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Johnson University

Knoxville, Tennessee

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Johnson University in Knoxville, Tennessee

Johnson University is a place where students build deep relationships, study important subjects, and grow into young adults who are ready for lives of leadership and service. Many faculty live on campus, attending sports events, eating meals in the cafeteria, and inviting students into their homes. The JU campus is on more than 400 acres of rolling Tennessee hills and right on the banks of the French Broad River, but it’s just a 20-minute drive from the fun of downtown Knoxville.

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The unique curriculum includes a built-in double major: every student majors in Bible and Theology and then chooses a second major from more than 30 options, including communication, visual media, elementary education, psychology, life sciences, mathematics, intercultural commerce, missions, ministry, history, and more. The University is connected to the independent Christian Churches but welcomes students from every denomination and religious background. Spiritual life activities include weekly chapel services and small groups, and students enjoy a variety of activities including student government, social justice and advocacy, intramurals (the Ultimate Frisbee team often wins tournaments!), and choral and theatre performances. Athletes compete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference and NAIA.

Get to know Johnson University

Enrolled female students
51%
 
Enrolled male students
49%
 
Gender Ratio
Full-time faculty
25%
 
Adjuncts
75%
 
Faculty Ratio
$16,400
Full-time tuition cost
Aug. 1
Application deadline
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Acceptance rate
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Out-of-state students

Benefits

Student Activities

Student Activities

  • Campus Ministries
  • Choral groups
  • Drama/theatre
  • International Student Organization
  • Literary magazine
  • Music ensembles
  • Musical theatre
  • Student government
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High-Impact Practices

High-Impact Practices

  • First-Year Seminars and Experiences
  • Collaborative Assignments and Projects
  • Undergraduate Research
  • Diversity/Global Learning
  • Service-Learning, Community-Based Learning
  • Internships/Coops/Practicums
  • Capstone Courses and Projects/Senior Experience
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Campus Resources

Campus Resources

  • Career Services
  • Academic Advisors
  • Library Services
  • Faculty Mentors
  • Disability Services
  • Multicultural Engagement Center
  • Health Services
  • Academic Tutors
  • Financial Aid Advisors
  • Peer Mentors
  • Counseling
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College Highlights

Engaged Students
Great Teaching
Vibrant Communities
Successful Outcomes
Admission & Aid
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Engaged Students

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP
Students have opportunities to participate in original research and to work with professors. In the last year alone, students have received grants and scholarships to conduct original history research; completed certifications that expand career opportunities and professional training; presented papers at the South Atlantic Modern Languages Association Conference; and conducted original graduate research in intercultural studies and leadership.

CORE CURRICULUM
Every student completes a Bible and Theology major, a set of core classes that explore the Bible, biblical interpretation, and theological studies.

Many classes include readings from diverse experiences and global perspectives. In addition, the University offers many courses that focus on increasing understanding and awareness of these issues, including Race and Ethnicity in the American Experience; Race, Culture, and the Church; Introduction to Diversity in Education; African American Literature; Immigrant Literature; Race and Religion in American History; Literature and Theology of Race; Intercultural Communication; Understanding Diversity in Human Services; History and Cultures of Latin America. 

BROAD WORLDVIEW
Johnson requires every student to experience the growth that comes from meaningful interaction with people of other cultures and backgrounds. Some required courses include experiences that take students outside their cultural “comfort zones.” Likewise, service-learning programs, short-term mission trips, study abroad, and other events provide opportunities for learning and service in cross-cultural or multicultural settings.

ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 3%
Hispanic/Latinx: 2%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 4%
White, non-Hispanic: 84%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 0%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 3%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 3%

Great Teaching

FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE
Every student at Johnson University takes classes in English composition, and many classes include collaborative assignments such as group presentations. 

Every undergraduate student begins their time at Johnson with a Cornerstone seminar class. This experience introduces students to Johnson and is team-taught by a faculty member and a staff member. The class consists of two parts; first, the course cultivates academic skills and habits necessary for success in a Christian university; second, small class sizes help students, faculty, and staff build relationships and promote spiritual formation.

