MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University will reorganize several academic programs within the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, creating three new departments and moving two programs into other academic colleges.

Approved by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission in 2025, the changes that will take effect July 1 are designed to strengthen academic focus, improve visibility and support future growth.

“We’re always thinking about ways to best promote degree programs, research, and all the good work our students, faculty, and staff do at MTSU,” said Provost Mark Byrnes. “The changes in CBHS will foster the continued development of our programs and facilitate even greater collaboration among them.”

Changes will convert the current Department of Health and Human Performance and the Department of Human Sciences into the Department of Kinesiology and Sports Medicine, the Department of Health Sciences and the Department of Sport and Hospitality Management. All three will remain within the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, or CBHS.

Distinct missions, growth trajectories

“Many of these programs were constrained where they were. As the job market demands more discipline-specific focus, they need the autonomy to grow individually and hire specialized faculty,” said Lee Wade, associate dean in Behavioral and Health Sciences.

The Department of Kinesiology and Sports Medicine will include undergraduate degrees in exercise science and physical education, master’s degrees for athletic training and exercise physiology, and a doctoral pathway for human performance.

“These programs have distinct missions and growth trajectories,” said CBHS Dean Peter Grandjean. “Bringing them together allows us to better support students and faculty while responding to workforce needs.”

The Department of Health Sciences will house undergraduate programs in nutrition and food science and speech-language pathology and audiology, with public health offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

“Health Sciences brings together programs focused on prevention, treatment and community well-being,” Grandjean said. “We see strong potential for collaboration and future expansion in this area.”

The Department of Sport and Hospitality Management reflects the expanding scope of sport, tourism and hospitality industries. This newly reorganized department will include undergraduate degrees in tourism and hospitality management and leisure and sport management, and a master’s degree in leisure, sport and tourism management.

The Textiles, Merchandising and Design program has been renamed Fashion Studies, and will remain in CBHS but not be housed in a department.

Several undergraduate programs from the dissolved Department of Human Sciences will move outside the college.

Human Development and Family Science will transition to the College of Education, while the interior architectureprogramwill move to the School of Concrete and Construction Management in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

Other areas of CBHS will remain unchanged, and Grandjean said students should see little disruption during the transition.

Reorganizing for future

Amy Aldridge, vice provost for Academic Programs, and Brian Hinote, vice provost for Faculty Affairs and Strategic Initiatives, worked with the faculty, staff and administration to discuss potential changes and put forward a plan.

“I’m very excited for our colleagues in the affected disciplines. They’ve given a lot of thought to the future of their units and major offerings and how to most effectively serve students and the greater community,” said Aldridge. “Some of them are reorganizing in ways that are not easy but ultimately will be the best decision for the future of the university.”

The reorganization, Grandjean said, supports the college’s broader mission to learn, lead, and serve across disciplines to improve the health, safety and well-being in our communities.

“This structure positions us to do that even better,” he said.

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)