About Pellissippi State Community College

Pellissippi State Community College is an accredited public two-year college located in Knoxville, Tennessee. We offer students a college experience that will prepare you to transfer to a four-year institution, obtain gainful employment, advance in your career, or simply enhance your enjoyment of life.

Pellissippi State is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) system, which consists of 45 institutions that have a combined annual enrollment of over 190,000 students, making it the nation's sixth largest system of public higher education. TBR's six state universities, 13 community colleges, and 26 technology centers offer classes in 90 of Tennessee's 95 counties.

Student success is important at Pellissippi State. All faculty and staff members are committed to helping students achieve their academic and professional goals. In addition to student advising and counseling, the College offers free test preparation classes and tutoring in core subjects for students. The teaching faculty is well-qualified, enjoys teaching, and cares about their students' success in the classroom. Pellissippi State is proud of its small average class size (21 students per class) and low student-to-faculty ratio.

Pellissippi State has four convenient campuses in and near Knoxville, Tennessee. Knoxville is a small, progressive city offering many cultural opportunities and is close to the world-famous Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Academic Programs

Pellissippi State Community College offers the Associate of Arts (AA) and the Associate of Science (AS) degrees, both of which allow students to transfer to four-year colleges and universities to complete their Bachelors degree. Students typically complete two years at Pellissippi State and then transfer to complete their final two years at the four-year school of their choice. Within this College Transfer track, we offer students the opportunity to select a major from over 60 different areas of study.

We also offer several degrees that are designed to prepare students to begin their career after only two years of college-level study. These Career-Preparation degrees include the Associate of Science in Teaching (AST), the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN), and the Associate of Applied Science (AAS). In total, we offer 26 areas of study in fields ranging from Civil Engineering Technology and Computer Science to Media Technology and Paralegal Studies. Our newest areas of study include Culinary Arts, Nursing, and Industrial Maintenance.

A full list of programs and majors is available upon request.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs

For students who have basic English proficiency, but whose skills are not yet at the level required for university-level work, Pellissippi State provides English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Please note that the ESL program at Pellissippi State is not an intensive-English program. All students seeking admission to Pellissippi State must provide acceptable TOEFL scores and be enrolled in a degree-program.

Students who enroll in the ESL classes study English reading, writing, pronunciation, speaking and listening in a small, supportive group. Students are able to move on to university-level courses once the four ESL core courses are successfully completed.

English language instruction in the ESL program is focused on the main skills students need for academic success. In the reading courses, students work on the acquisition of vocabulary and on the many techniques for accurate comprehension of written material. In the writing courses, students deepen their knowledge of English grammar patterns and apply this grammar knowledge to writing. Each composition or essay assignment focuses on the grammar that is being reviewed at the same time. Students learn how to edit and correct their own work, revising each assignment several times. In the speaking and listening course, students review all of the sound units of English, learn hundreds of idiomatic usages, and practice speaking both formally and informally. Popular songs are used to teach listening comprehension and to focus discussion on American culture.

Transfer Opportunities

Pellissippi State has transfer agreements with a number of institutions. The Admissions Office and Student Student Assistance Center have copies of the agreements available for your guidance in planning. It is the student's responsibility to contact the receiving college/university for final approval of credits. The top five transfer schools are:

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• East Tennessee State University
• Tennessee Technological University
• Middle Tennessee State University
• Roane State Community College

International Student Services

The International Student Coordinator provides a wide range of services to international and international background students, including the following:

• Advice on admission as an international student and on immigration procedures
• Orientation to the college and the region
• Guidance about opportunities for campus involvement, such as the International Club
• Assistance with maintaining a satisfactory quality of life
• Since Pellissippi State does not provide on campus housing, the International Student Coordinator provides assistance with securing housing and transportation as needed.

Admission

International students are required to meet applications deadlines:

Fall Semester - July 1
Spring Semester - November 1

The following TOEFL scores are required for admission:

IELTS - 4.0
Paper-Based TOEFL - 450
Computer-Based TOEFL - 133
Internet-Based TOEFL - 45

Full details on the application and admission process are available upon request.
For more information
Pellissippi State Community College