Historically Black Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee Knoxville are partnering to create a program that provides pathways for Motlow State Community College students to take classes leading to bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering.
Students participating in the 2+2+2 program will complete the applied associate degree at Motlow State Community College. They will then earn a bachelor’s degree in applied and industrial technology at Tennessee State University, and a research-based curriculum leading to a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Tennessee. Students will be able to complete all three degrees at Motlow State Community College.
Motlow State Community College, headquartered in Tullahoma, Tennessee, enrolls nearly 7,000 students, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 10 percent of the student body.
S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of Engineering at Tennessee State University, says with the growing need for industrial engineers to work in manufacturing and the automotive industry, the new agreement with Motlow State “allows practice-based technologists” to proceed with a four-year degree, and further validate their experience and credentials with an advanced degree.
“We are extremely excited about providing an opportunity for students to obtain multiple degrees from three institutions in Tennessee,” says Dr. Hargrove. “The academic pathway demonstrates a partnership of one of our outstanding community colleges, Nashville’s only public university, and the state’s flagship institution, to prepare and produce engineers for the production industry, logistics, manufacturing, and operations for Tennessee’s workforce.”
Dr. Hargrove earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Tennessee State University. He holds a master’s degree from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.
