About

At the University of Tennessee Southern, we recognize that each member of our learning community is uniquely gifted and called to fulfill a significant purpose. The theologian Fredrick Buechner put it this way, “…you are called to the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

We want to help you find your place of deep gladness and fulfilling service in the world. The entire staff and faculty are committed to your success. Beyond this, we hope to prepare you for a life of significance.

The quality of education at UT Southern is exceptional. Our professors know their students by name and take a personal interest in each student’s journey. Each staff member is dedicated to providing a supportive learning environment that will help you develop fully.     

In 2020, UT Southern celebrated 150 years. Our Alumni have found success and significance in many fields of life. We hope you will join us and become a part of the UT Southern Tradition.

The University of Tennessee Southern does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, handicap or veteran status in provision of educational opportunities or employment opportunities and benefits.

The University of Tennessee Southern, formally known as Martin Methodist College, originally named after Thomas Martin who provided for the establishment of a school for girls in Giles County by giving the original endowing gift of $30,000 through a provision in his will in 1870. His bequest was the fulfillment of a dream of his daughter Victoria who, before her death at the age of twenty, requested that her father establish such a school for young women.

Thomas Martin, the son of a Methodist minister, was born in 1799 and moved to Pulaski, Tennessee, while he was a young man. He possessed unusual business acumen and made his mark in the business world early in life, soon becoming a millionaire. He was a friend of President James K. Polk of nearby Columbia, Tennessee, and was once offered the position of United States Treasurer. He served as president of the Nashville and Decatur Railroad, president of a local savings bank, an influential political figure in the region, and a loyal member of the Methodist Church in Pulaski.

The college moved to its current location in 1875 on seven acres purchased from Governor John C. Brown for $16,000. For many years the college was operated as a four-year boarding college for women, with an elementary division for the children and young people of Pulaski. Many persons of influence are numbered among its illustrious graduates. Its first building stood near the site of Martin Hall. As the college grew, new facilities were added and the site of the campus expanded.

In 1908, an agreement was reached whereby the Board of Trustees transferred the property of the college into the hands of the Tennessee Conference of The Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The name was changed from Martin Female College to Martin College, and financial support for the institution, as well as its influence, began to increase. In 1938, the College became coeducational. The number of male students has grown until the student body shows a ratio of approximately half women and half men. As the College grew, adjoining property was purchased and added to the campus.

In 1983, the College constructed the Robert E. Curry Christian Life Center from the proceeds of a capital funds campaign. UT Southern College students, faculty, and staff, as well as persons from the community and the churches of the Tennessee Conference, use the center.

In April, 1986, the Board of Trustees added the word “Methodist” to the college’s name. This addition affirms Martin’s strong ties to The United Methodist Church and clearly states the values of the Wesleyan tradition which undergird the college.

Martin Methodist College became a four-year institution beginning with the 1993-94 academic year. The decision by the Board of Trustees to become a baccalaureate-degree granting institution was one of the most far-reaching decisions in the history of the school and was implemented to expand and enhance the school’s opportunities to achieve its objectives.

In 1998, the College purchased 44 acres 1.5 miles east of the main campus and completed construction of the East Campus Athletic Facility in 2013. The East Campus serves as the home for UT Southern’s Men and Women’s Soccer, Baseball and Softball programs. The complex is home to Grissom Pitch, home of the Firehawk Men and Women’s Soccer teams and the Carylon and JB Baker Practice Field, which is used by the soccer teams as well as other intramural sports.

In January of 1999, the Board of Trustees of Martin Methodist College made the momentous decision to seek growth in the size of the student body to at least 1,000 students. This decision set into motion a 10-year plan, Martin 2010, which is necessary to accommodate the projected 2010 enrollment of 1,000-1,200 students. This plan includes the ability to offer expanded programs and services for students.

In April of 1999, the Center for Church Leadership was established by Martin Methodist College as part of its mission as a church-related institution of higher education. The center assists in the training and support of church leaders, both lay and professional, and has begun to provide an ambitious level of service to the churches of the region.

The college purchased the stately antebellum home of former Governor John C. Brown in 1995. The property is located on the east side of the campus adjacent to the men’s dormitory. Damaged by age, fire, and winds, the home has been removed from the property. The College has reconstructed the historic home, now known as Herbert and Grace Grissom Colonial Hall, using as much of the original material from the old structure as possible. The building houses the administrative offices, reception and meeting rooms, and the Senator Ross Bass Archives.

