Dec 13, 2024  
2024-2025 UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG 
    
2024-2025 UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG

About UofM



Statement of Vision

The vision of The University of Memphis is to become a nationally recognized public research university.

Our Mission

To Produce well-rounded, successful graduates and cutting-edge research for the enrichment of our ever-changing society.

Institutional Mission

The University of Memphis is a comprehensiveinternationally recognized, urban public research university preparing students for success in a diverse, innovative, global environment. Student success, service, innovation, diversity and inclusion, collaboration and accountability are core values at the University of Memphis.

The University is classified as “Carnegie R1” or “Doctoral: Very High Research Activity and Community Engaged” per the Carnegie Classification for Institutions of Higher Learning. With a focus on research and service benefitting communities locally and across the globe, we are home to nationally designated centers of excellence in cybersecurity research and education, transportation workforce development, mobile health data and five Tennessee centers of research excellence.

The UofM is dedicated to providing the highest quality of education to more than 21,500 students through 13 colleges and schools that offer more than 180 academic degree programs at the undergraduate, masters, doctoral and professional levels. The UofM awards approximately 4,500 degrees annually. Talented and innovative faculty have developed 31 undergraduate and 38 graduate programs in various disciplines that are ranked in the top 25 nationally. Our metropolitan setting has enabled us to build a nationally recognized internship program that facilitates the placement of undergraduate and graduate students throughout the community in nonprofit and for-profit organizations that specialize in healthcare, government, transportation and logistics, music and entertainment, medical devices, banking and the arts.

Our Values

Accountability: Integrity, transparency, excellenceand the highest standards govern everything we do.

Collaboration: We seek partnerships both within and beyond the University to enhance our actions and our outcomes.

Diversity and Inclusion: Everyone is respected, included and given the opportunity to excel.

Innovation: We consistently seek a better way, and we embrace challenges.

Service: Our purpose is to benefit our students and society through knowledge and effort.

Student Success: We provide every student with the opportunity to excel.

Principles

Enhanced Safety and Security.

Provide a safe and secure environment by investing in infrastructure and programs that focus on community well-being and on enhancing the complete campus experience.

Whole-Person Student Success and Support.

Walk alongside students in their academic, social and emotional journey by offering excellent and engaging programs, experiences, opportunities and facilities that maximize student success.

Improved Access and Affordability.

Improve access and affordability for students that meet our admissions standards through intentional efforts that focus on unmet financial need and minimize post graduation debt burdens.

Intentional UofM-Community Partnership.

Maximize and leverage the strong bond between the University and the community so that we remain forever a source of pride in the region and the state.

Next-Generation Diversity & Inclusion.

Support an inclusive campus environment that reflects cultural competency, societal dynamics and social opportunities, so that we serve the public good.

Increased Collaboration.

Encourage and incent an institutional collaborative spirit to expand workforce development opportunities, our research portfolio and our community engagement.

Strict Accountability.

Personify accountability, trustworthiness and transparency by establishing high standards, by developing rigorous processes and by closely monitoring progress so that an expectation of excellence is instilled in our campus community.

Distinct Organizational Culture and Identity.

Cultivate organizational identity around pillars of resilience, pride in our achievements, innovation and entrepreneurship, technology-savviness, responsiveness and excellent communications.

Affirmative Action

UofM offers equal educational opportunity to all persons without regard to race, religion, sex, creed, color, national origin or disability. The University does not discriminate on these bases in recruitment and admission of students or in the operation of its programs and activities, as specified by federal laws and regulations. The designated coordinators for University compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 are the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Equal Opportunity Compliance Officer. Information in this document will be provided in alternate format upon request.  University of Memphis is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action University. It is committed to education of a non-racially identifiable student body. 

General Description

From the opening of its doors in 1912 as a normal school for training teachers to its present status as one of Tennessee’s two comprehensive universities, the University of Memphis has been thrust forward by the growth of Memphis and the Mid-South. A town oriented to a rural economy and culture in 1900 grew into a large urban and commercial center mid-century, and the city’s public institution of higher learning experienced comparable growth.

