Chowan University, grounded in its Christian faith, has been transforming the lives of students of promise for over 175 years. A Christian liberal arts university founded in 1848, Chowan is located in the Historic Inner Banks community of Murfreesboro in northeastern North Carolina. The university is in close proximity to the Outer Banks and Hampton Roads, Virginia. Chowan's park-like campus features more than 400 acres, including Lake Vann, the beloved "Squirrel Park," and the original McDowell Columns Hall, erected in 1851 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Chowan offers over 60 undergraduate academic programs through the School of Undergraduate Studies. Master's degrees are awarded through the School of Graduate Studies. The Music Department is also individually accredited by NASM. An NCAA Division II member institution, Chowan offers 21 varsity programs and two developmental teams, baseball and men’s basketball. Twenty programs compete in Conference Carolinas and one in the Gulf South.