College Tour: Carson-Newman University

The third stop on our tour (following Covenant and Bryan colleges) was Carson-Newman University. Here’s some of what we learned during our visit.  

 

The Basics 

Carson-Newman is a private, Christian, liberal arts university located in Jefferson City, Tennessee. It is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention and has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. There are about 1,500 undergraduate students that attend Carson-Newman University.  

 

The Christian Aspect 

Carson-Newman seems very firm in their Christian faith. They hold chapel every week on Tuesday mornings in a local church. They also have a Community Life and Worship Program. Students must attend 10 CLW events per semester. Five of the CLW credits must come from chapel, with the other five coming from various CLW events. Credits are also carried from the first semester of the school year to the second, except for the required chapel.  

 

Academics 

Carson-Newman has 19 different academic departments, each with a variety of majors. They also offer 12 graduate programs. For their core curriculum, Carson-Newman has seven academic areas with about 1-4 courses required in each. The areas of study include Introduction to Liberal Arts, Studies in Biblical Traditions, Studies in Communication, Studies in Mathematics and Science, Studies in Personal/Social Awareness, Studies to Enhance a World Perspective, and Language. They also offer an honors program. The honors students have the option to take honors-only courses in place of some of the general education requirements. Students who meet the requirements for the honors program participate in an honors weekend where they compete for a full-tuition scholarship. Carson-Newman also offers various study abroad programs.  

Burnett Hall, a women’s residence hall at CNU

Student Life 

Carson-Newman offers 10 men’s and 11 women’s sports at the NCAA II level, as well as various intramurals. They have two athletic gyms, a pool, and a gym for non-athletes. With its location, Carson-Newman offers many opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, and fishing. They have men’s and women’s residence halls, as well as apartments for upperclassmen. There are also honors-only dorms for students in the honors program. Freshmen are required to have the unlimited meal plan, which also includes 100 Eagle Bucks that can be used at other on-campus dining, such as Chick-Fil-A. Carson-Newman offers many student clubs, which can be academic or interest-based. One thing that stood out to me is that CN has a “closet” where students can go for business clothes. They are usually new outfits that have been donated, and students can pick something out and keep it for free.  

 

Scholarships and Admissions 

Carson-Newman offers merit, community service, need-based, and honors scholarships. Merit scholarships are based only on ACT/SAT/CLT scores (optional) and GPA. The honors scholarships are based on meeting the requirements, as well as participation in the honors weekend. Tuition is $33,000, and with the cost of room and board, it is about $42,340.  

 

I loved my experience while visiting Carson-Newman University. It was a pretty campus, and the school seemed both academic and Christ-centered.