A Guide to Online Computer Science Degrees in Tennessee

U of M is a public research university headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded in 1912. The school is comprised of thirteen colleges and schools, including Arts and Sciences, Business and Economics, Communication and Fine Arts, Education, Engineering Nursing, Law, Music, and more. It also is home to several centers for advanced research in technology, earthquakes, intelligent systems, distributed learning, and business and economic research. U of M offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees, in addition to graduate certificates. Over 21,000 students attend the school, which offers a very low 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Washington Monthly has ranked the school 40th in the country.

U of M’s online division, U of M Global, offers 60 separate degree programs in Business, Education, Engineering, Health Professions, Computer Science, and more.. All of its programs are entirely online. It has several computer science programs, including a Bachelor’s in Business Information and Technology, Master’s of Science in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership – Instructional Design and Technology, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership – School Library Information Specialist, and a Doctorate of Education in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership – Instructional Design and Technology. The Bachelor’s program covers business and computer science. The Master’s programs will prepare you for a career in computer science and education or library science, and the doctorate is intended for scholars and researchers to work in academic environments. There are also several graduate certificates that U of M offers in Computer Science as well, some of which mirror parts of other programs. U of M Global helps you with an advisor as soon as you choose a degree program you’re interested in.

Austin Peay State University is a public university based in Clarksville, Tennessee, that was founded in 1927 and named after Austin Peay, the Governor of Tennessee at the time. It serves over 10,000 students, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 18 to 1. APSU increased its enrollment every year from 2001 to 2010, a rare feat, and in 2012, it was identified by USA Today as the fastest growing university in Tennessee. APSU’s history extends back to the mid-1800’s, through a series of universities that eventually became APSU sprang out of the Masonic tradition. From there, it became a junior college, and starting in 1951 began offering Bachelor degrees, followed by Graduate degrees in 1952. APSU now offers degrees in Colleges of Arts and Letters, Behavioral and Health Sciences, Business, Education, Science and Mathematics, Technology and Public Management.

APSU offers an Associate of Applied Science Management Technology with a concentration in Management Technology to begin its undergraduate Computer Science offerings. It also offers a Bachelor of Science online in three different concentrations within the field of Computer Information Systems. The concentrations are Systems Development, Internet and Web Technology, and Database Administration. There are also three minors that are available in online formats, which are in Web Technology, Mobile Software Technology and Information Assurance and Security. These different areas of concentration allow students to tailor their curriculum to their strengths and preferences. Finally, the school rounds out its Computer Science degrees with a Professional Science Masters in Computer Science and Quantitative Methods, boasting concentrations in Data Management and Analysis, and Predictive Analytics.

UT is a public university and flagship of the University of Tennessee system, which encompasses nine undergraduate and eleven graduate colleges. It was founded in 1794, predating the state of Tennessee itself. In 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked UT 103rd among all national universities and 46th among public institutions of higher learning. These are just two of the myriad accolades UT has received from institutions like USNR, Princeton Review, Forbes, and many others. UT serves over 28,000 students and has a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio. It is known in part for its incredible research opportunities for students and faculty.

UT offers an online Master’s of Science degree in Information Sciences. It requires 36 credits. Required courses include Information Environment, Information Representation and Organization, and Information Access and Retrieval. This program was designed with a synchronous, remote delivery format which includes live, interactive audio. Students can view lectures, ask questions, talk to their classmates and view presentations from the comfort of their homes. Students are admitted to this program twice a year, in the fall and in the spring. It comes in thesis or non-thesis formats as well. There is a required one-day orientation at the Knoxville campus for this program.

King University is a private university, established in 1867 and located in Bristol, Tennessee. Over 2,800 students attend King, which has a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The university is broken down into seven different schools: College of Arts and Sciences; School of Behavioral and Health Sciences; School of Business and Economics; Peeke School of Christian Mission; School of Communication, Information, and Design; School of Education; and School of Nursing. Their schools combine to offer over 80 different majors for Bachelor degree programs, many of which can be completed in accelerated and/or online formats. Students are permitted to transfer up to 76 credits from other institutions towards their Bachelor’s degree, and students who have completed fewer than 60 semester hours of coursework can enroll in their Pathway Program. The Pathway Program is designed to quickly prepare students to enter a King University professional study degree program, which can help working professionals increase their credentials in their field.

King offers Bachelor’s degrees in Information Technology and Health Informatics online. They can be completed in as little as 16 months, cost $305 per credit hour and require 48 credit hours. The IT Bachelor’s degree comes in three tracks: Cybersecurity, Network Management, and Information Systems. It’s aimed at students looking to earn management or administrative and strategic career positions, or who want to research or earn higher degrees in IT. The Health Informatics program teaches students how to analyze, create, implement and evaluate information and communication systems in healthcare, improve patient care, and much more. It includes courses in Healthcare Administration, Information Technology, and Health Informatics.

Bethel is a private, Christian university headquartered in McKenzie, Tennessee, with satellite campuses in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Jackson, Paris, and Clarksville. It was founded in 1847. Nearly 6,000 students attend Bethel, which has a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The school is divided into three colleges in Arts & Sciences, Professional Studies, and Health Sciences. It conveys Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Qualified students can enter Bethel’s Honors program, earning themselves $10,000 scholarship per academic year they attend Bethel.

Bethel offers a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems online. Students need 60 credits to begin this program, and if you don’t, you may be able to earn them through an Associate’s program at Bethel. Courses for this program start every 6 weeks. 57 credits are required, and students can finish in as little as 21-26 months. Sample courses include Information Systems Security, Business Database Management, Corporate Finance, Information Systems Analysis and Design, a Business Capstone and much more. As part of Bethel’s Christian foundation, students will also take two courses in Community, Self and Formation: Ancient and Contemporary Narratives and Examining Crucial Questions as well.