The metropolitan and regional requirements for more highly trained university graduates have, of necessity, caused the University to expand all its offerings in arts and sciences, business, the fine arts, education, engineering and technology, law, and several special professional fields. Degrees range from the baccalaureate through the doctorate. Approximately 80 percent of the full-time faculty have earned the highest possible degree in their fields. The University strives to optimize its resources in its quest for excellence through teaching, research and service.

With an enrollment of over 20,000, the University of Memphis is committed to developing programs of the highest caliber, for only through such a commitment will it be a standard of quality in higher education for the citizens of our service area. As the comprehensive university of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee, the University of Memphis is striving to increase the ratio of doctoral programs it offers, which will also require an increased emphasis on research and scholarship activity. The University is committed to serving a diverse student body of all races, sexes and nationalities. Our students are expected, upon graduation, to be able to compete effectively with their counterparts from any other respected university in the nation.

History

The roots of the University of Memphis date back to September 12,1912, with the establishment and beginning of classes at West Tennessee State Normal School, which provided for the training of primary and secondary education teachers. However, the seeds for the normal school’s creation were sown three years earlier, in 1909, when the Tennessee General Assembly passed a General Education law calling for establishment and maintenance of three normal schools, one school located in each of the three grand divisions of the state.

The eastern edge of Memphis became the site for West Tennessee State Normal School, which in 1929 became West Tennessee State Teachers College. In 1941, the college expanded its liberal arts curriculum, and the name was changed to Memphis State College–an institution serving three to four thousand students. The undergraduate program was reorganized into three schools and a graduate school was added in 1951.

Memphis State achieved university status in 1957, and on July 1, 1994, the name was officially changed to the University of Memphis.

Organization

The schools and colleges that make up the University are the Graduate School, the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the School of Public Health, and seven colleges offering graduate and undergraduate programs: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Fogelman College of Business & Economics, the College of Communication and Fine Arts, the College of Education, the Herff College of Engineering, the Loewenberg College of Nursing, the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management,  and the College of Professional & Liberal Studies.  The University of Memphis is also home to the Helen Hardin Honors College, which offers programs for highly motivated students seeking exceptional and challenging programs of study in a variety of disciplines. The colleges, departments, and the undergraduate degree programs they offer are described in more detail in the Colleges and Degree Programs section of this catalog.

The Memphis Community

Memphis, with a metropolitan area population of just over one million, is one of the South’s largest and most attractive cities. As a primary medical, educational, communication, distribution and transportation center, Memphis offers a rich and full range of research opportunities and cultural experiences. The city, known worldwide for its musical heritage, has many fine restaurants, museums, and theaters, as well as one of the nation’s largest urban park systems. Annual events include the St. Jude Liberty Bowl Football Classic, the Memphis in May International Festival, and the Federal Express St. Jude Golf Classic. The medical complex in Memphis is the South’s largest and one of the nation’s foremost centers of medical research. A public transportation system provides easy travel between the university and other parts of the city.

Built on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, Memphis is devoted to preserving its history while vigorously building its future. Clusters of stately old homes dot the city; some are still inhabited, others preserve the past as museums, some have been restored and recast into commercial establishments; all are home to images from a long-ago time.

The University’s modern and beautifully landscaped campus is centrally located in an attractive residential area of Memphis, with shopping, recreation and entertainment centers nearby. In addition to the main campus facilities, the University has research and athletic training facilities and married student housing on the South Campus, as well as teaching sites throughout West Tennessee.

Facilities, Research, and Services

Academic Common Market

Participation in the Academic Common Market allows qualified students from southern states to pay in-state tuition while pursuing certain degree programs at the University of Memphis. This arrangement is available only for students whose home states do not offer the designated program. The state in which the student resides determines which of the programs offered by the University of Memphis it will make available to its students.

The Academic Common Market is sponsored by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). Participating states are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia (Florida and Texas grant access for graduate level programs only). Current SREB common market guidelines and requirements may be found on the web at http://www.sreb.org/page/1304/academic_common_market.html

Students may request through their home state coordinators that additional programs be made accessible. A list of the state coordinators with their addresses and telephone numbers may be obtained from the Academic Common Market web site http://www.sreb.org/page/1304/academic_common_market.html

In addition to certification requirements which the student’s state of residence may specify, the following pertain: (1) Students must be fully admitted to a degree program that has been approved as an Academic Common Market program (nondegree students are ineligible); (2) students must obtain a letter certifying residency term of entry and approval for the particular University of Memphis program from their state’s Academic Common Market coordinator.

