The University was established by an act of the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature in 1901 as the Southwestern Normal School. The Normal School was authorized to offer two years of training and four years of preparatory work for students who were not qualified for college admission. The first classes met in 1903.
In 1920 the preparatory or academy courses were eliminated and two additional years of college work were added. The state legislature approved a change of name to Southwestern State Teachers College. The first baccalaureate degrees were awarded in May, 1921.