Nestled in Nashville, the school began as the Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School for Negroes in 1912. The doors of the school opened to students on Juneteenth of that year. In 1922, the school was changed to a four-year teachers college. TSU was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1946. In August 1951, the institution was granted university status by approval of the State Board of Education. Tennessee State University aspires to be the premier public urban comprehensive institution, achieving prominence through innovation and instruction, research, creativity, and service with the dissemination of knowledge and information.

Through its transformation work, Tennessee State University aspires to increase persistence and retention rates by improving efficiency and streamlining the coaching and advising process. The institution is planning to develop a comprehensive summer faculty development program to better prepare faculty for online instruction. TSU also seeks to bridge that gap between students and alumni by creating a mentoring program with a focus on developing a platform for formal career exploration. The institution is also working to codify the effects of internship participation and program characteristics on a variety of student outcomes, group differences (e.g., socio-economic status, race, gender, discipline, and first-generation status) in internship participation and student outcomes.