Eastern Michigan University (EMU, EMich, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern) is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1849 as the Michigan State Normal School, it was the fourth normal school (teachers' college) established in the United States and the first outside New England. In 1899, the Michigan State Normal School became the first normal school in the nation to offer a four-year curriculum; the college became a university in 1959.
EMU is one of the eight research universities in the state of Michigan and is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". It is governed by an eight-member board of regents whose members are appointed by the governor of Michigan and confirmed by the Michigan Senate for eight-year terms.
The university comprises eight colleges and schools: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Education, College of Health and Human Services, GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology, School of Music & Dance, the Honors College, and the Graduate School. The university is composed of an academic and athletic campus spread across , with over 120 buildings. As of 2023, EMU's total enrollment is over 13,000 students. EMU has experienced a steady yearly decrease in total fall enrollment; in the fall of 1990, total enrollment was 25,954 students.
In 1991, Eastern Michigan's athletic teams started competing as the Eastern Michigan Eagles and the school mascot, Swoop, was officially adopted by the university three years later in 1994. The Eagles compete in the NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference. American normal schools were intended to be institutions to improve the quality of the burgeoning common school system by producing qualified teachers.
Adonijah Welch, a University of Michigan graduate, served as the Normal School's first principal. He later became the first president of Iowa State Agricultural College, now Iowa State University. The university's Georgian Revival-style Welch Hall bears his name. Constructed in 1895, Welch Hall is the second-oldest surviving building on the university's campus and an Eastern Michigan University Historic District contributing property.
thumb|left|The Old Gymnasium on the Michigan State Normal School campus, it was constructed in 1894 and demolished in 1965.
In 1899, the school became the Michigan State Normal College when it developed the first four-year curriculum for a normal school in the nation. The Normal College began the twentieth-century as Michigan's premier teacher-preparatory school. The school continued through World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II, and continued to expand further.
thumb|Frederic Henry Pease Auditorium under renovation
In 1959 the school became a university, gaining the title Eastern Michigan University after establishing the Graduate School (graduate classes had been offered for two decades, since 1939). In 2005, the Honors Program officially became the Eastern Michigan University Honors College.
More recently, extended programs were added, such as Continuing Education (which includes EMU Online), the Centers for Corporate Training, the World College, and numerous community-focused institutes. Most programs are undergraduate or master's level, although the university has doctoral programs in Educational Leadership, Technology, and Psychology.
Prior to Michigan's 1963 State Constitution, Eastern Michigan University was governed by Michigan's elected State Board of Education. Since the ratification of the 1963 constitution, EMU has been governed by an eight-member Board of Regents. These regents are appointed by the Governor of Michigan with the advice and consent of the Michigan Senate, and serve eight-year terms. The regents, in turn, elect the president of the university.
Campus
Eastern Michigan University's main campus is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, comprising 122 buildings and spanning .
Satellite campuses
EMU offers courses at 7 satellite campuses. The earliest off-site campus is EMU-Jackson. Courses have been offered in Jackson, Michigan since the 1970s. Course catalog records show courses have been offered at the Kresge Environmental Center dating back to at least 1976. EMU has held courses in Flint and Traverse City since 1987. EMU–Livonia began offering courses in 2000. In 2001, EMU–Detroit opened. EMU opened its Monroe location in 2002. The last off-campus site, EMU–Brighton, opened in 2003. EMU and Grand Valley State University offers a joint doctoral program in Educational Leadership at the Eberhard Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Eberhard Center facility is part of the GVSU downtown campus. This location is sometimes referred to as EMU–Grand Rapids but is not officially listed as a university site.
- EMU–Brighton – Brighton, Michigan
- EMU–Detroit – Detroit
- EMU–Jackson – Jackson, Michigan
- EMU–Monroe – Monroe, Michigan
- EMU–Northern Michigan – Traverse City, Michigan
- Kresge Environmental Center – Lapeer, Michigan