The University of Kentucky (UK), located in Lexington, is a leading public research university that has more than 70 nationally ranked academic programs. Top ranking programs include, among others:
- College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Program College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Hispanic Studies
- College of Communications and Information Studies, Department of Communication College of Medicine, Anatomy Program
- College of Agriculture, Plant Pathology Program
- College of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences doctoral program
- Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, Public Finance and Budgeting Program
The UK offers more than 200 academic programs at the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional levels in 16 colleges and professional schools. It has an acclaimed faculty, all committed to teaching and contributing to the community through service, outreach programs and research. The university also offers workforce training programs and distance learning through online courses.
History
The University of Kentucky was founded in 1865 as a land-grant institution.
Academics
The academic calendar of the University of Kentucky follows the semester format, with fall and spring semesters. There is also a short, Winter Intersession, and two Summer Sessions of four and eight weeks. The College of Dentistry, College of Law and College of Medicine each have their own academic calendars, which are posted on the uky.edu website.
Colleges and Schools
The academic colleges and schools of the University of Kentucky are:
- College of Agriculture
- School of Human Environmental Sciences
- College of Architecture (Now College of Design)
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Gatton College of Business and Economics
- College of Communications and Information Studies
- College of Design (formerly College of Architecture)
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- College of Fine Arts
- College of Health Sciences
- School of Human Environmental Sciences
- College of Nursing
- College of Social Work
- Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce
The professional and graduate schools of the University of Kentucky are:
- College of Dentistry
- College of Law
- College of Medicine
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Public Health
- Multidisciplinary Graduate Degree Programs
- The Graduate School
Student Life
The UK offers more than 340 student clubs and organizations available for involvement. The campus has several residence halls with spacious common areas and wireless Internet access in most areas. There is also a fitness center, a rock climbing wall and many sports courts available for use.
Other amenities and opportunities for involvement include the Student Center, the Writing Center, the Hub, concerts, the campus radio station and downtown Lexington just steps away.
Traditions
The official colors of the University of Kentucky are blue and white, chosen as the school colors in 1892.
The nickname for the UK athletic teams is "Wildcats," which started in 1909 at a football game where the team "fought like Wildcats." The school's mascot is a Wildcat, who entertains fans at athletic events and also attends academic functions and the UK ambassador.
Athletics
The UK "Wildcats" athletic teams compete in several intercollegiate sports, including:
Men's Sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Rifle
- Soccer
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Track and Field
Women's Sports:
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Rifle
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
Community Life
Kentucky is considered the "horse capital of the world" and Lexington has many horse farms in the vicinity that offer tours. Lexington is known for its small town feel, and is considered one of the best American cities to live in. Yet there are also big city perks, such as numerous restaurants, a vibrant nightlife, plenty of arts and culture - all within a few blocks of the University of Kentucky campus.
Community engagement is a significant part of the UK mission, and the university has many community outreach programs. It has an agricultural extension service in every county in Kentucky to help with farming, financial planning, and more.
The UK's Coldstream Research Park in Lexington is helping start-up high-tech and health-care companies in the community. The College of Dentistry's mobile dental vans bring dental care to thousands of local children. UK researchers are conducting scientific studies in projects ranging from water quality and energy production to breast cancer and other diseases.
Admission Requirements & Details
The admission details below may give you an idea of the students University of Kentucky accepts. The details may include admissions application requirements and recommendations, as well as any AP college credits that may be transferred.
College Credits Accepted
- Dual Credits
- Life Experience Credits
- AP Course Credits
Student Enrollment
Total enrollment at University of Kentucky is around 30,000 students. The enrollment breakdown by academic level is 18% enrolling as graduate students and 76% as undergraduate students.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The average "out of pocket" cost of attendance, after any grants and scholarships are considered, is around $16,700. In order to calculate a more accurate and detailed cost of attendance check out their cost calculator here. There is also a $50 application fee for those applying to a program. The figures listed below are for informational purposes only and do not represent current or future tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Annual tuition estimates are:
- In-State Tuition: $9,700-$12,000
- Nonresident Student Tuition: $23,000-$27,620
- Part-time students are charged:
- In-State: $400-$480 per unit
- Out-of-State: $960-$1,200 per unit
Financial Aid Details
The table listed below helps break down the types of financial aid students receive and the percent receiving aid, as well as the average amount of aid per student per year.
| Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Any Financial Aid | 94% | - |
| Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 91% | $8,984 |
| Receiving Student Loans | 49% | $7,758 |
Academics & Student Services
Student Services
To help students and recent graduates, University of Kentucky may offer services to students including:- Distance learning
- Weekend and night classes available
- Remedial instructional courses
- Academic counseling for students
- Employing students to lower education costs
- Employment search assistance
Graduation Rates
University of Kentucky has an overall graduation rate which is around 62%.
| Number of Year to Graduate | Percent of Entering Class |
|---|---|
| Students Graduating in 4 Years | 33% |
| Graduating in 5 Years | 21% |
| Graduating in 6 Years | 5% |
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
Campus: University of Kentucky
- Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) & Supervisory CPE Program
- Art and Design Program
- Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Counseling Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Dietetics Program
- Coordinated Dietetics Program
- Health Services Administration Program
- Law Program
- Medical (M.D.) Program
- Music Program
- Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN) Program
- Nursing (MSN, DSN) Program
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program
- Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics Program
- Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) Program
- Master's in Public Health (M.P.H.) Program
- Radiation Therapist Program
- Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Education Program
- Theatre Program
Campus: University of Kentucky Center for Rural Health
Intercollegiate Athletics
University of Kentucky is a Member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with many of the sports belonging to the NCAA Division I-A classification. The most popular sports played are listed below:
- Baseball (Southeastern Conference)
- Basketball (Southeastern Conference)
- Track and Field (Southeastern Conference)
- Football (Southeastern Conference)
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Rifle
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Volleyball
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.
Get more information about the programs offered by University of Kentucky by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Agriculture Operations
- Agricultural Economics (B, D, M)
- Horse Husbandry, Equine Science and Management (B)
- Agricultural Public Services (B)
- Animal Science (B, D, M)
- Agriculture, Agriculture Operations and Related Sciences (B)
- Agronomy and Crop Science (B, D, M)
- Food Science (B)
- Soil Science and Agronomy
Architecture
- Architecture (B, M)
- Landscape Architect (B)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biology (B, D, M)
- Biotechnology (B, C)
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences (D, M)
- Biochemistry (D)
- Plant Physiology (D)
- Anatomy (C, D)
- Entomology (D, M)
- Physiology (D)
- Toxicology (D, M)
- Plant Pathology, Phytopathology (D, M)
- Molecular Pharmacology (D)
- Plant Molecular Biology (B)
- Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences (C)
- Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
Business and Marketing Studies
- Commerce (B, D, M)
- Accounting (B, M)
- Advertising and Marketing (B)
- Finance (B)
- Business Economics (B)
- Hospitality Administration and Management (B)
- Management Science (B)
- Hotel and Hospitality Management (B)
- International Business
Communications and Journalism
- Communications (B, D, M)
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (B)
- Journalism (B)
- Radio and Television (B)
- Health Communication (C)
Computer and Information Sciences
- Computer (B, D, M)
- Informatics
Education
- Physical Education (B)
- Elementary Education (B)
- Secondary Education (M)
- Social Studies Teacher Education (B)
- Special Education (B, D, M)
- Music Teacher Education (B, M)
- Educational Evaluation and Research (D)
- Higher Education Administration (M)
- Technical Teacher Education (B)
- Educational Leadership and Administration (C, D, M)
- Teacher Education and Professional Development (C)
- Middle School Teacher (B)
- Teacher and Professional Development (B, M)
- Early Childhood Education (B, M)
- Curriculum and Instruction (M)
- Educational and Instructional Media Design (C, M)
- Art Teacher Education (B, M)
- ESL (M)
- International and Comparative Education (C)
- Health Teacher Education (B)
