University College

Rick Sluder, Dean
vacant, Associate Dean
Peggy Carpenter, Assistant Dean

University College exists for the purpose of helping make student success possible for the traditional and nontraditional students it serves. The overriding mission is to provide programs that meet the ongoing educational and support needs of the adult nontraditional and traditional students they serve. A sense of customer service and student focus is pervasive throughout the culture of the college and its staff.

Credit Area and Programs

MTSU Online and Distance Education

Distance Education Courses

Distance education courses, coordinated through the University College, include online and hybrid and TN eCampus online and synchronous online.

MTSU Online Courses

All instruction takes place through MTSU’s learning management system. Students are expected to have access to a computer and the Internet for completion of course requirements. Professors may offer optional meetings but students cannot be penalized for non-attendance. Proctored exams may also be offered, and students who cannot attend the scheduled dates/times have the option of taking the exam at an approved off-campus site. Students who are most successful in online courses have excellent time management skills.

MTSU Hybrid Courses

A significant portion of instruction and activities in a hybrid class takes place in an online environment. Professors may require up to 15  hours of mandatory campus meetings (for an orientation, exams, presentations) per semester for hybrid courses. Students can be penalized for non-attendance at these scheduled events.

Additional information can be found on the Course Comparison Chart located on the University College Student Services website.

NOTE: MTSU online, hybrid, and TN eCampus courses may be used to satisfy some requirements for any degree offered at MTSU. Some degrees can be earned completely online.

MTSU Online and Hybrid Graduate Degree Programs

Online Graduate Programs

• Aeronautical Science, M.S.
  • Aeronautical Science, Aviation Education Concentration, M.S.  
  • Aeronautical Science, Aviation Management Concentration, M.S.  
  • Aeronautical Science, Aviation Safety and Security Management Concentration, M.S.    
• Business Administration, M.B.A.   
  • Business Administration, Concrete Industry Management Concentration, M.B.A.  
  • Business Administration, Health Care Management Concentration, M.B.A.  A. 
• Criminal Justice Administration, M.C.J.    
• Curriculum and Instruction, English as a Second Language Concentration, M.Ed.  
• Library Science, M.L.S.    
• Management, M.S.
  • Management, Supply Chain Management Concentration, M.S.  
  • Management, Organizational Leadership Concentration, M.S.     
• Nursing, Advanced Practice: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), M.S.N.  
• Professional Studies, M.P.S.*
  • Professional Studies, Human Resources Leadership Concentration, M.P.S.  
  • Professional Studies, Leadership in Nutrition Concentration, M.P.S.  
  • Professional Studies, Operations Research Concentration, M.P.S.  
  • Professional Studies, Strategic Leadership Concentration, M.P.S.  
  • Professional Studies, Training and Development Concentration, M.P.S.  
•  Education Specialist (Ed.S.)
  • Curriculum and Instruction, Culture, Cognition, and the Learning Process Specialization, Ed.S.   

*Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is available for eligible students.

Hybrid Graduate Program

• Social Work, Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice Concentration, M.S.W.  

TN eCampus Online Courses

In 2015 the “Focus on College and University Success Act” proposed the creation of local boards for the six public universities outside the University of Tennessee system: Austin Peay State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Tech University, East Tennessee State University, and the University of Memphis. Even though the public universities are no longer governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents, they continue to collaborate and participate in initiatives that benefit our state’s students. One such initiative is the TN eCampus online program through which colleges and universities work cooperatively to allow students to earn college degrees entirely online.

TN eCampus courses can be used to satisfy partial degree requirements for the MTSU degrees shown below:

The program currently offers the following graduate online degrees:

• Professional Studies, M.P.S.*
  • Professional Studies, Human Resources Leadership Concentration, M.P.S.  
  • Professional Studies, Leadership in Nutrition Concentration, M.P.S.  
  • Professional Studies, Operations Research Concentration, M.P.S.  
  • Professional Studies, Strategic Leadership Concentration, M.P.S.  
  • Professional Studies, Training and Development Concentration, M.P.S.  

 *Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is available for eligible students.

Admissions, instruction, advising, library services, counseling, and other forms of student assistance are available online. The courses have been designed to be taught totally online in an interactive, asynchronous format. For questions, call 615-494-7714 or refer to www.mtsu.edu/university-college/advising/.

Synchronous Online Courses

Synchronous online courses are accessed over the Internet typically through MTSU’s course management system. Synchronous online classes meet online at the time/days of the week specified in PipelineMT. A reliable computer with at minimum a DSL Internet (broadband) connection is needed to successfully access synchronous online course sessions. Hardware requirements include headphones, earbuds, speakers, and may include a microphone and/or web cam. During the class, students can hear and/or see the professor, and communication with the professor may take place through a microphone or text chat window. Only students with strong experience on the Internet should register for a synchronous online course. Courses may require proctored exams. Additional information may be obtained at Distance Course Definitions.

Accelerated Online Courses

Accelerated Online Courses are offered in two eight-week blocks each Fall and Spring semester. Students may take only up to 9 hours in each block (parts of term A1 and A2). Students may mix accelerated courses with full-term courses (not to exceed 18 hours total) and must register for A2 courses during regular registration. Special permission is required to add A2 part-of-term courses after late registration ends. Accelerated Online Courses may include optional orientations and proctored exams.

Academic Outreach/Adult Degree Completion Program (ADCP)

Summer Sessions

University College directs MTSU Summer Sessions and is charged with the responsibility for providing a comprehensive and balanced selection of high quality summer academic course offerings to enable students to pursue undergraduate and graduate academic degree programs. Working in partnership with all academic departments and campus units, MTSU Summer Sessions is committed to offering outstanding learning opportunities that both complement and enhance the educational experiences offered during the other academic terms. More information is available by contacting the Summer Sessions Office at (615) 898-5783 or by visiting www.mtsu.edu/summer.

University Studies Department

The University Studies Department of the University College is committed to providing a firm foundation on which the students it serves can build a clear pathway leading to success within the university structure. Dedicated faculty and staff provide targeted instruction, support, and direction to entering students and those pursuing a Bachelor of Science or a Master’s degree. Additionally, the department helps students determine their ideal academic placement while providing an environment that helps them adapt and transition successfully to the university culture. More information is available by visiting www.mtsu.edu/university-college/university-studies/ or visiting University Studies. Students may also contact the University Studies Department at (615) 898-2568.

More Information

More information can be obtained by contacting the University College, (615) 494-7714. Additional information may be obtained by visiting www.mtsu.edu/university-college/.