University of Puget Sound

University of Puget Sound, private, coeducational institution in Tacoma, Washington. The school was founded in 1888 as Puget Sound University by Methodist bishop Charles Fowler, a former president of Northwestern University. The school admitted its first class in 1890 and changed its name to University of Puget Sound in 1903. The institution went through 25 years of economic instability before Edward Todd was named president in 1913. Under Todd, a respected liberal arts curriculum was established and the school’s financial situation improved. During Todd’s tenure, which lasted until 1942, the school’s name was changed to College of Puget Sound. In 1960 the institution was renamed University of Puget Sound.

The University of Puget Sound confers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the arts and sciences, humanities, education, and the health professions. The school emphasizes international education, and its programs in Asian studies are considered especially strong. The school’s 39-hectare (97-acre) campus lies near downtown Tacoma, 56 km (35 mi) south of Seattle, Washington.