NOTE: After enrollment, students remain eligible for in-state tuition only so long as they are continuously enrolled-consecutive fall and spring terms-in the same major for which they were originally certified. If students change major, they must process a Change of Major through their advisor and notify the Office of Admissions to change the Academic Common Market residency code on their records. Failure to process the Change of Major and to notify the Office of Admissions may subject the student to out-of-state fees for all subsequent terms of enrollment in classes for a major other than the one for which the student received ACM certification. Missing a fall or spring term of enrollment or a change of major requires that the student be recertified through the ACM coordinator in the student’s state of residence.

Library Facilities

The University of Memphis Libraries include the Ned R. McWherter Library and five branch libraries: Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Mathematics, and Music, which are contiguous to the appropriate university departments.

The McWherter Library offers many services through its Reference Department, including access to both electronic and print resources and instruction in use of all resources in the University Libraries. The Periodicals Department also offers assistance in accessing electronic resources, especially electronic full-text journals. The Government Publications Department is the Regional Federal Documents Depository for the State of Tennessee Documents. The Special Collections Departments’ largest collection, consisting of unique and rare manuscripts, cartographic, photographic, and printed materials, including the Mississippi Valley Collection, reflects the history and culture of the Mississippi River valley.

The University of Memphis Libraries maintains agreements with other local institutions for shared use of library collections by students, faculty, and staff. These institutions include Rhodes College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Memphis Theological Seminary, Southwest Tennessee Community College, the University of Mississippi, Christian Brothers University and Mid-South Community College.

The University of Memphis Libraries’ provides access for all students and faculty to the electronic resources provided by the Libraries, including the Libraries’ catalog of its collections. Access to the website is available to all Internet users, whether at home, at an off-campus site, or at a workstation in the McWherter Library and its branch libraries.

Information Systems

The University of Memphis has long recognized that information technology plays a central role in teaching, learning, and research. Under the leadership of the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Information Technology Services (ITS) is responsible for implementing, provisioning, and ensuring access to technologies.

A variety of technologies are used to support teaching and learning including smart classrooms and computer labs, simulation technologies, online learning technologies, and research computing facilities. Campus technology facilities can be located by visiting https://umwa.memphis.edu/trlsearch/.

 Access to campus technologies are enabled and enhanced by the University’s core infrastructure technologies including enterprise networks, servers, and applications. The University maintains high-bandwidth and reliable commodity internet and telecommunication services for the entire campus community. Access to the network is provided through wired and wireless connections. High-capacity and reliable network and telecommunication services are a critical component of the University’s ability to provide effective support for students, faculty, and staff.

 The University also recognizes the importance of high-performance computing (HPC) resources for research and education. Since 2006 the University has maintained HPC facilities on campus and refreshes the equipment on a three-year cycle. The HPC cluster supports teaching and learning by providing resources necessary for faculty and students to conduct research in computationally intensive areas.

 In addition to teaching and learning technologies, ITS is also responsible for supporting the University’s administrative systems, mobile application, and email services.

The ITS Helpdesk is the central point of contact for all technical support requests. The helpdesk can be reached at 901.678.8888 or http://umHelpdesk.memphis.edu.

Benjamin Hooks Institute for Social Change

The Institute pursues a broad programmatic agenda of research and outreach that builds upon Dr. Hooks’ lifetime of work to achieve a more just society. The Hooks Institute is committed to advancing the goals of the American Civil Rights Movement, and making Memphis a national center for the study of the Civil Rights Movement and its legacy.

Bureau of Business and Economic Research

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research is the organized research and public service unit of the Fogelman College of Business and Economics. The programs of the bureau include public service to government agencies (state and local) and the business community, continuing education, and applied general research.

Center of Applied Psychological Research

The Center for Applied Psychological Research supports research on problems concerning health, mental health, education, schools, crime, the environment, and children and their families. The Center also supports basic scientific research in cognitive psychology, biopsychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, and research design and statistics.

