Former name | Middle Tennessee State Normal School (1911–1925) Middle Tennessee State Teachers College (1925–1943) Middle Tennessee State College (1943–1965) |
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Motto | Agriculture and Commerce |
Type | Public research university |
Established | September 11, 1911 |
Accreditation | SACS |
Academic affiliations | |
Endowment | $108.9 million (2020) [1] |
President | Sidney A. McPhee |
Academic staff | 1,223 |
Students | 20,488 (Fall 2024) [2] |
Undergraduates | 18,042 (Fall 2024) [2] |
Postgraduates | 2,446 (Fall 2024) [2] |
Location | , United States 35°50′56″N86°21′54″W / 35.849°N 86.365°W |
Campus | Midsize city, 500 acres (200 ha) |
Colors | Royal blue & white [3] |
Nickname | Blue Raiders [4] |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division I FBS – CUSA |
Mascot | Lightning [5] |
Website | www |
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or MT) is a public research university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. [6] Founded in 1911 as a normal school, the university consists of eight undergraduate colleges as well as a college of graduate studies, together offering more than 300 degree programs through more than 35 departments. [7] [8] It is classified among "R2: Universities". [9]
Prior to 2017, MTSU was governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents and part of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee. In 2017, governance was transferred to an institutional board of trustees. [10] MTSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. [11] MTSU athletics programs compete intercollegiately in the NCAA Division I as a member of Conference USA. [12]
One of the earliest calls for a normal school occurred in 1855 when a Wilson County, Tennessee, politician sought to build a normal school in Lebanon, Tennessee. Education efforts collapsed shortly after the breakout of the American Civil War. Later, state superintendents and teachers traveled around the state giving speeches about the dire need for teacher preparation. In 1909, the Tennessee General Assembly moved establish three teacher-training institutions, one in each of the grand divisions of the state.
Middle Tennessee State Normal School (MTSNS or MTNS) opened on September 11, 1911, with a two-year program for training teachers. It evolved into a four-year teachers' college by 1925 with the power of granting the Bachelor of Science degree, and the institution's name was changed for the first time to Middle Tennessee State Teachers College. The school was often abbreviated as "S.T.C." In 1943, the General Assembly designated the institution a state college, changing its name for the second time to Middle Tennessee State College. This new status marked a sharp departure from the founding purpose and opened the way for expanding curricular offerings and programs. In 1965, the institution was advanced to university status, changing its name to Middle Tennessee State University. In October 2010, the Student Government Association at MTSU proposed that the university be renamed to the "University of Middle Tennessee". However, approval from both the university administration and the Tennessee Board of Regents was required and was not granted. [13]
During the progressive movement from a two-year normal to a university, several significant milestones may be identified. In 1936, the Bachelor of Arts program was added. Responding to the expressed needs of the institution's service area, the Graduate School was established in 1951. To effect better communications and improve administrative supervision, the schools concept was introduced in 1962.
As Middle Tennessee State University developed and grew, the Doctor of Arts program was added in 1970 and the Specialist in Education in 1974. These degree programs became attractive centerpieces for other efforts to improve and enhance institutional roles. Library resources were dramatically increased and sophisticated computer services were developed to aid instruction and administration. A highly trained faculty enabled the university to continue growth in program offerings. In 1991, the university's six schools—five undergraduate and the graduate school—became colleges. In 1998, MTSU's Honors program became the Honors College, the first in the state. In 2002, approval was granted to redesignate three D.A. programs to Doctor of Philosophy programs. Ph.D. degree offerings now include computational sciences, mathematics, and science education, molecular biosciences, economics, English, human performance, public history, and literacy studies.
In 1986, James McGill Buchanan ('40) became the first MT alumnus to be awarded the Nobel Prize. He received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his pioneering role in the development of the field of public choice, a way of studying the behavior of politicians and bureaucrats. [14] The MTSU Honors College has named a full-tuition fellowship after James Buchanan; this honor is given to 20 students each year who take specialized courses through the Honors College. [15]
Academic rankings | |
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National | |
U.S. News & World Report [16] | 304 (2022) [17] |
MTSU is organized into seven colleges:
Middle Tennessee State University employs about 1200 faculty members, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1. [18]
The Department of Recording Industry is within the College of Media and Entertainment. The Rolling Stone College Guide recognized MTSU as having "one of the preeminent music business programs in the country." [19]
The Department of Aerospace offers an Aerospace Bachelor of Science degree with six concentrations: Aviation Management, Aerospace Technology, Flight Dispatch, Maintenance Management, Professional Pilot, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). An Aeronautical Science master's degree is also available. [20] Each concentration has been accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International, and the aerospace program as a whole has been accredited since 1992. [20] The Department of Aerospace has a working agreement with the single-runway Murfreesboro Municipal Airport to provide classes on-site. A decommissioned Boeing 727 airliner (donated by FedEx) is housed at the airport as a teaching tool. [21] American Airlines donated a 727 cockpit procedure trainer to MTSU. [22]
The aerospace program's training fleet is made up of Diamond DA40 single-engine aircraft featuring glass cockpits, with an assortment of other single- and multi-engine aircraft available. [23] In 2010, the Department of Aerospace purchased ten radar simulators as well as a one-of-a-kind 360 degree control tower simulator to enhance training for its air traffic control students. These simulators allow students to experience lifelike air traffic control scenarios that will aid in preparing them for training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. [24]
The campus, set on 466 acres (1.9 km2), features 234 permanent buildings with 3.1 million square feet (290,000 m2) of space. [25] It is one mile (1.6 km) from the geographic center of Tennessee and 1.3 miles (2.1 km) east of downtown Murfreesboro.
