Since the founding of this institution in 1902 by William Bell Riley, Northwestern College has served Christ in the training up of men and women who share the same dreams of furthering the Kingdom of God. The Center for Graduate Studies was founded upon these unchanging principles and is committed to helping Christians achieve success by combining quality education with evangelical theology.

While maintaining its independent and interdenominational nature, Northwestern has been able to fortify its strong beliefs while adjusting to the needs of the body of Christ. The Center for Graduate Studies was established with the student in mind and has been able to embrace the foundational beliefs that have made Northwestern College a strong and developed institution.