SPECIAL STUDY OPTIONS
Programs available at this institution.
Distance learning
Double major
Dual enrollment
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Honors Program
Independent study
Internships
Study abroad
Teacher certification program

Vibrant Communities

“I have only been here for a week, and I am overwhelmed at how much I feel like I belong. I definitely got put here for a reason. God has big plans for me.” – Anonymous response on first-year student survey, fall 2022

SERVICE WITH MEANING
Every student completes 15 hours of service-learning every semester, graduating with at least 120 total service hours. The Service and Learning Together (SALT) program enables students to apply classroom learning to real-life situations by providing service in the church and in the community. While the recipients benefit from the services of students, students also benefit from identifying their gifts and strengths, learning to work with others, developing skills in critical thinking and problem solving, confirming their career decisions, and gaining a lifelong commitment to community involvement and civic engagement.

SCHOOL LOCATION
Johnson sits on 440 acres of rolling hills on the banks of the French Broad River in Knoxville, Tennessee. While students enjoy the rural beauty of campus, they also love the University’s proximity to downtown Knoxville just 12 miles away. Students also regularly spend time in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with great hikes available just an hour or so from campus.

ATHLETICS
Johnson is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Appalachian Athletic Conference. The University offers men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, women’s softball, men’s baseball, and women’s lacrosse. The University plans to add track and field and cross country in the next two years. 

The mascot for the Johnson Royals is a royal lion! More information on sports, coaches, and the latest news is available at JohnsonRoyals.com.

RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 83%
Undergraduates: 72%

Campus housing options.
Men’s dorms
Women’s dorms
Apartments for married students
Apartments for single students
Special housing for international students
Wellness housing

Successful Outcomes

INTERNSHIPS
Many of Johnson’s programs require internships, and most of Johnson’s students participate in an internship of some kind either during the academic year or in the summer. Many students complete these internships for academic credit.

CAPSTONE
The Senior Capstone is an interdisciplinary course designed to culminate four years of undergraduate study, integrating the Bible & Theology major, Arts & Sciences core, and professional study areas of the curriculum. The Capstone seminar focuses on the Christian worldview, especially the discipline of ethics. It makes significant connections between course content, skills learned, and application to life and ministry, altogether serving as a bridge to life-long education.

Admission & Aid

Admission

ADMISSIONS FACTORS
Very Important
Academic GPA | Application Essay
Character/personal qualities | Religious affiliation/commitment 

Important
Rigor of secondary school record | Standardized test scores
Recommendation(s) | Level of applicant’s interest 

Considered
Class rank | Extracurricular activities | Talent/ability
Alumni/ae relation | Volunteer work 

TEST SCORES
Required

FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 490 | 75th Percentile: 615
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 388 | 75th Percentile: 455
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 18 | 75th Percentile: 24
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 16 | 75th Percentile: 24
ACT English
25th Percentile: 18 | 75th Percentile: 26

Tuition & Cost

Tuition: $16,400
Fees: $1,890
Room: $3,480
Board: $3,830

Aid

Almost every student at Johnson University receives some institutional aid. The University offers merit-based scholarships, scholarships for many of the degree programs, scholarships based on service, first-generation scholarships, and many others. The University’s tuition and room and board are comparable with the same expenses at University of Tennessee, and half the national average for private colleges and universities across the country. Tennessee residents also benefit from state-wide programs that reduce the cost of an education for qualifying students.

What Others are Saying

“I was a transfer student, and I did not know I could love college so much until coming to Johnson. I did not expect to be so loved and poured into as I was when I came on campus. People listen to you. Johnson is home.”
— Kaitlyn Holley, current student

Contact Johnson University

Contact Admissions

johnsonu.edu/admission
(865) 251-2309
admissions@johnsonu.edu

Main Campus Location

7900 Johnson Dr
Knoxville, TN 37998

(865) 573-4517
johnsonu@johnsonu.edu

Visit Johnson University Online

johnsonu.edu

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