Life University is a private health-sciences university on a wooded 110-acre campus in Marietta. It is best known for chiropractic: Life says it has the largest single-campus chiropractic college in the world. The grounds have a pond with a bell tower, miles of trails along Rottenwood Creek, a recreated 19th-century village with a grist mill, and green-certified buildings. Life also has one of the strongest college rugby programs in the U.S.
About this site
Life University is a college & university in Marietta, Cobb County. It is one of 2 colleges & universities documented in Cobb County, among 377 historic sites cataloged across the county on Georgia Roam.
The site sits at 33.9327, -84.5146 near Marietta. The nearest cataloged historic site is New Hope Methodist Cemetery (cemetery), about 0.3 miles away. Others within a short drive include Wildwood Park Cemetery, Jonesville Cemetery, and Bankston, J. C., Rock House.
This record is drawn from Georgia Roam. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
What makes Life University different
Life says it is home to the largest single-campus chiropractic college in the world. life.edu
The campus stands on the site of a former gold mine. en.wikipedia.org
Founder Sid E. Williams played football at Georgia Tech, where injuries led him to chiropractic. He is in the Georgia Tech Football Hall of Fame. life.edu
In 2025–26 the women's rugby team won three national titles in one season: the CRAA Division 1 15s, the CRAA 7s and the USA Rugby Women's Division 1 club championship. liferunningeagles.com
The men's rugby team won back-to-back national 15s titles in 2018 and 2019, and the 2011 USA Rugby collegiate sevens championship. en.wikipedia.org
Wooded trails, a fishing pond under the Bell Tower and a recreated 19th-century village with a creek-powered grist mill share the 110-acre campus. life.edu
Sid E. Williams, a former Georgia Tech football player who became a chiropractor after injuries, spent years raising money through his seminars and the Life Foundation for a chiropractic college in Georgia. Life Chiropractic College opened in Marietta in January 1975, with 22 students in its first class, on land that had once been a gold mine. The school renamed itself Life College in 1989 as it added other programs, and it became Life University in 1996. Under Williams it also built winning athletic programs in track, cross country, basketball and rugby.
In 2002 the Council on Chiropractic Education revoked accreditation for the chiropractic program, and the regional accreditor placed the university on probation. A federal court restored accreditation, and Williams retired that year. Enrollment fell sharply before it recovered under Guy Riekeman, president from 2004 to 2017. Life says that by 2008 it again had the world's largest single-campus chiropractic college.
Recent decades brought LEED-certified buildings such as the Socrates Cafe dining hall, a campus library named for Sid and Nell Williams in 2011, new student housing in 2018, and an online college. The university now offers associate, bachelor's and master's degrees in fields like nutrition, exercise science, psychology and business, alongside the Doctor of Chiropractic. Provost Lee Skinkle became interim president on August 5, 2026. In spring 2026 the women's rugby team won three national championships.
The Doctor of Chiropractic is Life's flagship program, a 14-quarter degree with a heavy clinical component. The College of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies and the College of Online Education add degrees in health, science, psychology and business. The list below shows programs on Life's academic pages in September 2026. Check the program finder for the latest.
Known for
Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.)
The university's core program since 1975, accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education and taught over 14 quarters.
Known for
M.S. in Sport Health Science
Linked to Life's athletic culture. USA Rugby fly-half AJ MacGinty studied in this program while playing for the Running Eagles.
Known for
M.S. in Positive Psychology
An unusual graduate degree for a health-sciences school, taught alongside Life's work on compassion and well-being.
Known for
B.S. in Dietetics and B.S. in Nutrition
Nutrition degrees that fit Life's focus on wellness and prevention.
Known for
B.S. in Exercise Science
A common path into the D.C. program or into sports performance careers.
Carla Sands — U.S. ambassador to Denmark from 2017 to 2021 (Doctor of Chiropractic) en.wikipedia.org
Howard E. Wasdin — former Navy SEAL Team Six sniper and author of 'SEAL Team Six' (Doctor of Chiropractic) en.wikipedia.org
AJ MacGinty — fly-half for the USA Eagles at two Rugby World Cups; played for the Running Eagles while studying sport health science (attended) en.wikipedia.org
Cam Dolan — USA Eagles rugby international who played four years for Life University en.wikipedia.org
Dylan Fawsitt — USA Eagles rugby player (master's in exercise science) en.wikipedia.org
Kendal Grey — professional wrestler and former WWE NXT Women's Champion (B.S. in biology) en.wikipedia.org
Athletics: Life University Running Eagles
NAIA · Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC); rugby plays in CRAA and USA Rugby competition
Women's Division 1 National Championship · CRAA RugbyWomen's D1 National Championship: Life University vs Utah Vipers · USA Club Rugby2018 USA Rugby D1A National Championship · Life University AthleticsLife University Psychology Professor Brendan Ozawa-de Silva on CBS 46 Atlanta Plugged In · Life University
Chiropractic education. Life says its Doctor of Chiropractic program is the world's largest on a single campus. It is also known for its rugby program and its wooded eco-campus in Marietta.
Is Life University accredited?
Yes. The university is accredited by SACSCOC, and its Doctor of Chiropractic program is accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education. CCE revoked that accreditation in 2002, but a federal court restored it.
How many students attend Life University?
2,714 in Fall 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Education: 899 undergraduates and 1,815 graduate and professional students.
Does Life University have a rugby team?
Yes, and it's one of the best in the country. The women won three national titles in 2025–26, and the men won national 15s championships in 2018 and 2019. Home matches are at Lupo Family Field on campus.
What division is Life University?
The Running Eagles compete in the NAIA, mostly in the Southern States Athletic Conference. Rugby plays in college rugby's own CRAA and USA Rugby competitions.
Who is the president of Life University?
Lee Skinkle has been interim president since August 5, 2026, and he is also provost. He followed Brian McAulay, who was president from February 2025 to August 2026.
Where is Life University?
At 1269 Barclay Circle SE in Marietta, in Cobb County northwest of Atlanta.
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