Private women's college in Georgia offering 50+ degree programs from associate to doctorate since 1878.
Brenau offers doctoral, master's, specialist, bachelor's, and associate degrees in 50+ areas of study across four colleges. Terminal degrees include Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Occupational Therapy, and Doctor of Physical Therapy. The university launched online programs in 2002 to serve working professionals, parents, and geographically isolated students. Graduate students represent more than half the student population as of 2025. The institution is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and subject-specific accrediting bodies.
The residential Women's College serves 800+ students annually from nearly all 50 states and a dozen foreign countries. It emphasizes liberal arts education with 50+ areas of study and features a Women's Leadership Certificate Program combining gender studies, leadership principles, and internships. The college maintains one of the oldest Greek systems in the US, with eight active sororities—more chapters than any other women's college. Women-only classes create a supportive learning environment with individualized faculty attention.
The 57-acre historic Gainesville campus sits in the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills. Brenau operates multiple locations including Norcross and downtown Gainesville campuses. The university ranked No. 6 in the South and No. 1 in Georgia by U.S. News & World Report in 2018 for Best Campus Ethnic Diversity. Student life includes 13 varsity athletic teams (Golden Tigers, NAIA-Appalachian), Greek life, residence halls, and community engagement through the Brenau Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, radio station WBCX, and galleries featuring works by Renoir, Cézanne, and Jasper Johns.
Brenau competes in 13 NAIA varsity sports including basketball, soccer, softball, lacrosse, and track & field. The 2017 softball team achieved a 30–0 record and No. 2 national ranking. Five teams finished nationally ranked in 2018. The university maintains historic traditions including eight sorority chapters dating to 1910, and hosts the GOLD Speaker Series and Women's Leadership Colloquium. The mascot is HJ the Golden Tiger.