Private university renowned for culinary arts, hospitality, and business education since 1914.
Johnson & Wales University operates six academic colleges offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across business, culinary arts, hospitality, health and wellness, engineering, design, and arts and sciences. The university is particularly renowned for its culinary arts program and is recognized as one of the top three hospitality colleges in the United States. JWU offers 11 online bachelor's degrees and nine online master's degree programs, including specialized education degrees (M.A.T., M.Ed., Ed.D.) through the School of Education. The university transitioned from a trimester to a semester-based academic calendar beginning in the 2020–2021 academic year.
The Providence campus comprises two locations: the Downcity campus (opened 1914) housing business, hospitality, and technology programs, and the Harborside campus in Cranston (opened 1985) housing culinary and graduate programs. Combined, they cover 176 acres with ten residence halls, five dining locations, and the Wildcat Center. The Charlotte campus, opened in 2004 on approximately 15 acres in Uptown Charlotte, includes three residence halls and similar athletic and dining facilities. Greek life is active at Providence with 15 fraternities and sororities organized under four governing councils. Athletics compete at NCAA Division III (Providence) and Division III (Charlotte, transitioning in 2025).
Founded in September 1914 with one student and one typewriter, Johnson & Wales Business School expanded significantly under new ownership in 1947. The introduction of the hospitality program in 1972 transformed the institution; enrollment in that program grew from 141 students in 1973 to 3,000 by 1983. The school became a registered nonprofit in 1963 and officially became Johnson & Wales University in 1988. By 2016, the university had grown to 16,000 students across four campuses. The university closed its Denver and North Miami campuses at the end of the 2020–2021 academic year.
The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. JWU is home to the 39th largest college of business in the United States and has produced numerous notable alumni in culinary arts and hospitality, including celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse, Tyler Florence, and Graham Elliot Bowles. The university's strong reputation in food service education and hospitality management has made it a destination for students pursuing careers in these fields.