Tennessee's first technical college, now a comprehensive community college with unique TCAT partnership.
Chattanooga State offers comprehensive academic programs through seven departments: Business and Information Technologies, Engineering Technology, Humanities and Fine Arts, Math and Sciences, Nursing and Allied Health, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. The TCAT division provides 21 diploma programs and 7 certificate programs with over 2,300 annual enrollees. The college awards Associate in Science, Associate in Engineering, and Associate in Applied Science degrees, alongside one-year certificates in fields such as industrial electronics, automotive technology, and welding.
The main Amnicola Campus spans 150 acres (expanded by 40+ acres with the 2011 Olan Mills acquisition) and includes 13 buildings with state-of-the-art facilities. Key facilities include the Health Science Center (103,000 sq ft, opened 2009), the Center for Engineering Technology, Art, and Science (149,000 sq ft with a $3 million chemical training plant), the Learning Resource Center with the Augusta R. Kolwyck Library, and the Athletic Field House. The campus adjoins the Tennessee Riverwalk and features an outdoor amphitheater and Museum of Art. Two additional instructional sites operate in Dayton and Kimball, Tennessee.
Chattanooga State has forged unique collaborations with major employers. The Volkswagen Academy (established 2009) is the only such training partnership among 60+ Volkswagen plants worldwide and offers car mechatronics training. The Wacker Institute, opened 2011, trains workers for polysilicone manufacturing. The college also hosts the Hamilton County STEM High School on campus, opened fall 2012, and operates the Business and Community Development Center downtown. Additional workforce partnerships include Alstom and TVA.
Chattanooga State competes in NJCAA Region VII with baseball, men's and women's basketball, and fast-pitch softball. The Lady Tigers softball team won the NJCAA Division I national championship in 2012. The college provides athletic scholarships and has produced multiple Coach of the Year honorees. Student life programming includes extracurricular activities, leadership development, and cultural events centered around the campus amphitheater.