North Carolina Central University's School of Education website.North Carolina Central University was founded in 1909 as the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua by Dr. James Edward Shepard. It became the first public liberal arts institution for African Americans in the nation. The University is now a master’s comprehensive institution that offers bachelors and master’s degrees, a Juris Doctor, and a Ph.D. in Integrated Biosciences to a diverse student population.