The Graduate School

Martha Peterson, Ph.D., is Acting Dean of the Graduate School.

The University of Kentucky began offering graduate work in 1870, and awarding degrees in 1876. The Graduate School was organized as a distinct unit in 1912.

The Graduate School is concerned with advanced study and research carried on by the faculty and students of all colleges and departments. Under it, the total graduate resources of the University are merged in order to promote the achievement of knowledge in an atmosphere of free and lively inquiry.

More information is available on the web at: https://gradschool.uky.edu/.

Graduate Degrees

Graduate work is offered in most colleges in the University. The following advanced degrees are conferred:

Doctor of Education
Doctor of Musical Arts
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Social Work
Master of Applied Statistics
Master of Architecture
Master of Arts
Master of Arts in Education
Master of Arts in Interior Design
Master of Business Administration
Master of Education
Master of Engineering
Master of Fine Arts
Master of Health Administration
Master of Historic Preservation
Master of Mining Engineering
Master of Music
Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Financial Management
Master of Public Health
Master of Public Policy
Master of Rehabilitation Counseling
Master of Science
Master of Science in Accounting
Master of Science in Agricultural Economics
Master of Science in Agriculture
Master of Science in Athletic Training
Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis
Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering
Master of Science in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering
Master of Science in Civil Engineering
Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Master of Science in Community and Leadership Development
Master of Science in Education
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
Master of Science in Epidemiology
Master of Science in Family Sciences
Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences
Master of Science in Library Science
Master of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Master of Science in Nursing
Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Systems
Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences
Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
Master of Science: Professional Master in Biomedical Engineering
Master of Science in Radiological Medical Physics
Master of Science in Research Methods in Education
Master of Science in Retailing and Tourism Management
Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Psychology
Master of Social Work
Specialist in Education                                                                                                                                                                                        

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is offered with major work in the following fields:

Aerospace Engineering
Agricultural Economics
Anatomy and Neurobiology
Animal and Food Sciences
Anthropology
Arts Administration
Biochemistry
Biology
Biomedical Engineering
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Business Administration
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Clinical and Translational Sciences
Communication
Computer Engineering
Counseling Psychology
Early Childhood, Special Education, and Rehabilitation Counseling
Economics
Educational Psychology
Education Sciences
Educational Leadership Studies
Educational Policy Studies, Measurement and
Evaluation
Electrical Engineering
English
Entomology
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Exercise Science
Family Sciences
Forest and Natural Resource Sciences
Gender and Women’s Studies
Geography
Geological Sciences
Gerontology
Health Science Research
Hispanic Studies
History
Integrated Plant and Soil Science
Kinesiology and Health Promotion
Materials Science and Engineering
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
Mining Engineering
Music
Musical Arts
Nursing
Nutritional Sciences
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Pharmacology
Philosophy
Physics
Physiology
Plant Physiology
Political Science
Psychology - Clinical Psychology
Psychology - Experimental Psychology
Public Policy and Administration
Radiation and Radiological Sciences
Rehabilitation Sciences
Social Work
Sociology
Special Education
Statistics
Studies in Higher Education
Toxicology
Veterinary Science

The Graduate School administers two multidisciplinary Graduate Centers:

The Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce offers an interdisciplinary master’s degree which can be tailored to meet the career needs of individual students. The program is especially useful for students desiring careers in any of the non-academic fields in foreign affairs such as international banking, commerce and journalism, or service with governmental agencies or international organizations. For more information see the Patterson School Web site at: www.uky.edu/PattersonSchool/.

The Martin School of Public Policy and Administration offers a B.A. in Public Policy and four multidisciplinary degree programs - the Master of Public Administration, the Master of Public Financial Management, the Master of Public Policy and the Ph.D. in Public Administration - and engages in research and public service activities. The disciplines represented by the School’s faculty are management, finance, economics, industrial engineering, political science, and health administration. The research and public service components of the Martin School offer the School’s faculty, staff, and graduate students the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary research on public policy issues. For more information see the Martin School Web site at: www.martin.uky.edu/.

Organization of the Graduate School

The Graduate Faculty consists of the Dean of the Graduate School and all persons appointed thereto by the President of the University. As the chief University agency for the promotion of the ideals of graduate study, it determines the policies of the Graduate School and makes recommendations to the University Senate on such matters as require the approval of that body. All rules affecting graduate work and the inauguration of new graduate programs must be approved by the Graduate Faculty.

The Dean. The Dean of the Graduate School is charged with the administration of the policies adopted by the Graduate Faculty and the University Senate relating to graduate studies.

