesville, Georgia, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This location combines a historic, tree-lined campus atmosphere with access to cultural, outdoor and metropolitan resources. The university also operates satellite sites—such as in Norcross and other Georgia locations—and offers programmes online.
