In 1901, after the state Democratic Party adopted the idea as a platform in the upcoming election, the college's establishment was authorized by the Texas Legislature.

Upon its founding, the school was primarily focused on educating rural and small town women seeking vocational training.

In 1950, it also developed the first nationally accredited nursing program in the state, opening at the original Parkland Hospital in downtown Dallas in 1954, and joining the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies in the 1960s, receiving a series of research grants from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to study the health effects on humans in space flights.

Finally, in 1957, the school changed its name for the fourth time to "Texas Woman's University", and expanded its health sciences programs to a campus in Houston in 1960.

As the only gender segregated public colleges in Texas at the time, the schools generated considerable media attention for their institutional-supported fraternizing at major sporting and social events; for several decades, a "Tessie" was named the "Aggie Sweetheart" at A&M's football rivalry matchup.

[14] It remains unique among Texas higher education institutions by requiring all undergraduates, regardless of their proposed major or degree, to take three credit hours of multicultural women's studies in order to graduate.

[15] In 1938, the campus was gifted the Pioneer Woman statue by the state legislature, commissioned to Leo Friedlander to commemorate the Texas Centennial.

[17] The inaugural theme, “Moving Beyond the Inflection Point: Pioneers for a New Era,” expresses the optimism and determination of the university to reach even greater heights of achievement.

Because of the corresponding need for significant facilities expansion, the University had to close down land it previously allowed the community to utilize as a public golf course [18] Another change was moving the student center from Brackenridge Hall (originally the site of the dorm of a same name) into Hubbard Hall, which had originally been built as the central campus dining facility by then President L.H.

Monica Williams became the inaugural Houston Campus President on August 26, 2024 [23] With more than 500 full-time faculty, approximately 75% of classes have 30 students or fewer.

Other major archives include the Culinary History and Cookbook Collections, which showcase culinary arts from around the world, and is one of the largest collections in the United States with more than 60,000 books, pamphlets, and menus; the Texas Women's Hall of Fame established by the Texas Governor's Commission on Women; and the university's archives.

Individual collection highlights include Hilda Gloria Tagle, the first Latina federal judge; Dora Dougherty Strother, aviation psychologist, engineer, and the first woman to fly the B-29 Superfortress; Sarah Weddington, the lead counsel in Roe v. Wade, a three-term legislator in the Texas House of Representatives, and an advisor to President Carter who had also regularly taught/lectured at Texas Woman's University;[31] and Jean Ross Howard Phelan, aviation lobbyist and founder of the Whirly-Girls.

Many well-known women regularly visit Texas Woman's University, including Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, who had previously participated in leadership conferences.

), who graduated from TWU in 1970 and became the highest-ranking African-American woman in the United States Air Force, previously served as director of the university's Leadership Institute.

Other historic campus visits include readings, performances, and lectures by Edna St. Vincent Millay and Amelia Earhart.

Designed by leading American architect and Denton resident O'Neill Ford, recruits from the National Youth Administration constructed the building, while more than 300 students in the college's fine arts programs designed and created the building's artwork, including the stained glass windows, lighting, woodwork, doors, ceiling beams, and flooring.

[35] The stained glass windows depict scenes of "Women Ministering to Human Needs" including nursing, teaching, speech, literature, service, dance, and music.

Inductees include Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, First Ladies Barbara Bush and Lady Bird Johnson, Governor Ann Richards, Texas First Lady Anita Perry, Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare Oveta Culp Hobby, Olympic gold medalist Sheryl Swoopes, astronauts Mae Jemison and Sally Ride, entertainer Selena Quintanilla-Perez, and businesswoman Mary Kay Ash.

[39] A magazine, The Dadaelian, was published monthly by students in the Elocution, Physical Culture and Vocal Music department in 1906 to highlight student-created prose, poetry, and visual art; it switched to a quarterly format in 1914.