Cumberland University

Hello, and welcome to Cumberland University!  We hope this overview will help you discover if our university is the right fit for you as we show you what college life looks like at CU.

Academics 

One of the most important aspects of college is earning your degree. At CU, our curriculum blends traditional liberal arts values with modern practical approaches. We provide our students with a well-round background in a variety of subjects ranging from the humanities to the sciences.  Click here for a full list of our Undergraduate Programs.

We’re accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. We offer over 70 programs of study through three distinct schools where our core liberal arts curriculum is incorporated into all our programs of study.  These include:

• School of Humanities, Education & the Arts
• Labry School of Science, Technology, & Business
• Rudy School of Nursing & Health Professions

Within all three schools we have faculty who truly care about you. They’re passionate about learning and they work every day to invest in your unique strengths and character. Our faculty are available to talk through your challenges and mentor you one-on-one.  

You won’t find yourself in a lecture hall surrounded by hundreds of other students at CU. Instead, class sizes are kept small. CU’s student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1, which means you will have more opportunities to participate in class and our average class size is 20 students. Which makes hands-on activities more manageable and will provide a deeper learning experience.

All teaching is done by our professors. At large universities, classes may not be taught by an actual professor and often teaching assistants will lead course discussions or even manage some of the professor’s grading. At CU, our professors lead all their courses and grade student’s work. 

Student Experience

CU is full of exciting moments that will make your college experience fun and memorable. Afterall, the college experience is about more than earning your degree. Here, you’ll make lifelong friends and become part of a family of some of the brightest and kindest people we know. With a variety of student organizations and clubs, a vibrant greek life community, intramural sports, and a sweet southern city, you’ll be right where you belong.   Check out these links for more information about what your experience at Cumberland could look like:

• Student Life Website
• Student Organizations List
• Greek Life
• Intramurals

Athletics

Phoenix rallies behind 22 NAIA men's and women's athletic teams that rise and compete for conference and national championships. The Phoenix athletic family has claimed 20 conference regular season and tournament championships, two team national titles, and three individual national championships over the past nine years. 

CU is also home of the Phoenix Marching Band. The Phoenix Marching Band is a contemporary style college marching band open to all CU students. They perform at various sporting events on campus including Football, Home Basketball (men and women’s) and Volleyball (men and women’s) games. 

All our teams are led by top-award winning coaches who invest their time and energy into our student-athletes. With their support, our student-athletes continue to excel both on the field and in the classroom. In the game or in the stands you become part of the winning team.  Check out our Athletics Website to learn more or connect with one of our coaches.

Housing

We’re a small campus with a BIG community. Living on campus places you right in the middle of student life activities. It makes it easy to connect with your friends and participate in student organizations, honor societies, and interest groups. As a resident, you’ll be able to make an impact on campus as a leader and play a part in shaping the CU experience for all our students.

Over 500 students call CU’s campus home. Our campus features five residence halls that offer a variety of living options and experiences to support you throughout your academic career. All our residential options include furniture, cable, laundry access, wifi and meal plans. 

And, not only do residential students benefit from an all-inclusive solution for living expenses, but they enjoy the convenience of walking to class, academic support services, on- campus dining, and athletics facilities. Choosing to live on campus offers you a traditional college experience that is all-inclusive, convenient and fun.

• Housing & Residence Life Website
• Residence Life Flipbook

Community

As a CU student, you’re not only part of the Phoenix family but the Lebanon community as well. Our campus is at the center of the growing city of Lebanon, where you'll enjoy exploring restaurants, boutique shops, and local businesses. You can catch a movie at the historic Capitol Theater, enjoy shopping with friends, grab some homemade ice cream, and attend local festivals throughout the year. CU hosts a variety of events that welcome the community every year.

If you’re like us, you love small town vibes close to big city FUN! Cumberland University is located just 25 minutes from Nashville, Tennessee. Our close proximity to Nashville offers more than great live music, food, and sporting events. 

You’ll also have access to internships, clinical placements and potential career connections at more than 40,000 businesses in and around the exciting city of Nashville. Basically, you could say our sweet location makes CU the perfect place to prepare to launch your career.

Financial Aid 

You can afford a degree from Cumberland University. Our average tuition in 2019-2020 was 31% less than the national average of other 4-year private colleges. At CU, we're committed to doing all that we can to ensure Cumberland is affordable and that we deliver a great educational value.

We help you understand your options and maximize the financial opportunities available to you. We control our costs to maintain a tuition price that is comparable to other private universities, and offset tuition by offering financial assistance opportunities for those who qualify. 

93% of our students receive some kind of grant and or scholarships. This means at CU, we have a variety of financial aid options available to help you make your college education more affordable.

• Financial Aid Website
• Financial Aid Guide
• 2020-2021 Tuition & Fees

Come Check Us Out!

Visiting the Cumberland campus is the best way to see for yourself what CU is all about. On a campus visit you will have the opportunity to tour the campus, meet current students, and learn about the application process and scholarship opportunities at CU.

For your convenience, on campus visits are offered almost every weekday and on select Saturdays during scheduled appointment times.  Live far away or prefer to keep a distance - we also provide a virtual visit alternative as well as an interactive map to explore campus and a virtual tour guide to learn more about our great campus from the comfort of your home!

• Virtual & In-Person Visits Form
• Virtual Tour Guide
• Interactive Campus Map

Admissions

If CU sounds like the college for you, you can take your next step today and apply by visiting cumberland.edu/applynow.  In addition to your completed application, we’ll need your official high school transcript. Our general requirements for admission include: 

• Minimum 3.00 high school grade point average
• Minimum of 21 ACT composite score or SAT equivalent based on ACT/SAT score converter (this requirement is waived for the Fall 2021 entering class due to testing restrictions as a result of Covid-19 in many areas)
• Official academic transcript(s) (including Dual Enrollment Courses)
• $25 application fee ($50 for International Students)
• Immunization records

Even if you don’t meet our minimum requirements, we highly encourage you to still apply!  You will be asked to complete a Personal Statement in addition to submitting your required documents. This is not a competitive essay but rather your story to help us better understand you as a person and not just a number score.  Check out a few additional resources for your Admissions process:

• Admissions Website
• Meet our Admissions Team
• Cumberland View Book
• Admissions Checklist