Saint Leo University is a private, non-profit, Catholic liberal arts university located in Saint Leo, Florida. Founded in 1889, it is the first Catholic college in Florida. Historically, 32 students enrolled in the university’s first classes taking up basic education which integrated liberal arts and commercial courses leading to a Master of Accounts degree. Saint Leo was phased out in 1920 but re-opened in 1959. In 1967, it granted its first four-year degree and became a full-fledged university in 1999.

Today, the university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs both on campus for traditional students and online for busy working individuals. Saint Leo University’s Center for Online Learning was established in 1998 to meet the educational needs of adult students who want to either complete their studies or pursue higher education but may be too busy or live too far away to attend regular day classes. Students include those who are both computer savvy and accustomed to multimedia presentations.

The university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, bachelor’s, master’s and specialist degrees. The university’s Center for Online Learning or COL offers eight different degree programs for its undergraduate students. For the graduate level, degree programs offered online include Online Master of Business Administration; Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice; Online Master of Social Work; Online Master in Critical Incident Management; and Online Graduate Certificates.