Texas Southern University Texas Southern University ( shortened to Texas Southern , or simply TSU ) is a historically black university ( HBCU ) located in Houston , Texas , United States accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . The University was established in 1927 as the Houston Colored Junior College , through its private college phase as Houston Colored College . On March 3 , 1947 , the state declared this to be the first state university in Houston and it was renamed Texas State University for Negroes . In 1951 , the name changed to Texas Southern University . Texas Southern University is one of the largest and most comprehensive HBCUs in the nation and is one of only four independent public universities in Texas ( those not affiliated with any of Texas ' six public university systems ) . TSU is the only HBCU in Texas recognized as one of " America ' s Top Colleges " by Forbes . TSU is also recognized as the leading producer of college degrees to African - Americans and Hispanics in Texas and ranks fourth ( 4th ) in the nation in African - American conferred doctoral and professional degrees . The University is a member - school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund . History . The beginnings of Texas Southern University can be traced to the March 7 , 1927 resolution by the Houston Independent School District school board to establish junior colleges for each race . The resolution created Houston Junior College ( now the University of Houston ) and Houston Colored Junior College . The Houston Colored Junior College first held classes at Jack Yates High School during the evenings . It later changed its name to Houston College for Negroes . In February 1946 , Heman Marion Sweatt , an African American man , applied to the University of Texas School of Law . He was denied admission because of race , and subsequently filed suit . ( See " Sweatt v . Painter " ( 1950 ) . ) The state had no law school for African Americans . Instead of granting Sweatt a " writ of mandamus " to attend the University of Texas , the trial court granted a continuance for six months to allow the state time to create a law school for blacks . As a result , the state founded Texas Southern University under Senate Bill 140 by the Fiftieth Texas Legislature on March 3 , 1947 as a state university to be located in Houston . Originally named Texas State University for Negroes , the school was established to serve African Americans in Texas and offer them fields of study comparable to those available to white Texans . The state took over the Houston Independent School District ( HISD ) - run Houston College for Negroes as a basis for the new university . At the time , Houston College just moved to the present site ( adjacent to the University of Houston ) donated by Hugh Roy Cullen and had one permanent building and an existing faculty and students . The new university was charged with teaching " pharmacy , dentistry , arts and sciences , journalism education , literature , law , medicine and other professional courses . " The legislature stipulated that " these courses shall be equivalent to those offered at other institutions of this type supported by the State of Texas . " Given the differences in facilities and intangibles such as the distance of the new school from Austin and other law students , the Supreme Court ruled it did not satisfy " separate but equal " provisions , and that African Americans must also be admitted to the University of Texas Law School at Austin . Campus . The University has a urban campus in the middle of Houston ' s Third Ward ( immediately southeast of Downtown Houston ) . University Museum . Opened in 2000 , the exhibition space displays a variety of historical and contemporary art and is the permanent home of the " Web of Life " mural by John T . Biggers . Jesse H . Jones School of Business . Jesse H . Jones ( JHJ ) School of Business is one of 11 colleges and schools at Texas Southern University . Named as one of the " Best 300 Business Schools " by the Princeton Review , the Jesse H . Jones School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business ( AACSB ) . The Jesse H . Jones School of Business currently has bachelor ' s degree majors in Accounting , Finance , Management , Management Information Systems , and Marketing with master ' s degree majors in Masters of Business Administraion ( MBA ) and Executive Masters of Business Administraion ( eMBA ) . The Jesse H . Jones School of Business has approximately 1 , 600 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate studies . JHJ was recognized as one of the nation ’ s “ Best Business Schools ” by the U . S . News & World Report and its eMBA program ranks fifth ( 5th ) in the nation by " Business MBA " . Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs . An extensive set of curricular offerings is provided through the Barbara Jordan - Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs that includes courses in Administration of Justice ( AJ ) , Political Science ( POLS ) , Public Affairs ( PA ) , Military Science ( MSCI ) , and Urban Planning & Environmental Policy ( UPEP ) . Four undergraduate degree s and seven graduate / professional degrees are offered . The school houses two doctoral programs known for high standards of teaching and research currently awarding PhD degrees : Doctor of Administration of Justice and Doctor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy . Students of the school have gone on to occupy important positions of practice , research and leadership in the Houston area community and beyond . Sociologist Robert D . Bullard currently is Dean of the school . School of Science and Technology . One of the newer facilities on the campus this building is home to several scholastic programs such as the Houston Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Program ( H - LSAMP ) and the Thomas Freeman Honors College . It is also home to several research programs like the NASA University Research Center for Bio - Nanotechnology and Environmental Research ( NASA URC C - BER ) and Maritime Transportation Studies and Research as well as the STEM research program The College of Science and Technology offers extensive research experiences through various centers , partnerships and collaborations designed to strengthen the overall collegiate experience , and meet critical social needs . TSU ’ s NASA University Research Center ( C - BER ) addresses important human health concerns related to manned exploration of space . Programs such as TSU ’ s NASA University Research Center ( C - BER ) and participation in The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Preparation Program ( LSAMP ) support undergraduate , graduate and faculty development while helping to increase the number of US citizens receiving degrees in Science , Technology , Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM ) fields . Thurgood Marshall School of Law . The Thurgood Marshall School of Law ( TMSL ) is one of only four public law schools in Texas and has been deemed the most diverse law school in the nation by U . S . News & World Report . TMSL is accredited by the American Bar Association ( ABA ) and has approximately 600 students . College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences . The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences ( COPHS ) have approximately 800 students and is ranked # 80 in the nation by U . S . News and World Report . COPHS has the distinction of being one of the nation ’ s leading producers of minority health professionals . For the past half ‑ century , the College has distinguished itself by graduating almost one ‑ third of the Black pharmacists practicing nationwide . TSU has also been a leading producer of Black medical technologists and respiratory therapists , meeting local , state and national health care needs Sterling Student Life Center . Centrally located on the Tiger Walk , the Ernest S . Sterling Student Life Center ( SSLC ) is the nucleus of campus life at TSU . It provides cultural , social , recreational , educational and religious programs and services for students , faculty , staff , alumni and guests , as it creates constructive leisure and educational activities . The Student Center is home to the TSU Bookstore , Student Government Association ( SGA ) , University Program Council ( UPC ) , " Herald " Newspaper , Tiger Yearbook , Cafeteria , Office of Campus Organizations , TSU Cheerleaders , Student Activities administrative offices and Office of Events . Granville M . Sawyer Auditorium . Recently renovated , the Sawyer Auditorium is Texas Southern University ’ s historical landmark . Sawyer Auditorium features split level seating for up to 1 , 800 guests for hosting university sponsored events . It also has an adjacent drama playhouse . Newman Hall . Constructed in 1969 and recognized as an innovative landmark in campus design . Housing the Texas Southern University campus ministry , the building blends three activity areas . The worship , library and social functions all revolve around a central , sky - lit interior . Flexibility is achieved with moveable furniture and rolling barn doors . The plaza draws students inside through a welcoming , residential - scaled entry . Designed by , then , Houston architect Clovis Heimsath . Tiger Walk . The Tiger Walk ( affectionately named by alumni , students , and faculty / staff ) is the maroon and gray paved center street on campus where most of TSU outdoor social activities are held and students socialize . Residential facilities . The school has apartments and two residence halls for first - year students . Other housing options include : Academics . As of Fall 2010 , Texas Southern University offers college courses in partnership with Lone Star College at its new campus in northwest Houston . And thanks to a new partnership with the City of Houston and Houston Public Library , Texas Southern will offer fine arts classes as well as theatre and dance performances in the historic Deluxe Theater in Houston ’ s Fifth Ward district which the city is currently renovating . Texas Southern University currently comprises 11 schools and colleges along with several scholastic and research programs : Libraries . The University main library is the Robert J . Terry Library . The Brown Foundation re - invested in Texas Southern University with a two - year $ 1 . 2 million commitment to the Robert J . Terry ( RJT ) Library to improve its Urban Learning Center . The Urban Learning Center is an integral part of a new era of initiatives at Texas Southern and will provide critical support to the currently planned Academic Village . The new improvements will enhance the ability of the RJT Library to address the literary and academic needs of TSU students . The Thurgood Marshall School of Law also houses an extensive library . Demographics . As of 2012 , the student body is 83 % Black , 6 % Hispanic , and 3 % White . Student activities . Marching Band . The University ' s marching band the Ocean of Soul has won numeral awards and performed at Super Bowls and The Stellar Awards . The 100 + member band has well - known alumni such as Grammy award - winning jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum . The " Motion of the Ocean " is the high - energy , innovative all - female dance team that complements the marching band . Athletics . Texas Southern sports teams participate in NCAA Division I ( Championship Subdivision for football ) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference ( SWAC ) . Texas Southern is part of the West Division in the SWAC Conference . Men ' s varsity sports include baseball , basketball , football , golf , tennis , and track and field . Women ' s varsity sports include basketball , bowling , cross country , golf , soccer , softball , tennis , track and field , and volleyball . TSU ' s best known rivals are Prairie View A & M , Southern University , Jackson State University and Grambling State University . Tiger Football . In October 2012 , the NCAA found Texas Southern University guilty of massive violations in 13 sports over a seven - year period from 2005 to 2012 . The most serious violations occurred within the football and men ' s basketball programs , involving academic fraud , illicit benefits given to student athletes , lying on the part of coaches , and lying to the NCAA about previously self - imposed sanctions . Prior to the NCAA ' s verdict , the school had taken numerous corrective measures — including the April 2011 firing of football coach Johnnie Cole ( 2010 SWAC Football Coach of the Year ) and vacating every game that the Tiger football team had won from 2006 to 2010 - including the 2010 SWAC Championship , their first championship in 42 years . The NCAA banned TSU ' s football team from the 2013 and 2014 postseason . KTSU 90 . 9 FM . In addition to serving as a training unit for TSU students , the station was also established to serve the University at the program level as well as the community by presenting various types of educational , TSU athletic , cultural and social programs to a primarily listening area within a radius of the University . A 1973 survey indicated that radio was generally the preferred source of information of African Americans , particularly those with less than a high school education . By the late 1970s , the station had secured an ample audience and programming increased in scope . At the same time , the station increased its power range from 10 watts to 18 , 500 watts . According to the Arbitron Rating Service ( ARS ) , KTSU has an audience of 244 , 700 listeners and is number one over all of Houston / Galveston stations for its Sunday format and its Friday format of Golden Oldies .