Our College

The College of Business is uniquely poised in the heart of downtown Nashville as a strong, robust, and expanding educational, entrepreneurship and research engine, positively impacting the entrepreneurial and economic tapestry of Nashville, the State of Tennessee, and the world.

The college’s approximately 1000 undergraduate and graduate students are prepared by a dedicated and culturally diverse faculty for global economic success through:

  • Innovative teaching;
  • Research focused on contemporary business concepts; and
  • A commitment to service and life-long learning.
 
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AACSB Accreditation
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How We Do It

When you choose the College of Business, you benefit from our small class sizes and the practical experience of our notable faculty. All full-time permanent faculty in the College of Business hold doctoral degrees and follow our guiding principles and core values:

  • Accountability
  • Diversity
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Community Engagement
  • Ethical Conduct
  • Global Perspective
  • Scholarship
  • Teamwork and Collegiality
  • Mutual Respect


With flexible class schedules—day, evening, and weekend offerings—and innovative teaching that integrates business ethics, international business, and computer applications, you'll be well prepared to compete successfully in the global marketplace, whether you travel around the world or find your niche in Nashville.


The TSU College of Business Story

The College of Business at Tennessee State University was the first business school in Nashville to earn dual accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the most prestigious accrediting body for business schools around the globe. The College of Business earned its initial accreditation from AACSB International in 1994. Such achievement resulted in Tennessee State University becoming not only the first university in Nashville, but also the first public Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the country, to gain dual accreditation at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.  The College has successfully retained this accreditation distinction since 1994. Resultantly, the College’s approximately 1000 undergraduate and graduate students are prepared by eminently qualified faculty for global economic success through innovative teaching anchored by a commitment to research, to service, and to life-long learning.

The College of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Business Information Systems, and Economics and Finance.  Concentrations are available in Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Management, Human Resource Management, General Business, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Data Analytics, Business Information Systems-Industry, e-Business Technology, Economics, Finance, and International Business. Additionally, the College offers minors in General Business, Entrepreneurship, Marketing and International Business.  

At the graduate level, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) is offered  in three formats—traditional evening, accelerated and executive.  The College boasts an Executive MBA program that is helping to make Nashville even more competitive when it comes to business leadership. The 12-month program, which starts in the fall, is delivered in a hybrid format consisting of both in-person and online course offerings. Program participants also have the opportunity to spend 10 days studying outside the United States to broaden their understanding of global leadership.

The College of Business has internationally recognized faculty with all tenured faculty holding the doctorate degree. The College is home to an international scholarly publication, The Journal of Developing Areas, and two Chairs of Excellence—Chair of Banking and Financial Services and the Frist Chair. 

The College of Business has established alliances with a long list of community organizations that provide resources earmarked for internships and scholarships along with making recommendations for continuous improvement of the curriculum. College of Business community partners include: Boeing, KraftCPAs, Deloitte, Nissan, HCA, R.H. Boyd Publishing, 53rd Bank, Jackson National, Regions Bank, Dell, Cummins, Geodis, Asurion, the Nashville Chamber, the Nashville Convention Center, Holiday Inn Vanderbilt, and Opryland Hotel, just to name a few.  Additionally, the College has seven advisory boards that support specific disciplines in the College to help ensure the alignment of the curriculum with the needs of  businesses on the global economic platform.

The College is proud of its state-of-the-art Financial Trading Room and its recently established Dell Center for Leadership and Data Analytics which serves as a laboratory to more fully develop students’ leadership, decision making and technology skills.