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Middle Tennessee State University (founded September 11, 1911, and commonly abbreviated as MTSU) is an American university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

It is currently the second-largest institution of higher learning in Tennessee (by overall enrollment), trailing only The University of Tennessee at Knoxville. MTSU, however, currently has the state's largest enrollment of undergraduate students.

Originally known primarily for its Education and Nursing programs, MTSU has more recently gained recognition for its Aerospace, Business, Mass Communication/Recording Industry, and Music/Music Business programs. MTSU is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents System, one of two higher education systems in Tennessee. The school's tenth and current President is Sidney A. McPhee, Ed.D. He has served since 2001.

MTSU is the largest university in the central third of the state and the single largest economic contributor in Murfreesboro.

The History of the University
In 1909, the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee moved “to provide for the improvement of the system of Public Education of the State of Tennessee, that is to say, to establish a General Education Fund.” The major thrust of this “improvement” embodied in the legislative act that was to become known as the General Education Bill of 1909 was the establishment of three normals or teacher-training institutions. Following the intent of the act that one was to be located in each of the grand divisions of the state, the State Board of Education assigned the middle Tennessee institution to Murfreesboro.

Opening on September 11, 1911, with a two-year program for training teachers, Middle Tennessee State Normal School evolved into a four-year teachers college in 1925 with the power of granting the Bachelor of Science degree. In 1943, the General Assembly designated the institution a state college. This new status marked a sharp departure from the founding purpose and opened the way for expanding curricular offerings and programs. In 1965, the institution was advanced to university status. During the progressive movement from a two-year normal to a university, several significant milestones may be identified. In 1936, the Bachelor of Arts program was added. Responding to the expressed needs of the institution’s service area, the Graduate School was established in 1951. To effect better communications and improve administrative supervision, the schools concept was introduced in 1962.

As Middle Tennessee State University developed and grew, the prestigious Doctor of Arts program was added in 1970 and the Specialist in Education in 1974. These two degree programs became attractive centerpieces for other efforts to improve and enhance institutional roles. Library resources were dramatically increased and sophisticated computer services were developed to aid instruction and administration. A highly trained faculty enabled the University to continue growth in program offerings. In 1991, the University’s six schools—five undergraduate and the graduate school—became colleges. In 1998, MTSU’s Honors Program became the Honors College, the first in the state. In 2002, approval was granted to redesignate three D.A. programs to Doctor of Philosophy programs, expanding the progressive institution’s offerings.

Since 1911, MTSU has graduated more than 90,000 students. Despite the University’s growth from a campus of 100 acres, 125 students, and a faculty of 19, to an academic city of over 500 acres, more than 22,000 students, and a faculty of over 800, the institution is still essentially a “people’s university” with a concern for the diverse needs of the area that it serves. In the 1980s and ’90s, the institution dedicated resources to become a leader in technology, both in the classroom and in many services to students. In 1986, James McGill Buchanan (’40) became the first MTSU alumnus to be awarded the Nobel Prize. Buchanan received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his development of the theory of public choice, a way of studying the expenditure of public funds.

MTSU classifies itself as a regional university, and primarily draws its student base from the areas surrounding Nashville and Murfreesboro. As the school has grown larger, its student base has expanded. The Aerospace and Recording Industry programs regularly draw students from outside the state of Tennessee. Most other programs primarily draw students from inside the state.

MTSU Concentration: Media Design and Graphics
Media Design and Graphics involves all the elements of visual communication, from traditional typography to digitized design for newsletters, newspapers, magazines, and the Web. The sequence’s main emphasis is publication design, including print and interactive media that deliver information, opinion, and entertainment via printed publications ranging from informational graphics, brochures, books, magazines, and newspapers to the digital production in various multimedia forms, including the Internet. 

Recording Industry Major at MTSU
MTSU has a highly regarded recording industry major. There are over 1500 declared majors in Recording Industry – of those approximately 2/3rd are declared Production and Technology emphasis majors and 1/3rd are declared Music Business emphasis majors. This number includes all students in the university who have declared an intention to major in any area. Not all of these students are actually in the program taking classes, etc. Many are students just entering the university.

Athletics
As a member of the Sun Belt Conference, MTSU competes in the NCAA's highest level in all sports. Blue Raider athletes will play Sun Belt teams in major media markets in Denver, Miami and New Orleans.

Electronic Media Communication is one of three departments in the accredited College of Mass Communication. We are over 775 majors strong and growing. We are studying and teaching digital media communication, television and radio production, electronic media journalism and management, digital animation, digital imaging, and photography.

MTSU EMC Deparment

Are you a creative person? Do you have stories to tell? Do you see the world in unique and interesting ways? Do you like technology, particularly computers? Are you aware of or interested in the politics, social issues, legal issues, and ethics of electronic media communication? Do you want to be part of the "Information Age"?

If you answered "yes" to ANY of these questions, we invite you to come study and practice Electronic Media Communication with us. Our mission is based on the elements described above, and we seek talented students to help us fulfill that mission.

We are one of three departments in the accredited College of Mass Communication. We are over 775 majors strong and growing. We are studying and teaching digital media communication, television and radio production, electronic media journalism and management, digital animation, digital imaging, and photography.

While we are heavy users of technology, we base our curriculum on mass communication principles. We use state-of-the-art technology to practice the creation of content based on those principles.