There are 12 residence halls on campus, as well as two apartment complexes. [26] The residence halls were being renovated and modernized as of 2011 [update] . [27] In addition to the residence halls, one fraternity and six sororities have chapter houses on Greek Row.
It has been announced that the Womack Lane Apartments will be demolished in 2025 to accommodate the construction of newer living facilities on the same site.
As of November 2024, MTSU is slated to open its new, Applied Engineering Building, on the south end of campus, adjacent to the School of Concrete and Construction Management building.
Announced in 2024, the oldest building on campus, Kirksey Old Main (KOM) along with Rutledge Hall are to be renovated with a $53.4 million project slated to be completed in 2026.
In the center is the main quad, surrounded by the Learning Resource Center, the Business and Aerospace Building, the Mass Communications Building, and the James E. Walker Library. One of the newest facilities is the US$147 million Science Building adjacent to the library, on the south end of campus. [28] The eastern part of campus features some of the newest structures, such as the College of Education, Student Union, and the Academic Classroom which is the newest building at a cost of $47 million. Other notable facilities include the Recreation Center, softball field, intramural fields, and Greek Row. [29]
In addition to alcohol prohibitions, all tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, are prohibited on campus. [30]
The Japanese Supplementary School in Middle Tennessee (JSMT, 中部テネシー日本語補習校 Chūbu Teneshī Nihongo Hoshūkō), a weekend Japanese education program, holds its classes at Peck Hall, while its school offices are in Jefferson Square. [31]
Race and ethnicity [32] | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|
White | 64% | ||
Black | 18% | ||
Hispanic | 7% | ||
Other [a] | 5% | ||
Asian | 4% | ||
Foreign national | 2% | ||
Economic diversity | |||
Low-income [b] | 46% | ||
Affluent [c] | 54% |
Due to a significant emphasis on Mass Communication at MTSU, the campus has several mass media outlets. Sidelines is the campus's editorially independent, student-run news source, with daily content online and special print editions three times per semester. Off Center is an online-only publication sponsored by the Margaret H. Ordubadian University Writing Center. Collage: A Journal of Creative Expression is the Honors College's semesterly magazine for student-submitted literary and artistic creative works. [33] MT10 (formerly known as MTTV), a student-run TV station, is carried locally by Comcast. The two radio stations on MTSU's campus are 88.3 FM WMTS, a student-run radio station, and 89.5 FM WMOT, a publicly supported Americana & Roots Music radio station operated in a partnership with Music City Roots, a weekly Americana live performance entity based in nearby Franklin, Tennessee.
Sidelines, founded in 1925, is the editorially independent, student-run newspaper of MTSU. [34] The physical product is printed by The Tennessean , [34] while the digital edition is hosted at MTSUSidelines.com. [35] Archives for Sidelines between 1938 and 2011 are available in MTSU's digital collections. [36]
Off Center, first published online in 2016, is a student-led publication produced by the tutors of the Margaret H. Ordubadian University Writing Center which focuses on the creative works of students, faculty, and staff. [37]
Scientia et Humanitas is a peer-reviewed journal sponsored by the University Honors College which allows undergraduate and graduate students a professional publishing experience, and shares academic research on campus. [38] Scientia et Humanitas was first published in 2011. [39]
The university is host to approximately 340 student organizations, fraternities, and interest groups. [40] About five percent of undergraduate men and nine percent of undergraduate women are active in MTSU's Greek system. [17]
MTSU's Greek Life consists of numerous social fraternities and sororities.
The Band of Blue is considered the largest student organization on campus, counting approximately 350 members each year; it is a marching band. [41]
The university hosts MT Lambda, an LGBTQ organization for students founded in 1988. [42]
Middle Tennessee's athletic teams, known as the Blue Raiders, compete in Conference USA of the NCAA's Division I in the Football Bowl Subdivision. On November 29, 2012, MTSU announced they had accepted an invitation to the conference, [43] and formally became a part of Conference USA on July 1, 2013. [12] [44] The school transferred from the Sun Belt Conference, and had participated in the Ohio Valley Conference before that.
