Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a university in Flagstaff, Arizona in the United States.

As of 2004, the university has 20,000 students. 14,000 of these are situated in the main Flagstaff campus. Although primarily an educational institution, NAU undertakes a growing amount of research.

Initially named the Northern Arizona Normal School it was formed on September 11, 1899. In 1925, the State of Arizona recognised the school, allowing it to grant the degree of bachelor of education. The institution renamed itself the Northern Arizona State Teachers College following this.

In 1945, its name changed once again to the Arizona State College at Flagstaff. A year later the college began offering the degrees of master of arts and bachelor of science. In 1966 its named changed once more to the current Northern Arizona University (or NAU) when it was granted full university status.