Quite impressive for a centenarian.
Middle Tennessee State University, which turns 100 years old in September 2011, continues to be a higher education powerhouse and a key driver in the economic success of Rutherford County. MTSU has 900 faculty members and 25,000 students, and has the largest undergraduate enrollment in Tennessee.
MTSU today offers 60 degree programs and is comprised of seven individual colleges – business, graduate studies, honors, liberal arts, mass communications, education and behavioral science, and basic and applied science. And of the 60 degree programs, officials say one of the most popular with students these days is a recording industry degree.
The recording industry curriculum is divided into three concentrations – music business, commercial songwriting, and production and technology. Due to the large number of students who enroll in the recording industry program, only a limited number of slots are opened for students to gain candidacy to take upper-division classes.
A couple of other non-traditional programs at MTSU are an aerospace degree, with concentrations in professional pilot, administration, technology, flight dispatch and maintenance management; and a concrete industry management degree that usually accommodates 300 students and has high job placement rates.
“While we take seriously our role in preparing students for future careers and advanced scholarly pursuits, we also recognize that college is more than just classrooms and coursework,” says Dr. Sidney McPhee, MTSU president. “As such, we encourage students to participate in athletic and cultural events on campus as well as the more than 200 student organizations, which include everything from honor societies and service clubs to fraternities and sororities.”
MTSU also has strong links to the Rutherford County (and surrounding) business community, supplying well-trained students into the workforce. Area companies also work with the university to create specific training programs that businesses can provide to their workers for the purpose of advancing their workplace careers.
A few other points about MTSU:
•Its motto when first established in 1911 was “Agriculture and Commerce,” and that motto still exists today.
•Undergrads make up about 85 percent of enrolled students, with graduate students comprising the other 15 percent.
•Among freshmen, about 98 percent are full-time and the other 2 percent part-time.
•Almost always, students living in the United States make up 100 percent of incoming freshmen, so 0 percent are from other countries.
•On average, the university graduates 3,500 students a year with bachelor's degrees, 600 with master's degrees and 15 with doctorates.
•Full-time tuition for Tennessee residents is about $5,700 each year, and out-of-state tuition is $16,500. Room and board is an additional $6,300 annually.