The most prominent athletic facilities on the campus are Johnny "Red" Floyd football stadium, Murphy Center basketball arena, Reese Smith Jr. baseball field, and Alumni Memorial Gym volleyball court. MTSU has won two national championships: golf in 1965, and men's doubles tennis in 2007. The Blue Raider football team won the Sun Belt Championship two times (2001 and 2006) and has participated in thirteen bowl games (1956, 1959, 1961, 1964, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, & 2021) with a 5-8 bowl record. The Blue Raider Baseball team has sixteen conference titles and fourteen NCAA tournament appearances.
The MTSU mascot is "Lightning", a winged horse based on Pegasus from Greek mythology.
MTSU's alumni include:
In 1986, James McGill Buchanan ('40) became the first MTSU alumnus to be awarded the Nobel Prize. Buchanan received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his pioneering role in the development of the field of public choice, a way of studying politician's and bureaucrat's behaviors. [14]
In addition, former MTSU economics professor Muhammad Yunus received the Nobel Peace Prize for efforts through microcredit to create economic and social development. [45]
Murfreesboro is a city in, and county seat of, Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 165,430 according to the 2023 census, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010. Murfreesboro is located in the Nashville metropolitan area of Middle Tennessee, 34 miles (55 km) southeast of downtown Nashville.
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university in Mississippi State, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity" and has a total research and development budget of $239.4 million, the largest in Mississippi.
Tennessee State University is a public historically black land-grant university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1912, it is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee. It is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Tennessee State University offers 41 bachelor's degrees, 23 master's degrees, and eight doctoral degrees. It is classified as "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a few decades earlier. It operates regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, and Owensboro. The main campus sits atop a hill overlooking the Barren River valley.
The University of Memphis (Memphis) is a public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students.
Tennessee Technological University is a public research university in Cookeville, Tennessee. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, and before that as University of Dixie, the name under which it was founded as a private institution. Affiliated with the Tennessee Board of Regents, the university is governed by a board of trustees. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".
East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is a public research university in Johnson City, Tennessee. It was historically part of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee under the Tennessee Board of Regents, but since 2016, the university has been transitioning to governance by its own board of trustees. As of May 2017, it is the fourth largest university in the state and has off-campus centers in nearby Kingsport, Elizabethton, and Sevierville.
Union University is a private Baptist university in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown and Hendersonville. The university is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention. It is a union of several different schools: West Tennessee College, formerly known as Jackson Male Academy; Union University of Murfreesboro; Southwestern Baptist University; and Hall-Moody Junior College of Martin, Tennessee.
Berry College is a private university in the Mount Berry community adjacent to Rome, Georgia. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Berry College was founded on values based on Christian principles in 1902 by Martha Berry.
Charles M. Murphy Athletic Center is the name of the main athletic department building at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The building opened December 11, 1972, and is named in honor of former athletics director Charles M. "Bubber" Murphy, a standout athlete at the college in the 1930s, who also served as head coach of Middle Tennessee State's football (1947–1968), basketball (1948–1949), and baseball programs.
Richard Wilson Stockstill is an American college football coach. He is an offensive analyst for Florida State University, his alma mater, a position he has held since 2024. He was the head coach at Middle Tennessee from 2006 to 2023. Stockstill was a Florida State quarterback under coach Bobby Bowden from 1977 to 1981. On December 12, 2005, Stockstill was hired as the 14th head coach of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football is the intercollegiate football program representing Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Blue Raiders compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and are a member of Conference USA. They are coached by Derek Mason, who was hired as the 15th head coach in program history on December 6, 2023.
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders are the men's and women's athletic teams at Middle Tennessee State University, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. MT athletic teams participate in NCAA Division I in Conference USA. MT competed in the Ohio Valley Conference until 2000, and the Sun Belt Conference until 2013.
Sidney A. McPhee is a Bahamian born, American educator currently serving as the President of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States. The school's team currently competes in Conference USA and are currently led by sixth-year head coach Nick McDevitt.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, it is the flagship campus of the University of Tennessee system, with ten undergraduate colleges and eleven graduate colleges. It hosts more than 30,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 foreign countries. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".
Middle Georgia State University is a public university with its main campus in Macon, Georgia. It is part of the University System of Georgia and offers programs to students on five campuses in Middle Georgia and online. Middle Georgia State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees.
Central Magnet School is a public magnet school located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The school is a part of the Rutherford County school system and serves students from grades 6 through 12. It is known for its academic rigor and numerous awards. In 2020, Central received the National Blue Ribbon School recognition for academic achievement.
Brent Forrest Stockstill is an American football coach and former player who is currently a defensive analyst for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). A former quarterback at Middle Tennessee, he set multiple career program records including passing yards, touchdown passes, completed passes, and pass attempts. Stockstill had also obtained a reputation for being one of the toughest players in college football for his ability to play while being hindered by injuries.
The 2023 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Blue Raiders played their home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and competed as members of Conference USA. They were led by eighteenth-year head coach Rick Stockstill.