One of Manchester Institution's campuses found in North Manchester, Indiana, while the other can be found in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Manchester University, which was once known as Manchester College, is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Church of the Brethren. The main campus of the institution can be found in North Manchester, while the Fort Wayne location is where students may participate in the pharmacy and pharmacogenomics programmes. There are roughly 1,600 students enrolled across all levels.
In 1860, the United Brethren Church established what is now known as Manchester University in Roanoke, Indiana, under the name Roanoke Classical Seminary. Manchester University was originally known as Manchester College. David N. Howe served as the last president of Roanoke Classical Seminary, which later morphed into what is now known as North Manchester College after being relocated to North Manchester. He is regarded as the founder of Manchester College and served as the institution's first president from 1889 to 1894. After moving to its current location in North Manchester in 1889, the institution received its current name, Manchester College. In 1932, Manchester University amalgamated with Mount Morris College, which had been established in 1839 as a Methodist seminary in Mount Morris, Illinois. The Church of the Brethren runs Manchester University, which is located in Manchester.
In 1948, Manchester University initiated the first undergraduate peace studies major in the United States when it founded the Peace Studies Institute as well as the Program for Conflict Resolution. Kenneth Brown served as the program's chair from 1980 all the way up until 2005.
In 1990, the Manchester College Historic District received recognition as a location worthy of inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
In 2012, Manchester officially transitioned from being known as Manchester College to being known as Manchester University to better represent the expanding number of graduate programmes it offers. In 2012, Manchester also underwent an expansion and built its second campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This location is home to Manchester's highly advanced pharmacy programme. The Manchester University Master of Science in Pharmacogenomics degree programme was the first of its kind to be offered at a university.