Heritage Christian University was organized as International Bible College in 1971 to increase the number of capable men and women with world vision and to prepare them for a life of Christian service. From its beginning, the university offered a four-year program of study emphasizing the biblical text and evangelism. In 1988, HCU was accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education. The first video courses were added in 1990, making the university a pioneer within distance learning programs. In 2000, HCU added a graduate program and changed to its present name from International Bible College.