Kentucky Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

This teacher preparation guide was designed for aspiring teachers looking for information on teaching schools in Kentucky. Fortunately, the state has several colleges and universities that offer degree programs to prepare students to enter the vibrant world of education. Scroll through the page below for details on how to obtain a teaching degree in Kentucky as well as information such as a list of accredited teacher preparation programs and student reviews. Whether you’re looking to switch careers or fresh out of college, starting your search here will help you find a program that meets your individual career goals as a new teacher.

School Facts:

• There are 41 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Kentucky.¹
• 19 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.¹
• Highest graduation rate*: Centre College, 87%.¹
• Highest transfer-out rate*: Kentucky State University, 46%.¹
• Highest net price per year*: Strayer University-Kentucky, $29,524.¹
• Lowest net price per year*: Northern Kentucky University, $8,404.¹
• Annual undergraduate tuition range for teaching degree programs in Kentucky*: $6,990-$35,000.²
• Two schools ranked in US News National Universities Rankings in 2013 (top 200): University of Kentucky (125), University of Louisville (160).
• One school ranked in Forbes Top Colleges List (top 100): Centre College (60).
• 17 teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP (see below).*

*For 4-year colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.

Profiles of Well-Known Schools

Western Kentucky University: The Western Kentucky College of Education strives to stay on the cutting edge of education pedagogy while staying true to the principles that have made it the fastest growing university in the state of Kentucky for 14 years in a row. The College of Education is one of the largest colleges on the campus and is comprised of several academic units including Counseling and Student Affairs, Educational Administration and Organizational Leadership and Teacher Education. The College of Education offers undergraduate and graduate programs with several dozen majors including middle grades education, science education, social studies education, special education, secondary education, library media education, elementary education and more. Western Kentucky University faculty members in the College of Education strive to focus on research while effectively mentoring both undergraduates and graduate students. Students can earn traditional degrees on campus as well as entirely online.

Eastern Kentucky University: Located in Richmond, Kentucky near I-75, within a two-hour drive of Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky University prepares students to lead productive and enriched lives. The EKU College of Education believes that learning is personally constructed and is impacted by social interactions, an individual’s culture, social influences, and prior experiences. To facilitate learning, candidates must engage their students in scaffolded experiences and discussions that allow students to make new information and strategies. Knowledge and pedagogy are developed through a variety of instructional strategies focused on the development of critical thinking, independent study and research, cultural experiences and supervised applied learning in field and clinical sites. The faculty shares a commitment to individualized teaching and learning and a belief that we must also model effective practices.

Top-Rated Teacher Preparation Programs

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) evaluated and rated 1,100 US college programs that offer teacher preparation programs (Teacher Prep Review 2013 Report). According to the results, four teaching programs in Kentucky made the “honor roll” of 3 stars or higher. Read more about the NCTQ Teacher Prep Review 2013 Report.

The following teacher preparation programs in Kentucky received the highest ratings by the National Council on Teacher Quality:

University of Kentucky (Undergraduate Secondary)
Eastern Kentucky University (Undergraduate Secondary)
University of Kentucky (Graduate Secondary)
University of Louisville (Undergraduate Secondary)

The following reviewed schools were cited as problematic (no stars):

University of the Cumberlands (Graduate Elementary)

Teacher Preparation Programs Accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP

• Asbury University
• Bellarmine University
• Berea College
• Campbellsville University
• Eastern Kentucky University
• Georgetown College
• Kentucky State University
• Lindsey Wilson College
• Morehead State University
• Murray State University
• Northern Kentucky University
• Spalding University
• The University of Kentucky
• Thomas More College
• Transylvania University
• University of Louisville
• Western Kentucky University

Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies.