Center for Earthquake Research and Information

The Center for Earthquake Research and Information was established in 1977 by the Tennessee State Legislature to provide the citizens of Tennessee, governmental agencies, and the news media such services as the following: (1) accurate, immediate reports and background information on the occurrence of regional earthquakes; (2) scientific research related to the causes and consequences of local earthquakes and to the possibility of earthquake prediction; (3) studies related to the desirability of earthquake resistant construction; (4) advice to the populace, business, government, and insurance groups on the methods, means, and feasibility of reducing earthquake damage. It operates as a research organization of the University of Memphis. It supports some undergraduate student research in seismology and geophysics and civil engineering and cooperates with the Department of Geological Sciences in offering an undergraduate degree concentration in geophysics.

Center for Research in Educational Policy

The Center for Research in Educational Policy is funded by the State of Tennessee as one of five Centers of Excellence located at the University of Memphis. CREP’s mission is to implement a research agenda associated with educational policies and practices in the pre K-12 public schools of Tennessee and the nation and to provide a knowledge base for use by educational practitioners and policymakers. Research outcomes are intended to not only describe the complexities of educational phenomena, but also offer recommendations for action.

Since 1989, the Center has served as a mechanism for mobilizing community and university resources to address educational problems and to meet the University’s commitment to primary and secondary schools. The Center’s research agenda is developed through analysis of persistent or emerging issues in schools and their communities, changes occurring in teacher education programs, and recommendations from educational authorities. In the past decade, CREP has gained national recognition for its contribution to discussions of issues such as reform of teacher education, educational equity, educational technology, school reform and restructuring, urban and multicultural education, interventions for at-risk students, and using formative evaluation methods for school improvement decision-making.

Center for Health Services Research

The Center for Health Services Research is housed in the Division of Health Administration. The Center emphasizes collaborative, multi-disciplinary research focusing on issues in health care management, leadership, financing, economics, and administration. The Center’s goal is to serve as a strong partner and resource for health care organizations, both public and private, in the Mid-South region.

Center for Manpower Studies

The Center for Manpower Studies, located in the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, conducts research on employment and training-related topics and provides technical assistance to federal, state, and local agencies. It also offers a variety of training programs for human resource development agencies throughout the southeast.

Edward J. Meeman Biological Station

The Edward J. Meeman Biological Station was established in 1967 to encourage and foster scientific pursuits in natural history, ecology, and environmental biology. Located about 23 miles northeast of the main campus and adjacent to Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park in northwestern Shelby County, the 623-acre station (with laboratory, classroom, and small conference facilities) provides students and faculty from the University of Memphis, as well as visiting investigators, with a unique site for research, teaching, and service activities. The station is an integral part of the Department of Biology.

Ecological Research Center

The Ecological Research Center (ERC) of the Department of Biology is organized to conduct and coordinate research, teaching, and service activities in ecology and related areas. Major areas of research include: fish culture, water quality, wildlife biology, endangered and threatened species, systematics, and physiological responses of organisms to the environment. The teaching program of the ERC provides a training program for students interested in pursuing careers in various professional fields and affords an opportunity for students to participate in activities involving contemporary environmental problems. Public service activities are primarily directed toward promoting environmental awareness and providing information and consultation services to those concerned with environmental problems.

The Marcus W. Orr Center for the Humanities

The Center for the Humanities was founded in 1987 and renamed in 1991 in memory of Dr. Marcus W. Orr, Professor of History. Its purpose is to support teacher and course development, independent and collaborative research, and public programs that will foster an understanding of the importance of the humanities and establish a sense of intellectual community among humanities faculty at the university. The center sponsors visiting scholars, course development grants, lectures, and a Humanities Fellows Program that supports faculty scholarship.

Center for Urban Research and Extension

The Center for Urban Research and Extension provides technical assistance, research and other services for neighborhood improvement in three Memphis Enterprise Neighborhoods. The Center supports the City of Memphis’ Enterprise Community program, and collaborates with neighborhood residents as they embark upon various efforts in revitalizing their neighborhood. Chucalissa Indian Village and Museum (C. H. Nash Museum)

This partly reconstructed prehistoric Indian village on its original site and the museum are operated by the Department of Anthropology as an educational and research facility. The indoor and outdoor exhibits are designed to reconstruct prehistoric Indian life in the Mid-South. Students are trained in the techniques of excavation, restoration and museum operations. The courses taught are listed in the Department of Anthropology offerings. Chucalissa is located 17 miles from the main campus.

