Middle Tennessee State Normal School (MTSNS or MTNS) opened on September 11, 1911, with a two-year program for training teachers.

This new status marked a sharp departure from the founding purpose and opened the way for expanding curricular offerings and programs.

As Middle Tennessee State University developed and grew, the Doctor of Arts program was added in 1970 and the Specialist in Education in 1974.

Library resources were dramatically increased and sophisticated computer services were developed to aid instruction and administration.

He received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his pioneering role in the development of the field of public choice, a way of studying the behavior of politicians and bureaucrats.

[15] MTSU is organized into seven colleges: Middle Tennessee State University employs about 1200 faculty members, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1.

The Rolling Stone College Guide recognized MTSU as having "one of the preeminent music business programs in the country.

[20] The Department of Aerospace has a working agreement with the single-runway Murfreesboro Municipal Airport to provide classes on-site.

These simulators allow students to experience lifelike air traffic control scenarios that will aid in preparing them for training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.

[24] The campus, set on 466 acres (1.9 km2), features 234 permanent buildings with 3.1 million square feet (290,000 m2) of space.

It has been announced that the Womack Lane Apartments will be demolished in 2025 to accommodate the construction of newer living facilities on the same site.

Announced in 2024, the oldest building on campus, Kirksey Old Main (KOM) along with Rutledge Hall are to be renovated with a $53.4 million project slated to be completed in 2026.

Sidelines is the campus's editorially independent, student-run news source, with daily content online and special print editions three times per semester.

[37] Scientia et Humanitas is a peer-reviewed journal sponsored by the University Honors College which allows undergraduate and graduate students a professional publishing experience, and shares academic research on campus.

[42] Middle Tennessee's athletic teams, known as the Blue Raiders, compete in Conference USA of the NCAA's Division I in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The most prominent athletic facilities on the campus are Johnny "Red" Floyd football stadium, Murphy Center basketball arena, Reese Smith Jr. baseball field, and Alumni Memorial Gym volleyball court.

The Blue Raider Baseball team has sixteen conference titles and fourteen NCAA tournament appearances.

Buchanan received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his pioneering role in the development of the field of public choice, a way of studying politician's and bureaucrat's behaviors.