Truman State University was founded in 1867 by Joseph Baldwin as the "North Missouri Normal School and Commercial College".

[9] The school served a district comprising 26 counties: including Adair, Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Chariton, Clark, Howard, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Macon, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, St. Charles, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan, and Warren.

The lake that once filled the current quadrangle, or "The Quad" (a prominent feature in pre-1924 photographs), was pumped dry in a futile attempt to douse the fire.

[9] The Quad now serves as a popular gathering place where students study play games, hold events, such as small concerts and fairs, and meet with one another.

The new name became official on July 1, 1996, and the university remains designated by statute as Missouri's public liberal arts and sciences institution.

It is two blocks south of the town square, which includes an eight-screen movie theatre and various eateries and shops.

The front lobby area of Pickler Memorial Library is known as "the Bubble" for its curved glass atrium.

Magruder Hall is the science building and houses the departments of Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Agriculture.

For the academic portion, Classical & Modern Languages, Economics, English & Linguistics, History, Philosophy & Religion, and Political Science can be found there.

Barnett Hall is home to the departments of Anthropology, Geography, and Sociology; Communication; Justice Systems; Psychology; ROTC; and Nursing programs.

The writing center is located on the first floor of the Library and offers critique and editing for student papers.

The academic programs at Truman State University are organized within three schools: Arts and Humanities, Science and Mathematics, and Business and Professional Studies.

The School offers degrees in Art, Classics, Communication, Creative Writing, Criminal Justice Studies, English, History, Linguistics, Modern Language, Music, Philosophy and Religion, Political Science and International Relations, Sociology and Anthropology, and Theatre.

The school also offers Missouri's only undergraduate interdisciplinary degree program in mathematical biology[28] which has connections and resources available through the Intercollegiate Biomathematics Alliance.

In addition, a BS and MAcc in Accounting are offered, with the graduate program ranked third in the nation in terms of CPA passage rates.

[32] Truman offers approximately 250 different student organizations[33] including a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

The organization hopes to eventually use the proceeds from the fund's returns to sponsor scholarships for Truman students.

Among Truman's most recent successes include: four regional championships for women's volleyball, a regional berth for men's basketball in 2006, a College World Series appearance for baseball, and undefeated regular seasons for both men's and women's soccer.