Kentucky Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

This teacher preparation guide was designed for aspiring teachers looking for information on teaching schools in Kentucky. The state of Kentucky is home to several colleges and universities that offer degree programs that 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 lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved 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.

Quick Facts

• There are 33 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Kentucky.¹
• 9 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*¹
• 27 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*¹
• 19 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*¹
• 3 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019.²
• No schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020.³
• 5 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019.⁴
• 8 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019.⁵
• 19 not-for-profit teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.

Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Kentucky

Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*

• Berea College (#95)
• Transylvania University (#104)
• University of Louisville (#243)

*Institution-wide ranking.

US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019

• University of Kentucky (#57 tie)
• University of Louisville (#93 tie)
• Western Kentucky University (#157 tie)
• Bellarmine University (#195-258)
• University of the Cumberlands (#195-258)

US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019

• Western Kentucky University (#42 tie)
• University of Louisville (#54 tie)
• Eastern Kentucky University (#89 tie)
• University of the Cumberlands (#115 tie)
• Campbellsville University (#148 tie)
• Georgetown College (#174 tie)
• University of Kentucky (#189 tie)
• Lindsey Wilson College (#228-299)

School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Kentucky

Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Kentucky according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Kentucky Department of Education for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.

While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.

You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2017-2018 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.

Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “-“.

*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).

Profiles of Well-Known Schools

University of Kentucky: The University of Kentucky is home to one of the largest Colleges of Education in the entire country serving nearly 3,000 students all seeking degrees and careers related to education. Whether it’s in the classroom or behind the scenes, the UK College of Education strives to help students reach their potential and become thought leaders in their field of chosen study. Graduates of the College of Education currently work in every state, the District of Columbia and nearly 30 international countries. The College and its programs are accredited by a variety of agencies including National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB), and American Psychological Association (APA) just to name a few. The College offers several degrees along with dozens of majors including Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Education, Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Science in Career and Technical Education, Master of Arts in Education, and Doctor of Education programs.

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.

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Kentucky

Alice Lloyd College
100 Purpose Rd
Pippa Passes, KY 41844
(606) 368-2101
https://www.alc.edu/

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 actually 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 St
Berea, KY 40404-2182
(859) 985-3000
www.berea.edu

Bluegrass Community and Technical College*
470 Cooper Dr
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
https://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
https://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

Student Review: “As a student in the College of Education at EKU, I would rate my program a 3 out of 5. The professors know what they are teaching and they can be understanding. They can be helpful and the workload is not too bad. The program really helps us learn how to be good teachers and will even tell us stories and tips for our future classrooms, and many classes can be fun and hands-on to really let us understand how to be good teachers. However, there are some professors in the program who tend to share their prejudice views because they believe that telling us about children of a different ethnicity or culture can prove that stereotypes can be ‘true.’ Although these issues were reported, the chair was not very responsive and dismissed the case. Some courses are not helpful because I plan to teach elementary students and I won’t be teaching algebra, DNA codes, or huge English texts from the 1500s to kindergarten students. Overall, the College of Education is a good program, however, not every program is perfect and so I would rate my program a 3 out of 5.” -Student at Eastern Kentucky University

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

Georgetown College
400 E College St
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 St
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
https://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 Dr
Highland Heights, KY 41099
(859) 572-5100
www.nku.edu

Somerset Community College*
808 Monticello St
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 Pkwy
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
https://www.uky.edu/UKHome/

Student Review: “The education department is great in the sense that there is a lot of hands on experience provided. There are opportunities to get internships with local schools. The professors have deep connections with the local community that they are willing to exercise if needed or requested. The education department is very practical and stresses the application of what is learned in the classroom into the actual classroom. The only thing I wish the department did more was bridge the practice of education in the classroom with education research or psychology-education research. I believe that research can inform the practices in the classroom and also the practices (practical experience) most definitely can inform research. Otherwise, the department is extremely helpful and great in preparing students in the education realm.” -Student at University of Kentucky

University of Louisville
2301 S 3rd St
Louisville, KY 40292-0001
(502) 852-5555
https://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 Dr
Williamsburg, KY 40769
(606) 549-2200
www.ucumberlands.edu

Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1000
(270) 745-0111
https://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 knowledgeable 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

An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Tile
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
5. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
6. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
7. National Council on Teacher Quality Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
8. US Department of Education 2018 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx