Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, coeducational institution. It was founded in 1964 as Nova University of Advanced Technology. In 1974, the Board of Trustees changed the university's name to Nova University. In 1994, Nova University merged with Southeastern University of the Health Sciences to form Nova Southeastern University.

NSU is well known for innovation and quality in both traditional and distance education. The university serves large numbers of adult students and a growing population of traditional undergraduates. To date, the institution has produced approximately 68,000 alumni.

Using fall-term enrollment as a measure, Nova Southeastern University is the largest independent institution of higher education in the Southeast and it is the 14th largest independent institution nationally. NSU is one of 142 colleges and universities statewide, and one of 63 independent four-year institutions in Florida.

The university awards bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, psychology, and other social sciences. The university offers 18 undergraduate majors through the Farquhar Center for Undergraduate Studies.

Nova Southeastern University has the only college of osteopathic medicine in the southeastern United States, the only college of optometry in Florida, and the only colleges of pharmacy and dentistry in South Florida. The institution also enjoys an excellent reputation for its programs for families offered through the Family Center and University School, including innovative parenting, preschool, primary, and secondary education programs.

The university's programs are administered through academic centers that offer courses at the Fort Lauderdale campuses, as well as at locations throughout Florida, across the nation, and at selected international sites in the Caribbean, Canada, China, Greece, Israel, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. Despite the geographic diversity of sites where classes are offered, 81 percent of the student body attends classes in Florida. Seventy percent of all students enrolled attend classes in the tri-county area (i.e., Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties). Nova Southeastern University is a major provider of educational programs for Florida residents. Through its undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs, NSU educated more than 18,000 Florida residents in calendar year 2000. With an annual budget of approximately $250 million, Nova Southeastern University also has a significant economic impact on the surrounding community. A recent NSU study revealed that the university and its students and employees contributed more than $720 million to the Florida economy during fiscal year 1999-2000.