The University was established in 1978 by the state of Gujarat and the total area of the Campus is spread over 3 locations. Bhavnagar University is providing high quality of Teaching and Research Programs in Science, Arts, Commerce, Engineering, Medicine, Management, Rural Studies and Law Faculties. The University has at present 20 Post Graduate Departments and 4 Recognized Institutes.

The Genesis:

At present the following Post Graduate Departments are working to impart post graduate education and research in different disciplines.

1. Department of Chemistry
2. Department of Physics
3. Department of Life Sciences
4. Department of Mathematics
5. Department of Statistics
6. Department of Marine Sciences
7. Department of Computer Science and Applications
8. Department of Bioinformatics
9. Department of English
10. Department of Hindi,
11. Department of Gujarati
12. Department of Sociology
13. Department of History
14. Department of Psychology
15. Department of Sanskrit
16. Department of Economics
17. Department of Commerce
18. Department of Education
19. Department of Business Administration
20. Department of Library and Information Science.

2. Colleges:

Colleges affiliated to university belong to  Medical, Dental, Homeopathy,Engineering etc. disciplines. Twelve Post Graduate Courses are  run by some of the Colleges which are affiliated to Bhavnagar University.

The Research Areas of the Post Graduate Departments:

All the Departments are involved in full time Ph.D. Program, research and consultancy as per the need of region as well as society. The faculty of Science is involved in  areas of Medicinal Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Electrochemical Chemistry,  Marine Pollution, Magnetic Fluid, Nano Technology, Astrophysics, Halophytes, Microbial Physiology, Animal Physiology, Marine, Plant Taxonomy, Marine Ecology,  Theory of Relativity, Functional Analysis and Number Theory, Genomics, Proteomics, Drug design, Database Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Multimedia.

Humanities and Social Sciences Departments are involved in the areas of Economics of Education, Industrial Economics, Environmental Economics, Demography, Vedant, Lalit Vangmay, Dalit Studies, Environment and Gender Studies, Short Stories, Clinical and Social Psychology, Modern Period, Freedom Movements, Dalit History, Regional History, Drama, Poetry, Fiction, Indian and English Literature, ELT.

As globalization has started since last couple of decades, there is an urgent need to focus on the most relevant areas of research. And therefore the post Graduate Departments have also focused in Financial Management, Banking, Marketing Management, Education Technology, Disaster Management, HRD, IT Management, Business Counseling and Marketing Services.         

Research Activities Acknowledged by the Government:

Due to research activities carried out in the most relevant and high-profile areas as Nano-Technology, Marine Ecology, Intellectual Property Rights & its Management and Entrepreneurship, Governments of  India and Gujarat have recognized several Departments as Centres for Excellence, and Science and Technology Cells for improving PG teaching and Research to make Bhavnagar University at par with National Laboratories. The following Centres for Excellence and Cells are actively engaged in research and consultancy services.

1. Centre for Excellence in Nano-technology is funded by Gujarat Council on Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat, Gandhinagar. The Center has developed various applications of nanotechnology by synthesis of mono dispersed nano particles.

2. Ocean Science and Technology Cell for Western Coast  is funded by Department of Ocean Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi. This Cell has focused mainly in the areas of Biodiversity of Coastal Ecosystem, Plankton Ecology and Productivity, Coastal Pollution & its Control, Microbial Ecology and Socio-Economic aspects of Coastal Ecosystem and its Management.

3. Entrepreneurship Development Cell is  funded by National Science & Technology  Entrepreneurship Development Board, Government of India, New Delhi as a part of knowledge base Entrepreneurship Promotion.  This Cell has started entrepreneurship awareness among the students and is involved in various problems of the entrepreneurs of  Saurashtra Region.

4. University Industry Linkage Cell:  To cater to the need of local entrepreneurs the University has started U & I Linkage Cell and this Cell is involved in solving various problems of Chemical and Engineering industries. 

5. Corporate Services:  Chemistry Department of the University is recognized by Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Government of Gujarat as Environmental Auditor of Class-1 and for Schedule-I & II Industries.

Gandhian Study Centre:
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Father  of our Nation, has studied in Bhavnagar  at Shamaldas College. Department of History is involved in research activities of various aspects of the Gandhian Philosophy. As a result of this, University Grants commission, New Delhi has sanctioned a Gandhian Study Centre for further research and to establish the Gandhian culture in the region.

External Department:
Distance learning is an important aspect in the present situation of  globalization. And therefore, University has started an External Department in the faculty of Arts and Commerce. The department was also started with the idea to provide education to the class of the society who is not in a position to join the formal education in the main stream as a part of full time course. Total number of students enrolling every year in  graduation and post graduation degree courses run into thousands.. The fee structure is also viable for the students.

Self Finance Courses:
Looking to the need of the society, the university has started several self finance courses in  post graduate departments for  post graduate degrees. The details are as under:-
1. Department of Chemistry
2. Department of Computer Science and Applications              
3. Department of Bioinformatics
4. Department of Business Administration

Recognized Institutes:
University has given the recognition to national and international institutes for promoting interdisciplinary research activities which are the need of globalization. 

1. Central Salt & Marine Chemical Research Institute, Waghawadi Road, Bhavnagar (a constituent Institute of CSIR, Government of India, New Delhi).
2. B V Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development, Thaltej, Ahemdabad.
3. K K Jani Institute of Medical Lab, Technology, Amargadh, Bhavnagar.
4. K L Institute for the Deaf,  Vidyanagar, Bhavnagar.

Over and above, the University is also providing undergraduate education in the following faculties.

1. Arts
2. Science   
3. Commerce      
4. Engineering  
5. Medicine     
6. Management
   
7. Law
8. Education    
9. Rural  Studies.