in the United States. It was the second-oldest in North Carolina, predated only by Salem College (the first school for girls in the United States, founded in 1772).
=== Name changes ===
The school began admitting men in the fall of 2012. Initial announcements of the change included a controversial promise to "offer select single-gender courses in targeted disciplines, where research shows that women and men learn differently and that each benefit from a single-gender classroom," a plan that critics believe may run afoul of equal opportunity laws such as Title IX, Concurrent with its announcement that it will begin admitting men, Peace College changed its name to "William Peace University" in 2011, but the class years of 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 had the option to receive diplomas from Peace College or William Peace University.
==== Timeline of name changes ====
Peace Institute (1872–1930), Awards first junior college degrees in 1925
Renamed in 1930: Peace, a Junior College for Women
Peace Junior College …
