Study in Tennessee
Do you want an internship with a multi-billion dollar recording studio leading to a degree in Music Business? How about the opportunity to complete lab requirements in nuclear engineering at a world renowned nuclear facility? Would you like to conduct research using one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers? What about mountains, lakes, and some of the best college sports programs in the country? These are a few of the things you may find yourself doing if you choose to study in the state of Tennessee. Tennessee is the home of over 50 universities and numerous two-year colleges. These institutions are located across the state, and each of Tennessee’s three grand divisions is home to a major university. The breadth of educational offerings in these institutions is as diverse as the state in which they reside.
Higher Education in Tennessee
Tennessee’s higher education system operates under a coordinating board, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Along with the coordinating board, there are two governing boards in the public system and an association for the private institutions. The public institutions are governed by the University of Tennessee System and the Tennessee Board of Regents.
The University of Tennessee System includes UT Knoxville; UT Chattanooga; UT Martin; the UT Medical, Health, and Science Center; and the UT Space Institute. The Tennessee Board of Regents governs Austin Peay State University, East Tennessee State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University, the University of Memphis, the 13 community colleges, and 27 Tennessee Technology Centers that offer career-related diploma and certificate training below the associate’s degree level.
The Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) membership includes 2 two-year colleges, 32 four-year colleges and universities, and 3 professional colleges. You may recognize some of TICUA’s member institutions; does Vanderbilt, Rhodes, or Sewanee sound familiar? Tennessee also boasts several Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including Tennessee State University, Fisk University, and Meharry Medical College. Along with the many public and private not-for-profit institutions, Tennessee is home to over 400 private, for-profit institutions that are authorized to operate in the state.
Want to know more about each of these schools and what they have to offer? Visit www.collegefortn.org to find links to each of the institutions in our state. You will find a plethora of educational opportunities to match a variety of interests and career goals.
Life in Tennessee
Take a road trip from Memphis in the southwest corner of the state to Bristol in the northwest corner of the state, and the 500 miles you travel in between will provide a glimpse of all the great state of Tennessee has to offer. Along the way, you can visit Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, the Grand Ole Opry, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (the most visited national park in the country). These are just a few of the things about Tennessee that attract millions of visitors each year.
Tennessee has something for everyone; from the music buff to the nature lover you can find it here. You can experience the soul of Memphis or the mountain homes in Appalachia. If you are looking for city life, visit Nashville, the home of country music and a bustling metropolis. Tennessee has a myriad of cultural attractions that will keep you busy for your entire stay…an integral part of international education is to experience the culture of your host country. Tennessee plays a unique role in that aspect as well. Tennessee borders eight states (the most of any state in the US). Also, seventy-five percent of the US population is within a day’s drive. So if you want to experience an unparalleled view of America and its people, Tennessee is the perfect place to call home.
