William Carey International University is a private faith-based university in Pasadena, California, USA, that provides distance education programs. WCIU offers online graduate degree programs in International Development with various specializations and is affiliated with several Christian non-governmental organizations. The institution was founded in 1977 by Ralph D. Winter, a Presbyterianmissiologist who also established the U.S. Center for World Mission. The campus is on the Venture Center, a collaborative mission base on a 17-acre campus in Pasadena. The school also publishes books on culture and global issues. It is named for William Carey, a British missionary who worked in India.
History
William Carey International University was incorporated in February 1977, and licensed by the State of California to grant degrees. The University was founded under the leadership of Dr. Ralph D. Winter who led the effort to purchase the 15-acre campus and housing of the former Nazarene College. WCIU was established to provide education to improve international development practices. Dr. Winter envisioned a holistic curriculum that integrated history with social sciences, focusing exclusively on international development with an emphasis on practical, field-based experimentation. The University would employ a diverse, experienced, and dispersed faculty using a mentored approach to education, and would work closely with non-governmental voluntary agencies worldwide. In 1978, the State of California granted WCIU institutional approval to offer Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in International Development. The University was based on the education by extension model without residency requirements. Initially, WCIU granted only the Doctor of Philosophy degree in International Development. By 1994, the University had nine graduates. Shortly after the PhD program was started, WCIU began offering BA and MA degrees in International Development with specializations in Intercultural Communications, Intercultural Studies, Community Development, Applied Linguistics, and TESOL. Between 1994 and 2006, WCIU Faculty focused on developing, implementing, and revising its patented World Christian Foundations curriculum. This course became the foundation of WCIU’s BA and MA degree programs. After the death in 2009 of Dr. Winter, Dr. Beth Snodderly was appointed full-time president and served until January 2016. Before her appointment, the various presidents had concurrently held major roles in other institutions. Having a full-time president led to unprecedented growth for the University. In May 2017, Dr. Kevin Higgins was appointed as President. In 2013, the University decided to focus on graduate programs and ceased enrollments in the BA in International Development degree program. In a further effort to refine the University’s mission, the Ph.D. degree program entered into a teach-out phase and ceased enrollments in 2015. Students have been notified they have until July 2020 to finish their PhD degree program. The University continues to focus on the MA in International Development degree program, which focuses on social, cultural, and religious factors that have affected global development throughout history.
is honored at the campus of William Carey International University. The main library building is named after Latourette. Latourette Library holds the following collections:
