Sam Houston State University

A Great Name in Texas Education

For more than 137 years, Sam Houston State University has been preparing students for meaningful lives of achievement. Its motto, “The Measure of a Life is its Service,” echoes across SHSU’s seven colleges and beyond its Texas campus through student research, creative endeavors, service learning, volunteering and more.

Named for Sam Houston, Texas’ greatest hero, SHSU continually strives to honor its historical roots through academic excellence that includes exceptional teaching from faculty members who care as much about their students’ success as they do about furthering the knowledge of their fields.

While embracing its legacy, SHSU also strives to meet the needs of contemporary students, both traditional and online. With a variety of fully online undergraduate and graduate degrees and numerous certificates and certifications, all of which are taught by on-campus professors, SHSU Online has the option you’re looking for to reach your academic, personal, and professional goals.

Academic Offerings

SHSU offers over 80 bachelor's degree programs, more than 50 master’s degree programs, and ten doctoral programs, including nationally-recognized programs in Business, Fine Arts, Education, Mathematics and Criminal Justice. SHSU is classified as a “Doctoral Research University” by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education and was recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report for being among the best in the country for online graduate programs. In addition, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education classified SHSU as a "Community Engaged" university. This honor has been awarded to 311 public institutions nationwide and acknowledges the university's significant commitment to serving the community.