The Graduate Council is composed of 26 members and the Dean of the Graduate School, who serves as chair. There are 24 faculty representatives and two student representatives. Associate deans serve in a nonvoting, ex officio capacity.

The Graduate Council approves or disapproves proposals concerning courses offered for graduate credit, and advises and lends assistance to the Dean of the Graduate School in their execution of policies and regulations determined by the Graduate Faculty.

Directors of Graduate Studies. A Director of Graduate Studies is appointed for each program of graduate study. Among other duties, each director serves as advisor to students majoring in his or her area.

Admission

Students seeking admission to a degree program in the Graduate School must hold a baccalaureate degree from a fully accredited institution of higher learning. For U.S. institutions “fully accredited” means that the institution is a member in good standing of one of the 6 regional academic accrediting associations. International institutions must be recognized by the ministry of education or by another centralized government educational body within the institution’s country. An overall undergraduate grade-point average of 2.75 and 3.0 on all graduate work is required by the Graduate School. Individual departments may require higher grade-point averages.

Applicants for admission to degree programs in the Graduate School for fall 2024 and beyond are not required to submit official scores on the verbal, quantitative and analytical writing portions of the Graduate Record Examination, unless their programs require these scores (refer to The Graduate School Catalog for a list of programs).

Upon admission, new students must submit official transcripts directly to the Graduate School from each institution of higher learning previously attended.

International applicants must meet the requirements listed above, as well as the English proficiency requirement (refer to the UK Graduate School Catalog for a list of programs).

For domestic applicants (U.S. citizens or resident aliens) the application fee is $65; for international applicants, the fee is $75.

Complete applications must be submitted no later than one month before the beginning of the term the applicant intends to begin graduate work (five months for international applicants). Students should refer to the University Calendar in this Catalog for important dates.

University Scholars Program (Combined Doctoral or Master’s/Bachelor’s Degree Program)

This program offers particularly gifted and highly motivated students the opportunity of integrating their undergraduate and graduate courses of study in a single continuous program culminating in both a baccalaureate and a master’s or doctoral degree. The total number of hours for the combined program may be as many as 12 less than the total required for the bachelor’s and the master’s or doctoral degrees separately. The requirements for the bachelor’s degree are unaffected.

Applications to the program should be submitted at the end of the student’s junior year. Applicants should have completed at least 90 credit hours of work toward the bachelor’s degree, or be eligible for senior standing in the semester they are admitted to the program. The master’s program should be in the field of the undergraduate major (there are some exceptions made), and the undergraduate grade-point average must be at least a 3.50 in the applicant’s major field and 3.20 overall.

Students must register in the Graduate School for all work taken following admission to the University Scholars Program. The primary classification of University Scholars will be undergraduate until they have completed all requirements for their undergraduate degree, and undergraduate tuition rates will be applied to the 12 hours (or less) of graduate level course work designated for dual credit in this program.

Graduating Seniors as Part-Time Graduate Students

A senior at the University of Kentucky lacking no more than six credit hours for graduation and having an undergraduate grade-point average of at least 2.75 on all work attempted may register in a degree program in the Graduate School with the consent of his or her college dean, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Dean of the Graduate School.

The total load of such a student may not exceed 12 credit hours. Graduate credit will be allowed for each credit hour of graduate work beyond the six or fewer credit hours needed to complete undergraduate requirements. Requirements for the undergraduate degree must be completed during the semester in which the student is allowed to register for part-time graduate work.

Conditional Admission

Students wishing to pursue a higher degree who are temporarily ineligible for regular graduate admission status may be recommended by the Director of Graduate Studies for conditional admission status for a maximum of one full-time semester. Students should refer to the UK Graduate School Catalog for further information. Special international cohorts are considered for admission to graduate programs prior to meeting the language proficiency and GRE/GMAT requirements. If granted conditional admission, students must meet the language and GRE/GMAT requirements prior to beginning the academic program of study.

Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Certificate Admission

Students who hold a baccalaureate degree and who wish to pursue graduate study without a degree objective may apply for admission as post-baccalaureate graduate students. An overall undergraduate grade-point average of 2.5 or better and 3.0 on all previous graduate work is required by the Graduate School for admission to post-baccalaureate status.

Advanced Degrees for Faculty Members

Members of the faculty, except those in the Community College System, having a rank higher than that of instructor may not be considered as candidates for degrees in the discipline in which they are employed and hold academic rank.

