Rhodes College

What is the history of Rhodes College?

Rhodes College is a private liberal arts college founded in 1848 in Clarksville, Tennessee. It began as the Masonic University of Tennessee, later became Stewart College and then Southwestern Presbyterian University. The institution moved to Memphis in 1925 and adopted the name Rhodes College in 1984, honoring former president Peyton Nalle Rhodes.

Those changes help explain its present identity: Rhodes retains a historical Presbyterian connection, while its academic program centers on undergraduate liberal arts education. Its move to Memphis also placed students near the civic, cultural and professional organizations that now figure in internships and community-based learning.

What are the faculties and departments at Rhodes College?

Rhodes organizes its academic work through departments and interdisciplinary programs rather than a large collection of separate professional schools. Students can pursue bachelor's degrees across the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and arts, with select graduate study also available.

Representative fields include biology, chemistry, computer science, English, history, international studies, mathematics, music, neuroscience, political science, psychology and business. Interdisciplinary options let students connect work across departments. Rhodes' liberal arts curriculum also requires study beyond a single major, so applicants should consider both the requirements in their intended field and the broader degree requirements.

The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 9 to 1. That describes the institution's overall staffing relationship, not the size of every course or a promise of individual access to a particular professor.

What is the location of Rhodes College?

Rhodes College is in Memphis, Tennessee, on a residential campus near Overton Park. Students have access to a major city while studying at a relatively small college; local organizations may be relevant to internships, service and research.

Memphis International Airport is the principal airport for students traveling by air. Students considering off-campus work or housing should examine travel times and transportation arrangements for their particular schedule rather than assuming that every destination is close to campus. First-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus, subject to college parking rules.

What is the mission and vision of Rhodes College?

Rhodes describes its educational purpose in terms of sustained learning, concern for others and applying academic study through leadership and action. Its stated approach joins liberal arts coursework with opportunities to engage with communities beyond the classroom.

The college has historical ties to the Presbyterian tradition. That affiliation is part of its institutional history and stated values, but prospective students should use current academic and campus policies - not the affiliation alone - to understand what participation in religious activities, if any, means for them.