A Pentecostal Christian university in California that operated from 1919 to 2011.
Bethany University was founded in 1919 as Glad Tidings Bible Institute at 1280 Webster Street in San Francisco, serving as a training school for inner-city ministry. The institution relocated to Scotts Valley in 1950, became Bethany Bible College in 1955, and was renamed Bethany University in 2005. It was the oldest of several Assemblies of God institutions of higher education and held WASC accreditation until its closure.
The university offered 15 undergraduate degree programs including Biblical and Theological Studies, Business Administration, Psychology, Teacher Preparation, and Youth Ministries Leadership, along with five graduate degrees: Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, Master of Arts in Business Administration, Master of Arts in Education, Master of Science in Psychology, and Master of Arts in Teaching. The institution was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
The suburban Scotts Valley campus featured three main dormitory complexes: Cordas C. Burnett Hall (men's residence), May V. Swanson Hall (women's residence divided into four halls), and The Hill (two women's dormitories). The university maintained eight intercollegiate varsity sports teams competing in the NAIA, with men's teams in basketball, cross country, and soccer, and women's teams in basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, and volleyball. The mascot was the Bruins.
Enrollment declined to approximately 400 students by the 2010–11 academic year, down from over 500 in previous years. On June 13, 2011, the university announced immediate closure due to financial constraints and insufficient enrollment. The campus was subsequently leased briefly by Olivet University before being sold to the 1440 Foundation, which converted it into a health and wellness retreat center.