A new chapter began in 2021. Martin Methodist College merged with the University of Tennessee Systems and became The University of Tennessee Southern. Information on how this transition came to be can be found at the following link. https://www.utsouthern.edu/mmctout-additional-information/

UT Southern does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, handicap or veteran status in provision of educational opportunities or employment opportunities and benefits.

The mission of the University of Tennessee Southern is to:

• Provide undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs grounded in the liberal arts and sciences that are designed to prepare students for careers and lives of continued learning;
• Promote a diverse and globally conscious learning community that nurtures intellectual, social, and personal growth;
• Serve the region through educational, social, and cultural programs and through community outreach and development.

The University of Tennessee Southern will be the epicenter for education, healthcare, church and community leadership, and workforce development in south-central Tennessee and a national model for higher education in rural America.

The University of Tennessee Southern is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, baccalaureate degrees, and the Masters degree of Business Administration. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of The University of Tennessee Southern.

The Nursing Program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The Teacher Education Program is accredited by the State of Tennessee Department of Education.

The three-fold purpose for publishing the Commission’s address and contact number in the above accreditation statement is to enable interested constituents to: 1) learn about the accreditation status of the College; 2) to file a third-party comment at the time of the institution’s decennial review; or 3) to file a complaint against the institution for alleged non-compliance with a standard or requirement. Normal inquiries about the institution, such as admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc., should be addressed directly to the College and not to the Commission’s office.

The College is an affirmative action institution and does not discriminate unlawfully on the basis of race, color, creed, disability, national/ethnic origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status in its admission policy, programs, or activities, education policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other College administered programs, or employment practices and programs.

Consumer information and federally-mandated student right-to-know statistics are published in The University of Tennessee Southern handbook and in previous additions of the Martin Methodist College Student Handbook available from the Office of Campus Life.

The College reserves the right to change the rules regulating admission to the institution and any other regulations or requirements affecting the student body or the granting of degrees. The College also reserves the right to withdraw courses, to change its calendar, and to alter charges and fees as conditions may require. Such changes shall go into force whenever the proper authorities may determine and shall apply not only to prospective students but also to those who may, at such time, be matriculated in the College. The College further reserves the right to refuse to release to any student a transcript, grade report, or degree for failure to return College property or to pay any accounts due to the College.

It is the policy of the College that no otherwise qualified parallel handicapped individuals be discriminated against on the basis of their physical or mental handicap, as covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, in admission to the College. All programs are open to all regularly admitted students without regard to handicap. In the event that a student is enrolled in a course that is not accessible, the course will be moved to a location that will be accessible to handicapped students. Any student, employee, or job applicant who has a complaint or grievance regarding this matter should contact the Office of Academic Affairs.

The provisions of this catalog are not to be regarded as an irrevocable contract between The University of Tennessee Southern and the student. The College reserves the right to change any provision or requirement listed in the Catalog at any time. A corrected copy for changes and/or for the 2020-2021 catalog is found in the on-line version.   All changes will be made by October 1, 2020.

The University of Tennessee Southern maintains a comprehensive Effectiveness Process with the purpose of assessing and improving the institution’s ability to pursue its stated mission.  Effectiveness is a continuum by which the College sets its goals and defines its expected outcomes, assesses its success in achieving those goals and outcomes, and evaluates the effectiveness of the College’s units and individuals.  The information to be found here should assist unit leaders to develop their respective outcome assessment planning or management planning activities. 

Substantive Change Policy

Assistance can be obtained by contacting Web Accessibility Initiative – Please mail to Dr. George Cheatham, gcheatham@utsouthern.edu, Chair Assessment Committee.

• Title IX Information

Anti-Discrimination Policy

The University of Tennessee Southern is committed to equal opportunity in employment and education and will maintain an environment free of unlawful discrimination. The College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by Federal, State, or local law in the recruitment and admission of students, the recruitment and employment of Employees, faculty, and staff, or the operation of any of its programs. The College complies with the applicable nondiscrimination and affirmative action titles and sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Federal Executive Order 11246, Educational Amendments of 1972, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Equal Pay Act of 1963, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, along with all applicable amendments thereto.