Located in Greeneville, TN, Tusculum College opened its doors in 1794, making it the oldest college in the state and the 28th oldest college in the country. It is a private, liberal arts college and is the oldest coeducational facility to be affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Tusculum College emphasizes a liberal arts education in a Judeo-Christian setting and civic arts environment. Of equal importance to offering a quality education is instilling a sense of civic responsibility and integrity. Students are encouraged to balance their education between preparing for a career in a global society and pursuing a field of lifelong learning, growth, and service.
Tusculum feels so strongly about the civic responsibility side of learning that they choose to call themselves a college that concentrates on the civic arts rather than liberal arts, and chooses to take the meaning of civic arts as it was first described by Roman orator, philosopher, and statesman Cicero. As such, Tusculum takes its job of producing graduates with the attitudes and abilities considered appropriate for citizens of a democratic society very seriously.
Tusculum College Accreditation Details
Tusculum College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award undergraduate and graduate degrees at the baccalaureate and masters levels. This accreditation covers all of the programs offered here.
Tusculum College Application Requirements
Students seeking admission into one of the undergraduate programs, such as the sports management baccalaureate program, should begin by filling out the online application for admission. Proof of a high school diploma or GED is also required. Students should submit secondary school or GED transcripts and official score reports from the SAT, ACT, or GED tests. For students wishing to transfer and have previously achieved more than 12 credit hours of college coursework, official transcripts from all applicable post-secondary institutions are needed in place of the high school or GED transcripts.
In addition, high school transcripts must show a record of college prep courses taken and a minimum overall GPA of 2.0. On average, however, students accepted at Tusculum have an ACT score of 22 or higher and a GPA of 3.3 or higher.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For students in the traditional undergraduate and residential programs, tuition is charged in blocks that include tuition, room and board. In this context, the undergraduate cost for the 2016-2017 academic year totals $31,625, which is $8,500 for room and board and $23,125 for students taking between 12 and 19 credit hours per semester. For students taking less than 12 credit hours in any given semester, the cost becomes $718 per credit hour. For students taking more than 19 credit hours in any given semester, the cost is then $718 for each credit hour beyond the 19 hours.
At Tusculum, about 97% of undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid to significantly offset the cost of college. This aid comes from sources that include federal and state programs, private scholarships, and from the college itself through church, business, and individual donations. Students should begin by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and then contacting a financial aid adviser at Tusculum. Students are also encouraged to seek out private scholarship opportunities within their communities and with the help from their high school guidance counselors.
Student Experience
The Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management degree program is offered through the Physical Education and Sports Studies Program at Tusculum College. For a Bachelor degree of any sort, students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours, generally doing so within a four year program. Both general education courses and courses toward the specific major are taken within the focused block of two eight-week sessions per semester, in which full-time students are expected to enroll for at least six credit hours per block. Students must maintain an overall minimum GPA of 2.0 in all coursework in order to graduate, and a minimum GPA of 2.25 within major coursework.
Students are required to live on campus during their time at Tusculum, with exceptions made for married students; single parents or guardians of court-recognized dependent(s); students over the age of 23; those living with parents within Greene County or a contiguous county; and military veterans with more than one year of active duty service. Other exceptions can be made on an individual basis by the Housing Committee of the college.
Students seeking the Sports Management degree will take 60 credit hours of required coursework within this major and beyond the general education requirements. These 60 credit hours are made up of one hour of an activity course and the remainder in theory courses. The catalog for the current academic year suggests the Community First Aid, CPR, and Safety course for the activity course component. The theory courses cover subjects such as Business Management, Accounting Principles, Sport and Society, Introduction to Sports Management, Sport Facilities and Design, Communication in Sport, Principles of Sport Marketing, and Principles of Sport Finance. Other courses also touch on the legal side of sports management and provide opportunities for sports management internships.
Students graduating with this degree are prepared for careers as leaders within athletics, sports, recreation, and fitness fields. Courses mix marketing and management strategies with sport and fitness components, students have a wider range of opportunities to pursue their career goals or to go on to graduate work in their field, if they so choose.
Students seeking a smaller college and more intimate college experience would do well to consider this particular institution for their course of higher studies. With strong opportunities to grow both academically and culturally, students here find it easy to become involved in activities and organizations both on campus and within the community. With a student body of less than 2,000, including distance learners, Tusculum College is ideal for those students seeking a more personalized college experience and one focused on integrity and civic service as well as academic prowess.
