Tarlac State University (TSU; ) is a public university located in Tarlac City, Philippines. Established in 1906, it is the flagship academic institution of higher education in the province offering different degree programs through its ten colleges and three campuses.
TSU started as an elementary trade school progressing to a secondary school. Later, it became a collegiate technical school and then a full-fledged state college, the Tarlac College of Technology. On October 13, 1989, it was converted into a state university by virtue of Republic Act No. 6764.
Tarlac State University sits on a Level III-A status awarded by the Joint Committee of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in recognition of its excellent instruction, active involvement in research programs and community-wide extension services. Most of its curricular programs are accredited by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP).
The university acquired its ISO 9001:2008 certification in 2013 for its provision of technical assistance, consultancy and training for the implementation of community development, industry development, and extension support services program. In August 2016, TSU was granted an Integrated Management System (IMS) Certification, becoming the first state university in the Philippines to acquire this status. The IMS Certification covers ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, ISO 14001:2015 Environment Management System, and OHSAS 18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety Management System under the United States Accreditation System (USAS).
It is mandated to provide advanced instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences, and the arts, and also to offer professional and technical training courses. To enhance the academic sector, the syllabi of the various course subjects adopted the outcomes-based education (OBE) format prescribed by CHED.
TSU is the first university among other State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) with a government authority to conduct Transnational Education Programs. It has established international linkages with a number of colleges and universities in Asia.
History Early years Tarlac State University was established in the same time that public education was developed in the Philippines. Its origin could be traced as early as 1906 as one of the trade schools offering industrial and vocational courses in selected regions. This was in pursuit of the American colonial government's policy of laying the groundwork for a western-oriented educational system in the country.
In 1909, TSU, then the Tarlac Trade School, began to open its doors to high school students. By 1921, it had evolved into a full-fledged secondary school. From 1931 up to the start of World War II, it was annexed to Tarlac High School.
After the war in 1946, it was separated from Tarlac High School, and in 1959, the Congress of the Philippines approved House Bill 1006 converting the Tarlac Trade School into the Tarlac School of Arts and Trades (TSAT) which began to offer collegiate technical education courses with Manuel Espinosa as its first superintendent.
In 1965, TSAT obtained its status as a state college by virtue of Republic Act 4337. It was converted into the Tarlac College of Technology (TCT) and merged with the Tarlac National Agricultural School in Camiling, Tarlac. From 1965 to 1972, Mario Manese served as its first president, introducing teacher education and engineering as new courses.
Jack Smith became the president in 1972. TCT's Institute of Agriculture was made into a separate state college in 1974 to be known as the Tarlac College of Agriculture, now Tarlac Agricultural University. The college underwent expansions under his administration, including the acquisition of a ten-hectare land in Barangay Binauganan known today as the Villa Lucinda Campus which became the site of the Laboratory School, College of Education, and a ground for different agricultural and industrial projects.
University era Ernesto Cosme was designated as the officer in charge in September 1984, eventually becoming the TCT's last president. It was during his administration that Republic Act No. 6764 was signed into law by former President Corazon Aquino on October 13, 1989, converting TCT into Tarlac State University (TSU). This was made possible through the sponsorship of Congressmen Jose Cojuangco Jr., Jose Yap, and Hermie Aquino.
On August 8, 1990, the university's Board of Regents (BOR) appointed Alejandro Fernandez, formerly a professor at the University of the Philippines, as the first president of TSU. During this time, TSU was able to acquire its eight-hectare lot for a third campus in San Isidro under a 50-year lease contract with the provincial government. Upon the end of the term of Fernandez, Graduate School Dean Priscilla Viuya was appointed as OIC from February 28 up to mid-September 1994.
Rodolfo Baking, a former professor at Technological University of the Philippines, was appointed as the second president in September 1994. His administration focused on upgrading the academic standard of the institution and additional curricular offerings. In December 1996, the board designated Dolores Matias, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, as the officer in charge where she steered the university into attaining its visions and missions of offering relevant quality education to the people of Tarlac and its neighboring provinces. Matias was appointed as the third university President by the BOR on March 25, 1998. In 2001, a streamlined organization structure made and implemented as soon as Matias assumed into office resulted in a functional and revitalized university organization.
