University of Kentucky

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This school appears in our ranking: 15 Best Universities for Master's Degree in Equine Studies 2018.

The University of Kentucky was chartered in 1865 with Morrill Land-Grant Act funds by lawyer John Bryan Bowman for technical education on Henry Clay's famed Ashland Estate. Eleven years later, the A&M division became Transylvania University and master's degrees started being conferred. Coeducational since 1880, UK welcomed its first female trustee, Georgia Blazer, in 1939. Finishing William T. Young Library in 1998, Kentucky's 685-acre campus around Main Building in Lexington, Livability's 50th best city, has expanded with eLearning. The top-tier public, research-based SEC powerhouse budgets nearly $2.1 billion to serve 30,720 Wildcats with 13,145 full-time staff. Linked to 132,513 LinkedIn alumni, the University of Kentucky has graduated Wendell Berry, Happy Chandler, Ashley Judd, Bev Perdue, and more.

The U.S. News & World Report ranked Kentucky the 63rd best public university, 99th top engineering school, 20th best library science program, and sixth top rehabilitation counseling college nationally. On Niche, UK has America's 105th best finance, 129th best computer science, and 140th top nursing degrees. Times Higher Education named UK the 360th best institution overall. Money magazine declared the University of Kentucky the 458th top value with average debt of $14,559. The Princeton Review warned that UK has the country's sixth least accessible professors. The Social Mobility Index placed Kentucky 271st for opportunity. Bloomberg deemed UK the 131st best business college. Washington Monthly also applauded Kentucky for the 52nd highest research expenditures.

University of Kentucky Accreditation Details

In January 2013, the University of Kentucky underwent comprehensive evaluation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to affirm its 10-year Level VI accreditation under president Dr. Eli Capilouto. Located 384 miles away in Decatur, this regional agency is authorized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to check institutional effectiveness in UK's 99 baccalaureate, 130 master's, and 66 doctoral majors, even online. Fully online programs are also given industry-relevant accreditations from these:

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Council on Education for Public Health
  • National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
  • Council on Rehabilitation Education
  • National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
  • Council for Interior Design Accreditation
  • Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
  • National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Lab Sciences
  • American Library Association

University of Kentucky Application Requirements

Getting into the University of Kentucky is labeled "moderately difficult" on Peterson's despite the high Fall 2016 acceptance rate of 91 percent. The Graduate School solely reviews online master's applicants with B.A./B.S. degrees from regionally accredited U.S. colleges or foreign schools recognized by the Ministry of Education. The Online M.S. in Manufacturing Systems Engineering requires a physical science major. The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership stipulates a CAEP-accredited teaching degree with certified P-12 experience. Each program expects a minimum undergrad GPA of 2.75 and master's GPA of 3.0. Verbal and quantitative scores on the GRE/GMAT exam should rank in the top 50 percentile. English language learners also need to achieve at least a 79 TOEFL iBT or 6.5 IELTS score.

The University of Kentucky has rolling graduate admission until one month before the semester. International students are an exception with deadlines of April 15th for Fall and August 22nd for Spring. Interested post-grads can use the Hobsons ApplyYourself Network to submit the application online. Official hard copies are also sent to 202 Gillis Building at 502 Administration Drive in Lexington, KY 40506 or via National Student Clearinghouse. Contact [email protected] or (859) 257-9000 for assistance. Online master's candidates shouldn't forget the following:

  • $65 application fees ($75 if foreign)
  • Copies of higher education transcripts
  • Self-reported graduate exam scores
  • At least two signed recommendations
  • Personal statements of 200-300 words
  • Up-to-date résumés or curriculum vitae

Tuition and Financial Aid

Graduate tuition costs Kentucky residents $674 per credit or $6,393 each semester full-time. Non-resident graduates must afford paying $1,644 per credit or $15,112 each semester full-time. Mandatory add-ons include the $99 technology fee, $160 student health fee, and $80 Johnson Center fee. Master's pricing can vary though. For example, the Master in Business Administration bills Kentuckians $7,353 and out-of-state students $18,046 each term. The Master of Science in Finance charges annually for $26,538 to $36,538 total.

According to the NCES College Navigator, 80 percent of full-time UK Wildcats share $170.34 million in annual financial aid packages that average $9,439 each. The Graduate School has institutional funds like the Cralle Foundation Scholarship, James Still Fellowship, Lexington Herald-Leader Fellowship, Lexmark Fellowship, Max Steckler Fellowship, and Presidential Graduate Scholarship. The Graduate Student Incentive Program gives $10,000 to those who've landed competitive national fellowships. Kentucky has over 1,500 assistantship positions available with a 3.0 GPA requirement. Federal Direct Unsubsidized and Graduate Plus loans can be borrowed with FAFSA applications coded 001989. Bluegrass State residents might also claim the Coal County Scholarship or Minority Educator Recruitment Scholarship.

Online Degrees Available

Granted a 2010 WCET Outstanding Work Award, the University of Kentucky logs into the Canvas Portal to award 10 master's degrees wholly online. Twelve graduate certificates, such as Historic Preservation, Developmental Disabilities, Leadership in Deeper Learning, and Digital Mapping, are also online. The U.S. News & World Report shows a maximum online class size of 20 with close interaction to experienced, tenured faculty. Other benefits are Stuckert Career Center advising, disability support, Distance Learning Library resources, Zoom tutoring, Kentucky Kernel subscriptions, and Netiquette workshops. Two sample online UK programs are:

Master of Retailing and Tourism Management

Chaired by Dr. Scarlett Wesley, the Master of Retailing and Tourism Management lets Kentucky post-grads boost their consumer sales leadership skills for senior-level jobs at R&J Accessories, Condé Nast, The Buckle, Versace, and others online. The 30-credit, non-thesis program builds on core courses like Trend Analysis with semester-long internships in specializations for Hospitality Management and Tourism or Merchandising, Apparel, and Textiles.

Master of Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling

Launched in 2013, UK's Master of Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling uses innovative eight-week, video-conferencing sessions to accelerate online post-grads toward CRC certification for supporting clients with mild to severe disabilities. The 58-credit, 16-month curriculum headed by Dr. Ralph Crystal, a Ben F. Coffman Award winner, integrates courses like Vocational Evaluation, Mental Health Diagnosis, and Trauma Response with one internship.

Learn about more online offerings, including the Master of Arts in Art Administration, Master of Science in Education Research Methods, Master of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Master of Public Financial Management, and Master of Science in Library Science, at the University of Kentucky website.