The university consists of a 135-acre (55 ha) main campus and several off-campus centers throughout central and northern Ohio.

[6] On May 28, 1877, a town meeting was held in Ashland, Ohio, where the citizens were to consider a proposal from members of the German Baptist Brethren Church to establish an institution of higher education.

The success of the campaign was announced, the college was chartered on February 20 and a church-related, co-educational institution was established.

The new institution grew slowly during its first few decades, but enrollment reached the 200 mark shortly after the turn of the century.

The Richard E. and Sandra J. Dauch College of Business and Economics building, which includes the Burton D. Morgan Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship wing, opened for classes in January 2004.

This 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) building serves as the home for business administration, supply chain management,[8] economics and MBA programs and features a trading room with Wall Street-style workstations and wall-mounted displays with market news for Ashland University's Eagle Investment Group, an executive education center, computer labs, tiered lecture hall and product development lab.

The building features 12 classrooms, four seminar rooms, 60 faculty and staff offices, several commons or meeting areas, a media center, peer teaching studio with one-way viewing mirror and 165-seat lecture hall.

The building's two-way interactive distance learning capability allows the college to do live broadcasts from several locations inside the facility.

The Ashland University College of Nursing evolved from a hospital-based diploma program that was established in 1919 by the Mansfield General Hospital.

The campaign received a $5 million lead gift from Ashland University alumnus and longtime supporter Dwight Schar.

The building opened for fall nursing classes on August 20, 2012, and a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony took place on October 12, 2012.

Ashland University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is authorized by the Ohio Board of Regents to grant bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

[10] U.S. News & World Report ranked Ashland University #159 in Best Online MBA Programs in the 2025 edition of its America's Best Colleges survey.

Ashland offers athletic scholarships in 10 men's, 11 women's and one co-ed sport – with the men competing in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track & field and wrestling, and the women competing in basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, stunt, swimming & diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track & field and volleyball.