Integrated Microscopy Center

The Integrated Microscopy Center provides facilities and expertise in the field of light, coufocal and electron microscopy. Users of the center include researchers and graduate students in the biological and physical sciences.

The Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology

The Institute, founded in 1984 and designated a Tennessee Center of Excellence in 1985, is a component of the Art Department at the University of Memphis. The Institute is dedicated to the study of the art and culture of ancient Egypt through teaching, research, exhibition, and excavation. It is staffed by egyptologists and art historians associated with the department’s art history program. Its research library consists of more than 6000 egyptological books and periodicals including rare and out-of-print volumes. The Art Museum at the University of Memphis houses the Institute’s growing collection of Egyptian antiquities, the largest in the Mid-South. The Institute also sponsors an epigraphic project at The Great Hypostyle Hall of Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt, and the excavation of the tomb of Pharaoh Amenmessse in the Valley of the Kings.

Institute for Intelligent Systems

The Institute is designed to bring together research and training in the broad areas of cognitive science, complex dynamical systems, artificial intelligence, and massively parallel computing (neural computing). Current research includes basic research supported by grants from funding agencies and applied research supported by industrial/governmental contracts. Ideas and techniques for research are gathered from the disciplines of cognitive psychology, computer science, philosophy of mind, neuroscience, linguistics, and mathematics. Training should include graduate courses, thesis and dissertation research, and industrial training in the form of workshops, seminars, and employee research participation.

Regional Economic Development Center (REDC)

The Regional Economic Development Center represents the University in its outreach function in the field of economic development planning. In providing technical and management assistance to the public and private sectors, the Center also serves as a laboratory for interdisciplinary research and service by faculty and graduate students in solving problems of urban and regional development. The Center’s professional planning staff have academic appointments and teach courses in City and Regional Planning. REDC is an outreach unit of the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy.

Memphis Speech and Hearing Center

The Memphis Speech and Hearing Center is located on the Park Avenue campus in the Community Health Building at 4055 North Park Loop. This facility became affiliated with the University in 1967.  It serves children and adults with communication disorders. Students at the University are seen at no charge. The University administers and operates the center in cooperation with Methodist LeBonheur and the Board of Directors of the Memphis Speech and Hearing Center, Inc.

Other Research

Units In addition to the units described above, the University of Memphis also recognizes a wide array of other research- oriented units:

  • Anthropological Research Center
  • Barbara K. Lipman Early Childhood School and Research Institute
  • Bureau of Sport and Leisure Commerce
  • Center of Community Health (joint with UT Memphis)
  • Center for River Studies
  • Computational Research of Material Institute
  • Exercise and Sport Science Laboratories
  • Federal Express Center for Cycle Time Research
  • Groundwater Institute
  • Highwater Recording Company
  • Institute for Egyptian Art and Archaeology
  • Institute for Gambling Education and Research
  • Institute for Governmental Studies and Research
  • National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Bio-Surfaces Site
  • Neuropsychology Research Laboratory
  • Oral History Research Office
  • Religious News Association Archives
  • Robert Wang Center for International Business
  • Southern Music Archive
  • Transportation Studies Institute

Recognized Centers and Chairs of Excellence

The University of Memphis has been designated by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission as a location for centers and chairs of excellence. The units listed below receive special funding by the State in recognition of their status.

