Private Christian university in rural Georgia affiliated with the International Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Emmanuel University offers over 30 areas of study across associate, bachelor's, and graduate degree programs. The institution is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. In 2025, it ranked 41st (tie) among regional universities by U.S. News & World Report and 171st among baccalaureate colleges by Washington Monthly.
The Lions compete in NCAA Division II, primarily in Conference Carolinas, with men's lacrosse in the SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference. The university fields 32 intercollegiate varsity sports for men, women, and co-ed teams, ranging from traditional sports like baseball and soccer to archery, bowling, and clay target shooting. A 76,000-square-foot athletic center opened in 2012, featuring a basketball arena, volleyball court, fitness center, swimming pool, and bowling alley. The college also offers extensive intramural programs.
Emmanuel University was founded in 1919 as Franklin Springs Institute, initially teaching high school and college-level courses in converted hotels and a skating rink. The institution closed for two years during the Great Depression but reopened under new leadership focused on college-level education. In 1939, it became Emmanuel College; in 1967, it gained full accreditation as a two-year college. A four-year School of Christian Ministries was established in the 1970s, and four-year institutional accreditation followed in 1991. The name changed to Emmanuel University in 2023.