Chowan University is a small private university of about 1200 students located in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. The school is affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, although it accepts students of all backgrounds. It is the second-oldest Baptist school in North Carolina. The University offers both Associate's and Bachelor's degrees in 40 academic disciplines and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Chowan was founded by Dr. Godwin Cotton Moore in 1848 as Chowan Baptist Female Institute, a four-year women's college. The McDowell Columns building, which houses the administrative offices of the college, was constructed in 1851. Between 1850-1867, the school changed names to the Chowan Female Collegiate Institute, then switched back to the Chowan Baptist Female Institute. The school was renamed Chowan College in 1910 when it began awarding baccalaureate degrees, and began admitting male students in 1931. Financial strain from the effects of the Great Depression forced the school to become a two-year institution in 1937. In 1992 the college returned to four-year status when it admitted a junior class.