School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Kentucky

Request free information from the following schools to learn more about your options for choosing a teacher degree program. We recommend you: Request information from one or more of these schools

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Kentucky

Alice Lloyd College
100 Purpose Rd
Pippa Passes, KY 41844
(606) 368-2101

Student Review: “The Teacher Education Program (TEP) at Alice Lloyd College has had many ups and downs. On the upside, a student is not liable to find a program that will prepare him or her better for a career as an educator. This institute requires of all students to be involved in the academics via a work-study program, and the actual TEP program requires students to be involved in community activities and school activities. The one drawback is the quality of the instructors. The director of the program is brilliant; I can never say anything bad about her. As for the other instructors, they can be a bit lacking at times. They are brilliant, don’t get me wrong, I just question the validity of their ability to actual teach. Last year, the program lost its greatest asset when the assistant director of the program decided to retire. This man was a gem to me. He was the only reason that I stuck with the program and didn’t give up altogether.” -Eric T., student at Alice Lloyd College

Asbury College
1 Macklem Dr
Wilmore, KY 40390-1198
(859) 858-3511
www.asbury.edu

Bellarmine University
2001 Newburg Rd
Louisville, KY 40205-0671
(502) 452-8000
www.bellarmine.edu

Berea College
101 Chestnut Street
Berea, KY 40404-2182
(859) 985-3000
www.berea.edu

Bluegrass Community and Technical College
470 Cooper Drive
Lexington, KY 40506
(859) 246-2400

Brescia University
717 Frederica St
Owensboro, KY 42301-3023
(270) 685-3131
www.brescia.edu

Campbellsville University
1 University Dr.
Campbellsville, KY 42718
270-789-5000
www.campbellsville.edu

Student Review: “The school of education at CU was structured much like any other education program in Kentucky. There were a few introductory courses that gave you insight into the program, but quite honestly did not give any insight into the career. As I progressed further into the teaching program my classes became more “useless” in relation to real teaching experience. The classes were full of presentations to our peers followed by review and discussion of our techniques and methods. I believe the program would have been much more productive if we spent more time teaching in actual classrooms in our desired field of study. The program taught us very well how to navigate the Teaching Standards and develop lessons, but lacked greatly in hands-on experience.” -Lucas A., student at Campbellsville University

Eastern Kentucky University (School Profile)
521 Lancaster Ave
Richmond, KY 40475-3102
(859) 622-1000
www.coe.eku.edu

Student Review: “The education program at EKU is great until you get into student teaching. The semester before student teaching is known as “methods.” During this time, you spend 3 days a week in the classroom, as well as in the school setting, for practicum. You teach lessons and have “solo” weeks. It really prepares you to be a teacher. Once you get into student teaching, you have nobody to guide you or help you with your problems. They just throw you out to sea to see if you sink or swim.” -Student at Eastern Kentucky University

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
600 College Street Rd
Elizabethtown, KY 42701-3081
(270) 769-2371

Georgetown College
400 East College Street
Georgetown, KY 40324
(502) 863-8000
www.georgetowncollege.edu

Hopkinsville Community College
720 North Dr
Hopkinsville, KY 42241-2100
(270) 707-3700

Jefferson Community and Technical College
109 E Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202-2005
(502) 213-4000

Kentucky Christian University
100 Academic Pky
Grayson, KY 41143-1199
(606) 474-3000

Kentucky Wesleyan College
3000 Frederica Street
Owensboro, KY 42301
(270) 926-3111

Lindsey Wilson College
210 Lindsey Wilson St
Columbia, KY 42728-1223
(270) 384-2126

Midway College
512 E. Stephens St
Midway, KY 40347-1120
(859) 846-4421

Morehead State University
University Blvd
Morehead, KY 40351
(606) 783-2221

Murray State University
218 Wells Hall
Murray, KY 42071-3318
(270) 809-3011
www.murraystate.edu

Student Review: “Murray State University is a wonderful school. Nestled in the heart of Murray, Ky, Murray State is surrounded by a community full of support. With almost 10,000 students the school has a very small town feel. The school focuses on building relationships by establishing residential colleges instead of dorms. This allows you to develop unity with peers from day one. As an education major I can say the school is at the top of its game when it comes to any education program. The only con is that the school does have a huge emphasis on greeks and can sometimes cause non-greeks to feel excluded.” -Kara B., student at Murray State University

Northern Kentucky University
Nunn Drive
Highland Heights, KY 41099
(859) 572-5100
www.nku.edu

