Tennessee State University is the only state-funded historically black university in the state of Tennessee. The beautiful campus sits on 500 acres in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, “Music City USA.” Students who live out-of-state, but within 250 miles radius of the campus are eligible for the special 250 miles radius tuition rate. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions designates Tennessee State at a “High Research” University. The College of Business was the first business school in Tennessee to earn dual accreditation from the prestigious AACSB, and also the first in the state to offer an MBA program. The MBA program was established in 1970 and has been named as one of the top three programs in Nashville by the Nashville Scene Magazine.
Education
At the undergraduate level, students can earn a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Accounting, Business Administration, Business Information Systems, or Economics and Finance. Students who major in Business Administration can select from numerous concentrations such as Hospitality and Tourism Management, Human Resources, Management, and Supply Chain Management. Minors are also available in International Business, Entrepreneurship, General Business, and Marketing. The BBA consists of 54 credit hours of general education courses, 36 hours of general business courses, and 30 hours towards a concentration/minor. Sophomores through seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence are awarded the College of Business Wall of Excellence Scholarship.
Graduate students can complete a Traditional MBA, Accelerated MBA, or Executive MBA. All MBA programs require 36 credit hours. Students enrolled in the traditional program will take evening courses at the Avon Williams campus in downtown Nashville. Specialized concentration options include Accounting, Management Information Systems, Finance, and Supply Chain. Courses for the accelerated program are four weeks long, and students will attend on-campus classes on Friday evenings from 5:30-8: 30 PM and Saturdays from 8:00AM-4: 00 PM, as well as online components. In the summer, classes are offered fully online. The accelerated program can be completed in 12 months.
Student Life
The COB is comprised of approximately 1,100 students. The Career Development Center assists students in finding internships, co-op programs, job shadowing, study abroad programs, service-learning projects, and research endeavors. Summer study abroad programs can take students on a journey to South Africa, Australia, China, Europe, or India. Students can publish new and innovative research in the COBs international scholarly publication, The Journal of Developing Areas. In the past five years, professors have published over 400 scholarly articles, and students are often invited to collaborate. Many business students also join the Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity.
Online Programs
The EMBA offers a unique hybrid structure designed to be completed in 12 months. Classes are offered in-person at a local hotel the first Friday and Saturday of the session. During this weekend residency, guest lectures within the industry will be giving presentations. The remaining three weeks will consist of highly engaging online assignments, lectures, and discussion board posts. In the summer, students in the EMBA program have the opportunity to complete a 10-day international residency, with trips to international corporations, cultural excursions, and leadership speaker events.