(MURFREESBORO) Middle Tennessee State University joins an elite group of universities across the country with its advancement to doctoral university: high research activity, or R2, status at the end of the month as designated by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. MTSU Provost Mark Byrnes announced the achievement during the closing ceremony of Scholars Week in the Student Ballroom on Friday (3/25/2022).   

“This new designation reflects the hard work of our university community in our doctoral programs and research efforts,” Byrnes said. “Many of our metrics improved in 2020–21 that led to this achievement, including 156 proposals and 64 new awards to principal investigators across campus. These awards exceeded $13.2 million in extramural funding for our total portfolio, while new research funding reached $5.1 million.”   

Only around 3 per cent of other universities earned the R2 distinction as of the 2021 update.  

To move up from the status of a “moderate research,” or R3, doctoral university, MTSU demonstrated an awarding of at least 20 research or scholarship doctorates with at least $5 million in research expenditures three years in a row.   

University President Sidney A. McPhee said he was delighted to recognize the incredible level of research, scholarship and creativity on display at the Scholars Week event and at the university overall with this new distinction.  

“This significant development was several years in the making,” McPhee said to the crowd of students, staff and faculty in attendance, including featured faculty members who were instrumental in the university’s research efforts.   

McPhee also revealed a new $2 graduate application fee for the fall 2022 semester to coincide with the university’s R2 status. The discount will serve as one of many features that attract new students to MTSU’s graduate school, with enrollment hitting record numbers in recent years.  

“This (R2) advancement confirms our faculty, administration and student commitment to research and creative activities, especially in sponsored research,” said David Butler, vice provost for research and the College of Graduate Studies dean.   

To learn more about the opportunities available for further education, research and scholarship at MTSU, visit the College of Graduate Studies webpage at https://www.mtsu.edu/graduate or the university’s website at https://www.mtsu.edu.