Lipscomb University is known as a mid-sized, faith-based university in Nashville, Tennessee, with roots in the Churches of Christ tradition, strong professional programs in pharmacy, business, and health care management, and a growing reputation in animation and entertainment arts. Founded more than 125 years ago by ministers David Lipscomb and James A. Harding, it blends rigorous academics with a Christian mission and leans heavily on its Nashville location to connect students with employers in health care, music, film, and business.
Churches of Christ Heritage
Lipscomb’s identity starts with its Christian foundation. The university describes its mission as combining “challenging academics, opportunities for spiritual formation, and intentional service-learning” to prepare students for lives of purpose. Chapel attendance and Bible courses are part of the student experience, which sets it apart from secular universities of similar size.
That said, Lipscomb is not exclusively for one denomination. The university notes that students today “come from many religious traditions” and are welcome to explore their faith on campus. If you are looking for a school where faith is woven into daily life but not limited to a single church background, Lipscomb fits that description.
Strongest Academic Programs
Lipscomb’s pharmacy and health care management programs draw the most national attention on graduate rankings lists. U.S. News & World Report ranks the pharmacy program at No. 92 and the health care management program at No. 96, placing both in the top 100 nationally. For a university that ranks No. 222 overall among national universities, those two programs punch well above the school’s general profile.
The business school also earns recognition, ranking No. 113 among best business schools with noted strengths in accounting, business analytics, and finance. The part-time MBA lands at No. 184, and the education school at No. 227. Nursing is ranked but sits further back at No. 480. For prospective students, the takeaway is that Lipscomb’s graduate-level professional programs, especially pharmacy and health care management, are where the university competes most effectively with larger research institutions.
Animation and Entertainment Arts
One of Lipscomb’s most distinctive programs is its animation degree, housed within the George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts. Launched in 2015, the program has already been ranked among the top animation programs in the nation and the top in Tennessee. It offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Master of Fine Arts degrees in animation.
What makes the program stand out is its faculty. Tom Bancroft, who built the program, is a 25-year industry veteran and former Disney animator with credits on Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Brother Bear. He is joined by his brother Tony Bancroft (also a Disney animator on several of the same films), John Pomeroy (The Rescuers, Pete’s Dragon, Pocahontas), Jim Elston (Mulan, Tarzan, Lilo and Stitch), Tim Hodge (Mulan, Brother Bear, Lion King), and Mike Nawrocki, co-creator of VeggieTales and co-founder of Big Idea Entertainment. For a student interested in animation, learning directly from people who shaped some of the most recognizable animated films ever made is a rare opportunity.
The curriculum emphasizes foundational art skills like perspective, figure drawing, and movement alongside film techniques, rather than treating animation purely as a digital exercise.
Nashville as a Classroom
Location is a significant part of what Lipscomb is known for. Nashville is a hub for health care (home to HCA Healthcare and dozens of hospital systems), music, entertainment, and a growing tech sector. Lipscomb’s career development center has partnered with more than 550 employers over the past four years, including Nissan, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Nashville Predators.
During the 2024-25 academic year alone, 256 students completed internships with 201 employers, mostly in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Creative majors in animation and film get portfolio days and pitch sessions where they present work directly to industry professionals. Nursing and Bible majors have dedicated career fairs timed to hiring cycles in those fields. For students who want to stay in the Southeast after graduation, Lipscomb’s local employer network is a practical advantage.
Size and Campus Experience
Lipscomb enrolls roughly 4,500 students, making it small enough for close faculty relationships but large enough to support a full range of Division I athletics, campus organizations, and graduate programs. Class sizes tend to be smaller than what you would find at a state flagship, and the university markets that personal attention as a core selling point.
The campus sits in Nashville’s Green Hills neighborhood, a residential area about three miles from downtown. Students are close to the city’s restaurants, music venues, and professional opportunities without being in the middle of urban congestion. Greek life does not exist at Lipscomb, which shapes the social scene around campus ministries, intramural sports, service projects, and student clubs instead.
Who Lipscomb Is Best For
Lipscomb draws students who want a faith-integrated education in a professional city. If you are considering pharmacy, health care management, business, or animation, the university has programs with national credibility and industry-connected faculty. If you want a large research university experience or a secular campus culture, it is probably not the right fit. The combination of a Christian mission, Nashville’s job market, and a few standout academic programs is what defines Lipscomb and what keeps it on prospective students’ radar.