Pat Wilsons Beauty College
326 N Main
Henderson, KY 42420
(270) 826-5195

Somerset Community College
808 Monticello Street
Somerset, KY 42501-2973
(877) 629-9722
www.somerset.kctcs.edu

Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College
700 College Rd
Cumberland, KY 40823
(606) 589-2145
www.southeast.kctcs.edu

Thomas More College
333 Thomas More Parkway
Crestview Hills, KY 41017-3495
(859) 341-5800
www.thomasmore.edu

Transylvania University
300 N Broadway
Lexington, KY 40508-1797
(859) 233-8300

Union College
310 College St
Barbourville, KY 40906-1499
(606) 546-4151
www.unionky.edu

University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0032
(859) 257-9000
www.uky.edu

University of Louisville
2301 S 3rd St
Louisville, KY 40292-0001
(502) 852-5555
www.louisville.edu

Student Review: “I had an exceptional experience at University of Louisville. There’s nothing like the people-friendly state of Kentucky while having the amenities of a mid-sized city like Louisville. One of my favorite parts of U of L was the support provided by professors and peers alike. I was in a cohort of students all switching careers to become special education teachers; we stuck together closely and developed lifelong friendships as we went through the challenges of grad school. My professors took a strong interest in me and offered personal mentorship. I still meet regularly with one mentor, and he has now helped me begin full-time doctoral studies at U of L. One thing I would maybe change were the occasional adjunct professors who were less experienced, particularly in a few summer courses I took. However, those classes were rare and had little negative impact on my overall learning and experience. I couldn’t be more thankful for all the opportunities U of L has provided me.” -Chris S., student at University of Louisville

Student Review: “The University of Louisville’s campus is spread apart and easy to navigate; having been here for 4 years, I know my way around the entire campus, including buildings I’ve never been in or had classes in. The library is fairly decent and includes a mechanical retrieval system for the more rare and unique books. Food selection is fairly poor, especially if you live on campus and have to use the meal plan for your food. The majority of one’s options are fast food with a few “campus” restaurants in-between, which are expensive and of mediocre quality.” -Caleb W., student at University of Louisville

University of the Cumberlands
6191 College Station Drive
Williamsburg, KY 40769
(606) 549-2200
www.ucumberlands.edu

Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1000
(270) 745-0111
www.wku.edu

Student Review: “My experience in the teaching program at Western Kentucky University was great! My classes prepared me for the real world of teaching, giving me a broad knowledge base about various disabilities, teaching strategies and the legal implications associated with special education. My professors were both knowledgable and approachable, and I always felt like I could ask questions for clarification. They encouraged me to join my professional organization and to become involved in my field even before graduating. My student teaching placements were very beneficial because I was able to see an elementary school in a county school system and a high school in the city school system. This gave me a wide variety of perspectives and helped guide me to choose the age range of students that I wanted to eventually work with.” -Amanda L., student at Western Kentucky University

Student Review: “During my time at Western Kentucky University, I really enjoyed my experience. The music education program was (and still is) run by top-notch faculty. I learned immensely about music theory, music history, and general education curriculum. One of my best experiences was with my elementary and middle grades classroom teacher, who was a phenomenal educator, and taught me many skills that I use in my classroom today. My applied studio professor was also a wonderful person and a great influence on me as I stepped into the world of teaching. The only thing that I disliked at the time was the amount of time that I had to spend on coursework, but after being in the ‘real world’, I have found that the experience actually mimics the ‘real world’ experience quite well.” -Johnathan C., student at Western Kentucky University

Student Review: “Western Kentucky University is the home of the Hilltoppers, and when they say hilltoppers, they mean it! Set atop a rather steep hill, this university will work your body nearly as much as your mind, as you traverse to and from class. This can be a bit daunting at first, and has caused many a freshman to miss class, but the exercise is worth the knowledge you will get. There is a friendly staff and faculty willing to help give you opportunities you might not find elsewhere.” -Jennifer W., student at Western Kentucky University

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Niche College Search: https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-education/