University of Tennessee

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University of Tennessee

Degrees Offered at University of Tennessee

The University of Tennessee appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Online Degree Programs For In-State Students. Students who choose the University of Tennessee open themselves up to a world of rich academic offerings. With over 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, UT has much to offer incoming students of all persuasions. Incoming students can earn bachelor’s degrees in subjects like:
  • accounting
  • hospitality and tourism
  • advertising
  • Africana
  • American sign language
  • finance
  • art history
  • astronomy
  • biomedical engineering
  • the classics
  • food science
  • Italian and more.
Graduate students can pursue studies in:
  • aerospace engineering
  • agriculture
  • child and family studies
  • anthropology
  • art
  • educational psychology
  • business administration
  • chemical engineering
  • geography
  • landscape architecture, and more.
The school also offers certificate programs for students who already have degrees and who want to augment their knowledge. Finally, UT offers online classes and programs. These programs allow students to enjoy the benefits of a degree program via distance education.

About University of Tennessee

The University of Tennessee has been a fixture in Knoxville since its founding in 1794. In fact, it has existed as an entity longer than the state of Tennessee has. More than 28,000 students attend the school. While most of the school’s students come from Tennessee, the university has students from all over the U.S. and from around the world. The school’s rich academic history includes being involved with the editing of three presidential papers. The school also boasts seven Rhodes Scholars and a Nobel Prize winner. It’s also home to the University of Tennessee Space Institute. This facility provides support for aerospace engineering research. UT’s campus is pedestrian-friendly by design. The university spearheaded a special master plan to make the campus greener. The plan provides students with more open space. Once completed, it will offer a more aesthetically pleasing campus for students and visitors alike. The plan includes an expansion of the school’s parking facilities, as well as plans for walking spaces and mass transit areas. Student life at the University of Tennessee is lively and engaging. International House welcomes international students and gives university students the opportunity to expand their cultural and linguistic horizons. The Black Cultural Center is the home of the Office of Minority Student Affairs, as well as a free Spanish tutoring lab and a textbook loan service. More than 400 student organizations provide UT students with entertainment and engagement options. The Campus Events Board sees to it that students have every opportunity to participate in campus-wide events, like:
  • homecoming
  • Culture Week
  • art exhibitions
  • concerts
  • lectures
The school is also home to many Greek institutions. In all, there are more than 25 fraternities and  20 sororities. Finally, the University of Tennessee has gotten its share of nods from the US News and World Report. The site ranks the school:
  • 44th on its top public schools list
  • 69th on its best colleges for veterans
66th on its best undergraduate engineering programs
  • Its freshman retention rate stands at 86 percent, which the US News and World Report sees as an indicator of satisfaction among first-year students.

University of Tennessee Accreditation

The University of Tennessee is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Other programs, like the university’s architecture program, have received additional accreditation from the appropriate governing organizations.

University of Tennessee Application Requirements

UT allows students to apply via the Common Application or the VIP (Vol In Progress) Application. Incoming students should be prepared to submit:
  • their official transcripts
  • their standardized test scores
  • an essay
  • the $50 application fee
While the school doesn’t require students to have recommendation letters, it does accept them. It also accepts supporting statements. Prospective students should also be aware that some colleges in the university have additional application requirement. These include:
  • College of Nursing
  • the College of Architecture and Design
  • the School of Music
Interested graduate students should contact the graduate school to find out the application requirements for specific graduate programs. Application materials may vary between departments. The school does offer orientation programs to help students get acclimated to their programs and to the campus itself.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition and fees vary, depending on what type of student is applying. In other words, the costs for undergraduate students is different than for graduate students. There is also a cost difference between the law and veterinary medicine schools and in-state and out-of-state students. The following is a rough breakdown of the tuition for each of these programs. Undergraduate students who are residents of Tennessee pay $13,264. Resident graduate students pay $13,380. Resident students in the law school pay $20,168. Resident vet students pay $29,336. Non-resident undergraduates pay $31,684. Non-resident graduate students pay $31,798. Non-resident veterinary students pay $56,602. Non-resident law students pay $38,842. Online students pay less at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students of UT are also responsible for paying the school’s mandatory fees. The University of Tennessee offers students the opportunity to apply for federal financial aid. Students who receive aid can get:
  • grants
  • work-study monies
  • student loans
  • scholarships
There are also financial aid provisions for study abroad students and students who attend school during the summer. UT students can receive scholarships throughout their academic careers. Some of the possible scholarships include:
  • the Hope Scholarship, up to $2,250 per semester,
  • the General Assembly Merit Scholarship, $1,500 per annum,
  • the Aspire Award, up to $2,250 per annum
Students who would like to receive financial aid must fill out the FAFSA. Once they do, they become eligible for all federal financial aid programs on campus, including work-study jobs. These jobs allow students to work on campus, often in jobs related to their majors. Finally, the school does make need-based grants available to students through its financial aid programs. These are usually first-come, first served. Funding for these monies is limited, so students should turn all of their financial aid materials in before the January 15 deadline. Grants include:
  • the Pell
  • the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
  • the Tennessee Student Assistance Award Grant, to name but a few.
Be sure to look into all the degree programs offered by the University of Tennessee.

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