South College

For the Durham University college, see South College, Durham. Not to be confused with South University.

South College
Former names
Knoxville Business College
TypePrivate for-profit university
Established1882
ChancellorStephen A. South
Students20,000
Location
Knoxville
,
Tennessee
,
United States

coordinates 35°57′29.6526″N 83°58′32.8542″W / 35.958236833°N 83.975792833°W / 35.958236833; -83.975792833
Websitewww.south.edu

South College is a private for-profit institution with its main campus in Knoxville, Tennessee. The college offers approximately 100 programs, from certificate programs to degree programs at the associate, bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, and doctoral levels.

It was founded as Knoxville Business College in 1882, acquired by Stephen A. South in 1989, and renamed South College in 2001.

History

Knoxville Business College was founded in 1882. It was acquired by Stephen A. South in 1989, obtained accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges in 2000, and changed its name to South College in 2001.[1] In 2003, students at South College became eligible for the Tennessee Hope Scholarship.[2] It began construction of its main Knoxville campus in February 2005.[3]

Originally a branch of Nashville Business College, Knoxville Business College was founded in 1882 by Jacob T. Johnson in the downtown business district of Knoxville.[4] It was acquired by Stephen A. South in 1989, obtained accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges in 2000 and changed its name to South College in 2001.[5] The college began its first master's level program, the Master of Health Science in Physician Assistant Studies, in 2007.[6] The college's student population reached approximately 1,000 students in 2009.[7]

In 2003, students at South College became eligible to participate in the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship.[8] In 2007, the college began its first master's level program, the Master of Health Science in Physician Assistant Studies program.[9]

South College's Doctor of Pharmacy program, its first doctoral degree program, launched in 2012.[10]

In 2015, the college launched a hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy program.[11] The same year, students became eligible to participate in the Tennessee Promise scholarship program and the associated South College Opportunity Grant was established.[12][13]

In 2016, the merger for the South College Asheville campus was completed, and in 2017 the South College Nashville campus was established. The school launched its South College Promise and Military grants in 2017.[14][15] In 2018, the Online Operations Center in Pittsburgh and the Atlanta campus were both established.[16] When Fountainhead College of Technology closed mid-semester in November 2018, South College allowed its students to finish their programs at its campuses in Knoxville. The school also hired four Fountainhead faculty members needed to teach the courses.[17]

The Indianapolis campus opened in 2021.[18] In 2022, South College opened a new campus in Pittsburgh.[16] The same year, it began self-paced Competency-Based Education programs, offering master's or doctoral degrees in business, education, and religious ministry.[19] South College Asheville announced 100 percent of its nursing students passed their licensure exam for the prior two years in 2024.[20] The school started a competency based Doctor of Nursing Practice program in 2025.[19] The Dallas, Texas campus opened October 2025.[21]

In 2025, enrollment at South College reached 20,000 students.[22]

Campuses

Academics

South College offers certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, and doctoral degree programs.[19][24] It had more than 100 programs as of 2025, including in health care, business administration, criminal justice, and education, among others. Programs may be online, in-person, or a hybrid.[24] The school employed 1,303 faculty members in fall 2023, of whom 384 were full-time. The student-faculty ratio was 23 to 1 that year.[25] Campus locations are small, with class sizes ranging from 20-50 students.[26]

South College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. South College can award degrees at the doctoral, master's, baccalaureate, and associate levels.[25]

Student body

South College Knoxville had a fall 2023 enrollment of 8,234 total students, 6,406 of whom were undergraduates. Approximately 89 percent of undergraduates identified as female and approximately 78 percent of students were full-time.[25]

As of December 2025, South College had over 20,000 enrolled students and over 3,000 employees across campuses.[27]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ "Why South College is the Right Place for You". South College. 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  2. ^ "Tennessee Education Lottery Program – Eligible Institutions". Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  3. ^ "South College Breaks New Ground for Campus". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. 9 March 2025. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  4. ^ McHugh, Mel (2009). "History of South College Library". Tennessee Library Association. Retrieved December 27, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Why South College is the Right Place for You". South College. 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  6. ^ "South College Physician Assistant Program". Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  7. ^ Bennett, Robert (21 December 2009). "South College honors President for 20 years of leadership". Knoxville Enlightener. Retrieved 5 November 2025 – via LexisNexis.
  8. ^ "Tennessee Education Lottery Program – Eligible Institutions". Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  9. ^ "South College Physician Assistant Program". Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  10. ^ "South College (TN) School of Pharmacy". Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  11. ^ "Doctor of Physical Therapy". Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  12. ^ "Tennessee Promise Institutions" (PDF). March 22, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  13. ^ "Financial Aid". Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  14. ^ "The South College Promise Grant". Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  15. ^ "Military Grant". Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Knoxville Biz Ticker: South College opens new campus in Pittsburgh". Knoxville News Sentinel. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  17. ^ Kast, Monica (8 November 2018). "South College to help Fountainhead Students". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. Retrieved 4 November 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "South College Opens Indy Campus". INside Indiana Business. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  19. ^ a b c Velasquez, Aaron (13 March 2025). "South College's flexible college program enrolls over 1,000". WBIR. Retrieved 3 November 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  20. ^ Smith, Madison (10 April 2024). "South College achieves 100% pass rate in nursing, hoping to ease healthcare shortage". WLOS. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  21. ^ Ruhman, Abigail (30 October 2025). "South College opens first Texas location in Dallas to address health care workforce shortages". KERA NPR. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  22. ^ "South College surpasses 20,000 students amidst unprecedented growth". South College. 2025-12-01. Retrieved 2025-12-27.
  23. ^ "Locations". South College. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Academics". South College. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  25. ^ a b c "South College". College Navigator. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  26. ^ Brewer, Bill (7 February 2010). "South College Expanding West". The Knoxville News Sentinel.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  27. ^ "South College enrolls 20,000 students as rapid expansion continues". Butler Eagler. 2 December 2025. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  28. ^ "Vote Smart - Facts For All".
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