What Is Antioch University?

Updated

Antioch University is a private, nonprofit American university with a history dating back to 1852. It offers bachelor's completion programs, master's and doctoral degrees, plus certificates and endorsements, delivered online, on campus, or in low-residency formats. It is a good fit if you want a degree or credential tied to social, environmental, and economic justice, and you need flexible study options rather than a single traditional residential campus.

What Antioch University offers

The university organizes its programs around eight focus areas:

  • Counseling & Therapy
  • Creative Writing
  • Education
  • Environmental Studies & Sustainability
  • Individualized Studies
  • Leadership & Management
  • Nursing and Health Professions
  • Psychology

Within these, you can pursue a bachelor's completion program (for students who started a degree and want to finish), a master's, a doctoral program, or a certificate or endorsement. Continuing education is also available.

Study formats and locations

Antioch describes itself as spanning coast to coast, with in-person, online, and low-residency options. Its listed campuses are:

  • Los Angeles
  • Midwest
  • New England
  • Online
  • Santa Barbara
  • Seattle

The low-residency format is worth noting if you want mostly independent study with limited required time on campus. Online students are described as part of the same network as on-campus students, so the format does not separate you from the wider university community.

Mission and affiliation

Antioch frames its purpose around "educating to fuel positive change," with a stated focus on advancing social, environmental, and economic justice. It is a co-founding member of the Coalition for the Common Good, a network of institutions educating for a more just society. If a school's mission and values matter to your decision, this is a central part of Antioch's identity rather than a side note.

Scale and track record

  • 170+ years of history
  • Eight focus areas
  • Six campuses
  • 70,000+ alumni

How to take the next step

The site offers three main actions: request program information, visit a campus, and start your application. If you are still deciding, searching or browsing programs by focus area is the fastest way to see whether a specific degree matches your goals. If you already know your field, going straight to the program search will tell you which formats and campuses offer it.

One practical note: program availability varies by focus area and campus, so confirm that your intended program is offered in your preferred format before applying.