Dual Degree Programs

The University of Kentucky offers a number of dual degree programs; such programs require separate admission to each discipline involved. Dual degree programs currently in place are: J.D./M.H.A., J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A., M.D./M.B.A., M.D./M.P.H., M.D./Ph.D., Pharm.D./M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharm.D./M.B.A., Pharm.D./M.P.A., Pharm.D./M.P.H., B.S. in Engineering/M.B.A., B.S. in Engineering/M.B.A. and B.S. in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering/M.S. in Manufacturing Engineering.

For more information on the dual degree programs, see the UK Graduate School Catalog.

Joint and Cooperative Doctoral Programs

There are three cooperative programs as listed in the Graduate School Bulletin:

(1) University of Kentucky/Lexington Theological Seminary, Double Competency Program - The Lexington Theological Seminary and the University of Kentucky have established a double-competency program to educate qualified students whose career interests are social work and the ministry. The mutual recognition of certain courses between Lexington Theological Seminary (LTS) and the College of Social Work makes possible the shortening of the overall time required to acquire both degrees separately. Interested students should contact the Director of Graduate Studies in Social Work.

(2) University of Kentucky/Asbury Theological Seminary, Double Competency Program -Asbury Theological Seminary and the University of Kentucky have established a double-competency program for students whose interests are social work and the ministry. The mutual recognition of certain courses between the College of Social Work and Asbury Theological Seminary makes possible the shortening of the overall time required to acquire both degrees separately. Interested students should contact the Director of Graduate Studies in Social Work.

and (3) Collaborative Curriculum Leading to the Master of Music in Sacred Music -  The UK School of Music offers the Master of Music with an emphasis in Sacred Music; this degree involves the completion of core course work at the University of Kentucky, as well as 6-9 credits of course work at an accredited seminary or other appropriate institution. One option available to the student involves a collaborative curriculum between the University of Kentucky and Lexington Theological Seminary leading to the award of the Master of Music from UK, and the Master of Arts in Church Music from Lexington Theological Seminary. Interested students should contact the Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Kentucky, School of Music.

For more information on joint and cooperative programs, see the UK Graduate School Catalog.

Independent Study Programs

(Correspondence Courses)

No graduate credit is given for courses taken by correspondence.

Registration and Classification

All students expecting graduate credit must be enrolled in the Graduate School. Graduate students will conform to the general registration schedule of the University and may not enter later than the last allowable date set by the University Registrar.

Before registering, a graduate student must obtain his or her advisor’s approval of the proposed program.

Assistantships and Fellowships

Financial assistance is available in the form of assistantships and fellowships. An assistantship is an appointment to specified teaching or research duties. A fellowship is a non-service award made to superior students to assist in the pursuit of an advanced degree.

Assistantships

More than 1,500 teaching and research assistantships are available from departments and other units of the University. In addition to an assistantship stipend, full or partial tuition scholarships are available for most assistantship holders based on the number of hours per work in the assistantship. University-provided Student Health Plan coverage is offered for full-time assistants who meet eligibility criteria.

Most assistantships are awarded for the academic year. Additionally, most assistantships are provided through academic departments, although some are offered by non-academic departments and offices throughout the university. Students in the University Scholars Program are not eligible for Graduate Assistantships until they complete their undergraduate degree requirements. When available, these assistantships are posted on the UK job site at: https://ukjobs.uky.edu/. Students interested in assistantships through their academic department should contact their Director of Graduate Studies no later than February for the next academic year. Later applicants have a reduced chance of obtaining an assistantship, as most decisions are made by April for the following academic year. Directors of Graduate Studies can provide information regarding the availability of positions or the status of assistantship offers. Notification of an assistantship offer in an academic department comes from the program.

For more information on assistantships, visit The Graduate School’s website at: http://gradschool.uky.edu/assistantships.

Fellowships

Several non-service fellowships are offered by The Graduate School. The specific deadlines, eligibility requirements, and award packages of these competitive fellowships vary greatly, however most require a nomination from each applicant’s Director of Graduate Studies. All fellowships require a student to be admitted to both their program and The Graduate School before an award offer is made. Applicants must also have an activated LinkBlue to be able to apply for fellowships, and an activated @uky.edu email address for communication of any award offer. All offers are contingent on the recipient’s enrollment in their program and progress toward their degree. Post-baccalaureate students are not eligible for The Graduate School’s fellowships.

Some colleges, departments, and programs offer fellowships that are external to The Graduate School. The Graduate School does not maintain information on these, and any inquiries should be directed to the entity that offers them.

For more information on The Graduate School’s fellowships, visit: https://gradschool.uky.edu/fellowships