To serve students from the western part of the country, UCU started a campus in Kabale district, three years after Uganda Christian University (UCU) opened. This campus attracts students from as far as Burundi and Rwanda.
What became known as the UCU Kabale campus in 2000 was, in 1924, a school to train vernacular teachers and lay readers for the western region of Uganda. It stands at the cradle of the East African Revival movement that started in 1935 when a team of evangelists led by Dr. Joe Church from Gahini, Rwanda, and Simeoni Nsibambi from Kampala preached at the college for one week.

Since there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which led to the confession of sins and asking for forgiveness, it marked the birth of the East African revival.

In 2006, it was approved by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) as a constituent college of UCU. This made it the first constituent college of a private chartered university in Uganda. Bishop Barham University College started to bring services to the people in the region especially for those who find it difficult to go to Kampala/Mukono to attain university education.

By 2009, Bishop Barham University College introduced master’s programs in Social Work and Social Administration, Public Health and Public Administration. Different departments have had several achievements. For example, the Mass Communication department built a standard studio for students to practice.

Dr. George Tibesigwa was the first principal to be appointed. Currently, Dr. Medard Rugyendo is the principal at the Kabale-based constituent college.