In 1909 the Tennessee Legislature enacted the General Education Bill. Three years later the West Tennessee Normal School opened in Memphis. The name was changed in 1925 to West Tennessee State Teachers College. Another name change followed in 1941, this time the school was renamed Memphis State College. The school received the status of an University in 1957. In 1966, the school started awarding doctoral degrees. In 1994 the University changed its name to the current version.