- Science Teacher (B)
- Educational Administration (D)
- Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Research (D)
- Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education (M)
- Education, Teaching of Individuals Who Are Developmentally Delayed
Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Civil Engineering (B, D, M)
- Chemical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Electrical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Mining and Mineral Engineering (B, D, M)
- Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Bioengineering (B, M)
- Computer Engineering (B)
- Materials Engineering (B, D, M)
- Biomedical Engineering (D, M)
- Industrial Engineering (C)
- Manufacturing Engineer (M)
English Language and Literature
- English (B, D, M)
- Rhetoric and Composition
Ethnic Cultural and Gender Studies
Family and Consumer Sciences
- Nutrition and Wellness Studies (B, M)
- Family and Consumer Sciences (B)
- Human Nutrition (B)
- Apparel and Textiles (B)
- Family Studies (B, M)
- Consumer Merchandising and Management (M)
- Family Systems (D)
Foreign Languages and Literature
- Spanish Language and Literature (B, D, M)
- French Language and Literature (B, M)
- Foreign Languages and Literatures (M)
- Linguistics (B, M)
- Classical Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (B, M)
- Japanese Language and Literature (B)
- German Language and Literature (B, M)
- Chinese Language and Literature (B)
- Russian Language and Literature (B)
Health and Clinical Professions
- Nursing (B, C)
- Pharmacy (D)
- Medicine (D)
- Physical Therapy (D)
- Physician Assistant (M)
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling (C, M)
- Dentistry (D)
- Public Health (C, D, M)
- Audiology and Speech Pathology (B, M)
- Nursing Practice (D)
- Medical Technology (B)
- Healthcare Administration (B, M)
- Pharmaceutics and Drug Design (D, M)
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences (C, D)
- Athletic Training (M)
- Veterinary Sciences (D, M)
- Dental Clinical Sciences (M)
- Music Therapy (M)
- Rehabilitation Science (D)
- Nursing Science (D)
- Radiation Protection, Health Physics Technician (M)
- Maternal and Child Health (C)
- International Public Health, International Health (C)
- Health Services Administration (C)
- Pre-Physical Therapy Studies
History
- History (B, D, M)
Interdisciplinary Studies
- International and Global Studies (B, C)
- Nutrition (D, M)
- Gerontology (C, D)
- Historic Preservation and Conservation (C, M)
- Behavioral Science
- Cognitive Science
Legal Professions and Studies
- Law (D)
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Library Science
- Library Science, Librarianship (M)
Mathematics and Statistics
- Math (B, D, M)
- Financial Mathematics (B)
- Statistics (C, D, M)
- Computational Mathematics (C)
Natural Resources and Conservation
- Environmental and Wildlife Management (B, C)
- Forest Sciences and Biology (B, M)
- Environmental Studies (B)
Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy (B, D, M)
Physical Sciences
Psychology
- Psychology (B)
- Counseling Psychology (D, M)
- School Psychology (D, M)
- Clinical Psychology (D, M)
- Educational Psychology (D, M)
- Experimental Psychology (D, M)
Public Administration and Social Services
- Social Work (B, C, D, M)
- Public Administration (D, M)
Recreation and Fitness Studies
Security and Protective Services
Social Sciences
- Political Science (B, D, M)
- Economics (B, D, M)
- International Relations (M)
- Anthropology (B, D, M)
- Sociology (B, C, D, M)
- Geography (B, D, M)
Visual and Performing Arts
- Fine Arts and Studio Arts (B, M)
- Arts, Entertainment,And Media Management, General (B)
- Interior Design (B, M)
- Drama and Theatre Arts (B, M)
- Music Performance (B, M)
- Music History, Literature, and Theory (B, C, D)
- Music (D)
- Art History (B, M)
- Design and Applied Arts
- Acting
- Music Theory and Composition
- Musicology and Ethnomusicology
Other 4-Year Public Colleges
The list of schools below have been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to University of Kentucky.
- Kentucky State University in Frankfort, KY (22 miles away)
- Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, KY (24 miles away)
- Morehead State University in Morehead, KY (59 miles away)
- Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, KY (68 miles away)
- University of Louisville in Louisville, KY (70 miles away)
Also, you can compare schools by looking through our list of colleges & universities:
- Compare all colleges & universities in Kentucky
- See all public colleges in Kentucky
