South College

Since South College was founded in 1882, we have focused on serving students who want a hands-on, relevant education that can have a meaningful impact on their lives.

More than a century ago, fulfilling that mission meant supplying on-campus offices so students could conduct business in the mercantile and banking industries while getting an education.

Today, it means offering accelerated, hybrid, transfer, and distance learning programs. It means small class sizes, state-of-the-art labs, and campuses that are convenient to large numbers of students. Most of all, it means experienced faculty members who provide real world examples and lead thought-provoking discussions.

New academic programs are added frequently in response to local, regional, and national employment trends, and South College is committed to providing programs at all levels with innovative course content and teaching platforms. 

Spanning a wide range of fields, our academic programs feature career-focused curricula designed to teach students to apply knowledge, think critically, and communicate effectively—skills that will help them excel in the workplace. 

Our faculty members bring a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise and expose students to diverse perspectives and approaches. This leads not only to excellent teaching but also to valuable scholarship. South College is happy to support the academic contributions of our faculty and students, including the presentation and publication of original research.  

Our History

South College has roots dating back to 1882, when Jacob T. Johnson founded a branch of Nashville Business College in Knoxville, Tennessee. Later renamed Knoxville Business College, the school occupied several historic downtown buildings as it grew and evolved, including the Cherokee Building and the Keyhole Building.   

By 2001, Knoxville Business College had long since grown beyond offering just business classes, and the name was officially changed to South College. In the years since, South College has expanded to a second campus in Knoxville, as well as campuses in Nashville, Tennessee; Asheville, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Orlando, Florida.

Throughout our history, South College has endeavored to meet the needs of our career-driven student body. Under the current administration, the college has expanded to include new campuses, added more degree programs at all levels, and revolutionized curricula and learning technologies. 

We are better than we’ve ever been at providing the quality and flexibility our students want, but we will never stop looking for ways to improve our students’ experiences. 

In any era, it is the values of excellence, responsibility, and integrity that guide the strategic planning and decision-making of the South College leadership. Our top priority is and always will be providing our students with the excellent education they need to achieve their career goals. 

Mission And Purpose

South College is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian academic institution that embraces the traditional higher education mission triad of teaching, scholarly contribution, and service.

Consistent with its long history, the institution places primary emphasis on providing quality undergraduate and graduate educational opportunities and associated student support services for the intellectual, social, and professional development of a diverse student body.

South College offers professional and career-focused curricula designed to cultivate students’ successful learning and the ability to apply knowledge, think critically, and communicate effectively. Through comprehensive academic programs, innovative and contemporary in content and mode of delivery.

Students are exposed to diverse perspectives and skills essential to independent and lifelong learning. Because academic programs are professional and career focused, South College responds to local, regional, and national employment needs and supports current workforce trends.

In addition to providing quality educational opportunities, South College promotes the advancement of knowledge by supporting and recognizing the scholarly activities of its faculty and students and the use of scholarship in education and service.

The South College faculty seeks to advance knowledge by conducting research and publishing research results as appropriate, creating artistic and literary works, presenting at professional and scientific meetings, and participating in professional development activities, as consistent with the role of each faculty member.

As an institution of higher education, South College recognizes its responsibility to society and supports both institutional and individual commitments to service. Therefore, South College encourages its administration, faculty, and staff to invest their knowledge, experience, and expertise in community, professional, and institutional service.

The definition and achievement of this mission guide South College in strategic planning and decision making at all levels of the institution. The core values of excellence, responsibility, and integrity serve as the foundation for assessing the quality of institutional, school/departmental, and individual performance in achieving this mission.