Centers of Excellence

  • Center for Applied Psychological Research
  • Center for Earthquake Research and Information
  • Center for Information Assurance
  • Center for Research Initiatives and Strategies for the Communicatively Impaired
  • Center for Research in Educational Policy
  • Center of Excellence in Egyptian Art and Archaeology

Chairs of Excellence

The University of Memphis and the Office of the Provost are pleased to have the following faculty in Chairs of Excellence:

College of Arts & Sciences

W. Harry Feinstone Chair in Molecular Biology

Dr. Tom Sutter

Jabie Sanford Hardin III Chair in Combinatorics

Dr. Bela Bollobas

Lillian and Morrie Moss Chair in Computer Science

Dr. Santosh Kumar

Lillian and Morrie Moss Chair in Philosophy

Dr. Shaun Gallagher

Lillian and Morrie Moss Chair in Psychology

Dr. J. Gayle Beck

Bornblum Chair of Excellence in Judaic Studies

Dr. Shaul Bar

 

School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Plough Chair in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology

Dr. D. Kimbrough Oller

 

Fogelman College of Business and Economics

William N. Morris Chair in International Economics

Dr. David Kemme

Robert Wang Chair in International Business

Dr. Ben Kedia

Sales and Marketing Executives Inc. Chair in Sales

Dr. Rajiv Grover

Thompson-Hill Chair in Accounting

Dr. Zabihollah “Zabi” Rezaee

Morris S. Fogelman Chair in Real Estate

Dr. Mark A. Sunderman

Wunderlich Chair in Finance

Dr. Thomas H. McInish

The University of Memphis Chair in Free Enterprise Management

Dr. Peter Wright

Federal Express Chair in Management Information Systems

Dr. William Kettinger 

 

College of Communication and Fine Arts

Dorothy Kayser Hohenberg Chair of Art History

Dr. Sherry Lindquist

Helen and Jabie Hardin Chair of Economics/Managerial Journalism

Dr. Otis Sanford

 

College of Education

Lillian and Morrie Moss Chair of Excellence in Urban Education

Dr. Beverly Cross

 

Herff College of Engineering

Herbert Herff Chair in Biomedical Engineering (II)

Dr. Gary Bowlin

 

Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

Herbert Herff Chair in Law

Dr. Andrew J. McClurg

 

Loewenberg College of Nursing

William A. and Ruth F. Loewenberg Chair in Nursing

Dr. Marcy Purnell
 

For the most up-to-date Chairs of Excellence list, please visit http://www.memphis.edu/aa/recognition/chairsexcellence/.

Academic Personnel Services

The Office of Academic Personnel Services conducts the University of Memphis’ program for student evaluation of instruction. The Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness (SETE) uses a comprehensive approach for collecting, analyzing, and reporting student reactions to certain aspects of classroom instruction. All teaching faculty are required to participate in the student evaluation program. SETE is not to be administered during the week of final exams. Faculty receive the completed forms and a computer generated summary at the beginning of the following semester. These documents, which are an important part of the dossier prepared for tenure and promotion, also provide useful information to individual faculty members for course development and/or improvement of instruction.

International Students Office in the Center for International Programs and Services

The Office of International Students advises international students regarding immigration, health, housing, social, personal, and financial concerns. Besides advising individual students, the office advises the International Students Council. The council represents six national student associations: the African Student Association, the Chinese Student Association, the Indian Student Association, the Korean Student Association, the Malaysian Student Association, and the Muslim Student Association. The office also organizes a four-day orientation for new students each semester as well as social and cultural events that encourage international students’ involvement in the campus community and help ease their transition into the American way of life. International Night, the biggest event of the year, provides an opportunity for the international students to share their traditional food and entertainment with the campus and the Memphis community.

Psychological Services Center

The Psychological Services Center, located on the first floor of the Psychology Building, offers both psychological evaluations and therapeutic services to children and adults. 

The University of Memphis Alumni Association

The University of Memphis Alumni Association engages alumni, former students and friends in three challenges: advocating the ideals of the University, advancing its welfare and fostering life-long relationships with the institution. Visit the University of Memphis Alumni Association website for additional information. 

Oak Ridge Associated Universities

Since 1971, students and faculty of the University of Memphis have benefited from the University’s membership in Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) is a consortium of 88 colleges and universities and a contractor for the United States Department of Energy (DOE) located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ORAU works with its member institutions to help their students and faculty gain access to federal research facilities throughout the country; to keep its members informed about opportunities for fellowship, scholarship, and research appointments; and to organize research alliances among its members.