Priscilla Viuya, Vice-President for Academic Affairs during Matias' term, became the fourth University President starting from March 26, 2006. As president, she has taken steps to introduce new programs and build a stronger international profile. These measures were linked closely to the university's vision of maintaining a culture of excellence in instruction and research by promoting quality higher education programs for people empowerment and professional development.
Myrna Q. Mallari was appointed by the Board of Regents as the fifth president of Tarlac State University on March 31, 2014.
Campuses Tarlac State University has one main campus and two satellite campuses within the vicinity of Tarlac City and an international joint institute in Hong Kong. The nine colleges were divided into three campuses to control the student population of the university. Its main campus, with the smallest land area, houses five colleges, San Isidro Campus houses three colleges, and Lucinda Campus houses two colleges.
Main campus
Five of the colleges that the university instituted (College of Engineering and Technology, College of Business and Accountancy, College of Arts and Social Sciences, College of Public Administration and Governance, and School of Law) are on the Main Campus. The Dr. Mario Manese Gymnasium or well known as the TSU Gymnasium, where large events in the university and in the province are usually held, is located here, along with the Administration Building, Main Library, and Business Center. Apart from the buildings and offices, there are places in the campus where students hang around such as the Heroes Park in front of the College of Arts and Social Sciences building, and a student center located on the College of Engineering grounds.
The university main campus is a 1.2-hectare property located along Romulo Boulevard, San Vicente, Tarlac City, near Diwa ng Tarlak. Most of the public utility vehicles in Tarlac pass through the campus.
The place where the College of Computer Studies building is located was the site of the Casa Real of Tarlac which once became an office of the late President Emilio Aguinaldo during the Philippine–American War. It is now recognized as a historical site by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
Lucinda Campus
The Villa Lucinda Campus is located in Brgy. Binauganan, Tarlac City, three kilometers away from the Main Campus. It has a total area of 10 hectares and houses the College of Teacher Education, College of Science, the College of Criminal Justice Education, and the Laboratory School. Due to the campus' spacious area, several offices and buildings were built here such as the University Hostel, Alumni Center, Hon. Jose V. Yap Library, and other structures. The activities of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) are also being performed within the campus.
The TSU Hostel was established in 2008 and started out as a venue for the practical training of Hotel and Restaurant Management students and for other university activities. As it developed over the years, it soon became a second home and school to foreign students, and was then made popular by its guests to cater to business and personal affairs.
Since the location of the campus lacks in transportation services, the university provides authorized shuttle vehicles for the students where they pay a fixed amount of price, as well as for the students from San Isidro Campus.
San Isidro Campus TSU San Isidro Campus is situated on an eight-hectare property in Brgy. San Isidro, Tarlac City, some two kilometers away from the Main Campus. It houses the College of Computer Studies, College of Architecture and Fine Arts, and some facilities of the College of Engineering and Technology.
Academics The present student population is over 16,000. The university offers a total of 66 courses through its ten colleges. Recently, it started its Bachelor of Laws program (LL.B.) in cooperation of Integrated Bar of the Philippines (Tarlac Chapter). The university also offers degree programs to international students. A number of students from USA, China, Hong Kong, Korea, and India have attended and graduated from TSU.
Tarlac State University was recognized as one of the state universities and colleges in the country with the most number of curricular programs granted with Accreditation Status by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP).
+ College founding College Year founded College of Teacher Education 1965 College of Engineering and Technology 1969 College of Business and Accountancy 1978 College of Architecture and Fine Arts 1984 College of Computer Studies 1996 College of Arts and Social Science 2000 College of Science 2000 College of Public Administration and Governance 2005 School of Law 2007 College of Criminal Justice Education 2012
Colleges
College of Business and Accountancy College of Teacher Education College of Engineering and Technology College of Arts and Social Sciences College of Criminal Justice Education College of Architecture and Fine Arts College of Computer Studies College of Public Administration and Governance College of Science School of Law
Laboratory school
Tarlac State University - Laboratory School (commonly referred to as Lab School or TSU-LS) was a secondary school in Tarlac City founded in 1985. It was officially under the College of Education, serving as a training ground for the practice teachers of the university. Its old building, now occupied by BS Criminology students, is located at Lucinda Campus in Binauganan, Tarlac City along with the College of Teacher Education and College of Science.
TSU-LS was known in the province for the academic and athletic repute of its students. It had received several awards from different competitions during its active years, one of which was its title as the regional champion in National Cheerleading Championship in Central Luzon.