Sullivan University history

In 1972, the school began to offer associate degrees in addition to its one-year career diplomas.

The institution was renamed in 1976 to Sullivan Junior College of Business to reflect its authority to grant associate degrees, and moved to its present Louisville campus on Bardstown Road and the Watterson Expressway.

In 1979, Sullivan became the first private career college in the South to receive collegiate accreditation from the prestigious Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) at the Associate degree level.

In 1987 Sullivan opened the National Center for Hospitality Studies offering degrees in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, hotel and restaurant management and catering.

The college first offered an MBA degree in 1997.

In 1998, Sullivan College became the largest private college in Kentucky with 3,000 students enrolling at its campuses in Louisville, Lexington, and Fort Knox.

In 1999, Sullivan University established an international presence through online education that provides students the opportunity to attend across the globe.

In the Spring of 2000, the institution’s board approved the change of designation from Sullivan College to Sullivan University which officially took place at formal ceremonies on August 2, 2000.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) extends Sullivan’s accreditation through the year 2006.

In 2008, Sullivan began its first doctoral program, the Doctor of Pharmacy, which is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Pharmacy graduates are eligible to sit for the National Board Exam.

In a 2009 lawsuit, it was disclosed that the organization held just $20 million in cash reserves though the Sullivan University System distributed $77 million over the previous 10 years to its two sole stockholders, Chancellor Alva Sullivan and ex-wife Patricia Schrenk.

In 2010, Sullivan launched its first Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in management.

In 2012, Sullivan University entered into an agreement with Historic Homes Foundation, Inc., the owner of the adjoining Historic Farmington Plantation, to lease five of the landmark's 18 acres for use as a 300-space parking lot to be shared by the entities.

Controversial questions about the proposal were raised in online media leading up to its consideration in the February 3, 2013 meeting of the Metro Louisville Landmarks Commission's Individual Landmarks Architectural Review Committee.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) extends Sullivan’s accreditation through 2016.

In 2019, the university opened a Learning Center in Mayfield, KY.