Through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), the DOE facility that ORAU operates, undergraduates, graduates, postgraduates, as well as faculty enjoy access to a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Students can participate in programs covering a wide variety of disciplines including business, earth sciences, epidemiology, engineering, physics, pharmacology, ocean sciences, biomedical sciences, nuclear chemistry, and mathematics. Appointment and program length range from one month to four years. Many of these programs are especially designed to increase the numbers of underrepresented minority students pursuing degrees in science- and engineering-related disciplines.

A comprehensive listing of these programs and other opportunities, their disciplines, and details on locations and benefits can be found in the ORISE Catalog of Education and Training Programs, which is available at http://orise.orau.gov/default.aspx, or by calling either of the contacts below.

ORAU’s Office of Partnership Development seeks opportunities for partnerships and alliances among ORAU’s members, private industry, and major federal facilities. Activities include faculty development programs, such as the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards, the Visiting Industrial Scholars Program, consortium research funding initiatives, faculty research and support programs as well as services to chief research officers.

For more information about ORAU and its programs, contact Andrew Meyers, Vice Provost for Research, ORAU Councilor for the University of Memphis; Monnie E. Champion, ORAU Corporate Secretary, at 423.576.3306; or ORAU at http://www.orau.gov.

Extended Programs

The Office of Public Service serves as a prime contact for individuals and organizations outside the University. Through this office, access may be gained to University facilities and resources.

The Memphis Small Business Development Center is organized to provide business development services to new and existing small business firms throughout West Tennessee. These services add to the economic development efforts of the local communities by adding and retaining employment. Special attention is given to women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses.

The University of Memphis Lambuth Campus offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses and degree programs to students living in the Jackson area.

The Continuing Education Short Course Program serves as an important link to the Memphis community, providing comprehensive, non-credit programs ranging from professional development to personal enrichment. The program is designed to narrow the education gap left by the degree-awarding academic programs at the University of Memphis, thus complementing the University’s mission of service to the community. The program is strongly service-oriented, providing general interest instruction to learners of all ages, regardless of their educational background. The Short Course Continuing Education product is high quality, affordable, and requires no formal admission to the University.

The Keep Tennessee Beautiful program, established in 1983, serves as the state Keep America Beautiful agency and state resource center for litter prevention and proper solid waste management education. Keep Tennessee Beautiful is funded by Tennessee Department of Transportation.

The Graduate School

The University of Memphis is a Doctoral Extensive Research/High Activity university. The Graduate School is the center of advanced study and research within the University. The basic objectives of the Graduate School are:

  • To preserve and disseminate knowledge;
  • To extend knowledge through research; and
  • To prepare men and women to assume responsible and useful roles in a changing society.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded in audiology and speech-language pathology, biology, biomedical engineering, business administration, chemistry, communication, computer science, counseling psychology, earth sciences, educational psychology and research, engineering, english, history, mathematical sciences, music, philosophy, psychology, and social and behavioral sciences. The degrees of Doctor of Audiology, Doctor of Education, and Doctor of Musical Arts are awarded by the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the College of Education, and the College of Communication and Fine Arts, respectively. The College of Education also awards the degree of Education Specialist with a major in education. The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law awards the Juris Doctor degree.

Masters programs are offered in fifty-three major areas through seven colleges and four schools. The degrees include Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Architecture, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Business Administration, International Master of Business Administration, Master of City and Regional Planning, Master of Education, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Health Administration, Master of Music, Master of Professional Studies, Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Health, Master of Social Work, and Master of Science in Nursing.

Graduate Certificates offered are found at: https://www.memphis.edu/gradschool/programs/graduatecertificates.php.

Visit the Graduate School at http://www.memphis.edu/gradschool/

Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law offers a program of instruction leading to the degree of Juris Doctor.

Admission to the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law is on a selective basis. To be eligible for admission, a student must have received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and must have made a satisfactory score on the Law School Admission Test. Questions concerning additional admissions requirements should be addressed to the Assistant Dean for Admissions, Recruitment, and Scholarships at http://www.memphis.edu/law/ The regulations and policies of the School of Law are set out in greater detail in the Law School Catalog, a separate publication of the University of Memphis Catalog.

UofM Global 

UofM Global offers a large selection of fully online undergraduate and graduate degree programs. To learn more about degrees offered through UofM Global, view the following degree program options.

Undergraduate online degree programs:

Graduate online degree programs: