Appalachian State University /ˌæpəˈlætʃən/ (also referred to as Appalachian, App State, App, ASU) is a comprehensive (Master's L), public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States.Appalachian State was founded as a teacher's college in 1899 by brothers B.B. and D.D. Dougherty. It expanded to include other programs in 1967, and joined the University of North Carolina system in 1971.