Douglass S. Kalika, 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: http://www.rgs.uky.edu/gs/gradhome.html.
Graduate work is offered in most colleges in the University. The following advanced degrees are conferred:
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is offered with major work in the following
fields: agricultural economics, anatomy and neurobiology, animal sciences, anthropology,
biology, biomedical engineering, biosystems and agricultural engineering, business
administration, chemical engineering, chemistry, civil engineering, communication,
computer science, crop science, economics, educational and counseling psychology,
electrical engineering, English, entomology, family studies, geography, geology,
gerontology, studies in higher education, history, materials science and engineering,
mathematics, mechanical engineering, microbiology, mining engineering, molecular
and cellular biochemistry, molecular and cellular pharmacology, music, nursing,
nutritional sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, philosophy, physics and astronomy,
physiology, plant pathology, plant physiology, political science, psychology,
public administration, rehabilitation sciences, social work, sociology, soil
science, Spanish, statistics, toxicology, and veterinary science.
There are seven multidisciplinary graduate degree programs administered in the Graduate School: Biomedical Engineering, Diplomacy and International Commerce, Gerontology, Health Administration, Nutritional Sciences, Public Administration, and Toxicology. Students interested in information on these programs should contact the program directors at the addresses listed below.
Dr. Charles F. Knapp, Director
Biomedical Engineering
207 Rose Street
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0070
Dr. John Stempel, Director
The Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce
455 Patterson Office Tower
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0027
Dr. Graham D. Rowles, Director
Gerontology
101 Sanders-Brown Center
800 South Limestone
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0230
Dr. Genia Toma, Director
James W. Martin School of Public Policy and Administration
Public Administration/ Health Administration
419 Patterson Office Tower
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0027
Dr. Frederick C. deBeer, Director
Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences
203A Allied Health Building
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0003
Dr. Mary Vore, Director
Graduate Center for Toxicology
306 Health Sciences Research Bldg.
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0305
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 and His Office. 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 18 members and the Dean of the Graduate School, who serves as chair. There are 16 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 his 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.
Students seeking admission to a degree program in the Graduate School must hold a baccalaureate degree from a fully accredited institution of higher learning. 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.
All applicants for admission to degree programs in the Graduate School must submit official scores on the verbal, quantitative and analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination. Business Administration and Accounting applicants substitute the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Also, applicants for the Health Administration, Public Administration, and Public Health programs may substitute the GMAT.
New students applying for admission must have two official transcripts sent by each institution of higher learning previously attended. Applicants may send official transcripts, issued by the Registrar in a sealed envelope, along with the application. All transcripts must be sent to the Graduate School.
International applicants must meet the requirements listed above, as well as the English proficiency requirement; additional details are available in The Graduate School Bulletin.
Students can submit applications for admission electronically from the Graduate School Web site at www.rgs.uky.edu/gs/gsapplication.html. Otherwise, application forms can be printed from Graduate School Web site or obtained by writing:
The Graduate School
351 Patterson Office Tower
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0027
Complete applications must be submitted no later than one month before the beginning
of the term the applicant intends to begin graduate work (six months for international
applicants). Students should refer to the University Calendar for important dates.
At the University of Kentucky there are some particularly gifted and highly motivated students whose well-defined academic and career plans include graduate study. The University Scholars program offers these students the opportunity and the challenge of integrating their undergraduate and graduate courses of study in a single continuous program culminating in both a baccalaureate and master's degree.
Requirements for this program are listed in the Special Academic Programs section.
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. A student applying for admission to the Graduate School under these conditions must fill out a petition form listing the course or courses to be taken in order to complete the undergraduate requirements. Petition forms are available in the Graduate School.
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 provisional admission status for a maximum of one full-time semester. Students should refer to The Graduate School Bulletin for further information.
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. Refer to The Graduate School Bulletin for further information.
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.
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.B.A., J.D./M.P.A., M.D./M.B.A., M.D./M.P.H., Pharm.D./M.B.A., Pharm.D./M.P.A., Pharm.D./M.S. in Economics, B.S. in Engineering/M.B.A., and B.S. in Engineering/M.P.A. Combined study leading to both the M.D. and Ph.D. is also available. For more information on the dual degree programs, see The Graduate School Bulletin.
Cooperative doctoral programs in education are offered between the University of Kentucky and other state universities: Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, and Western Kentucky University. These programs permit qualified candidates to complete approximately one year of graduate work above the master's degree at the cooperating university, and the work of each candidate is directed by a joint faculty committee from both institutions.
Cooperative doctoral programs in musicology, physics, and higher education are offered between the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville; a cooperative program in geology between the University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University; and a cooperative program in history between the University of Kentucky and Western Kentucky University. A cooperative doctoral program in rehabilitation sciences is offered between the University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, Murray State University, and Western Kentucky University. The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville share a joint Ph.D. program in Social Work.
For more information on joint and cooperative programs, see The Graduate School Bulletin.
No graduate credit is given for courses taken by correspondence.
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.
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. For more information on assistantships and fellowships, visit the Web at www.rgs.uky.edu/gs/fellowship/fellowassist.html.
Over 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, as is University-provided health insurance.
The majority of assistantships are awarded for the academic year. Students interested in an assistantship should notify the appropriate Director of Graduate Studies by January for the next academic year; later applicants have a reduced chance of obtaining an assistantship. Most assistantship decisions are made by April for the coming academic year.
Notification of an assistantship comes from the program. Contact the Director of Graduate Studies in the program you seek to enter regarding the availability of positions or the status of assistantship offers.
There are over 400 non-service fellowships available in all areas of graduate work. The majority of these fellowships include a stipend as well as a tuition scholarship and university-provided health insurance. Duration may be from one to three years, depending on fellowship type. While fellowships are formally awarded by the Graduate School, nominations for most fellowships are made by the program in which a student seeks to enroll.
Almost all fellowships are awarded for the academic year; however, a few fellowships are sometimes available in the spring semester. Departments make fellowship nominations by February for the next academic year, so students interested in a fellowship are strongly urged to contact the appropriate Director of Graduate Studies no later than January 15 for the next academic year. Notification of fellowship awards generally comes from the Graduate School by early May.
Students from ethnically diverse backgrounds and women in under-represented areas applying for tuition scholarship and cost of education funding (Commonwealth Incentive Awards for Kentucky residents) or for a Lyman T. Johnson Fellowship are considered for spring and summer terms, as well as for academic year awards. For more information about these awards, call the Recruitment Office, (859) 257-4555, or visit on the Web at www.rgs.uky.edu/gs/specfund.html.
Awards are sometimes offered before an applicant is officially admitted to the Graduate School; all awards offered are contingent upon admission. Post-baccalaureate (nondegree) students are not eligible for fellowship consideration, or for those tuition scholarships that accompany most assistantships. Post-baccalaureate ethnically diverse students and women in under-represented areas are eligible for Commonwealth Incentive Awards.
Funds are available to students enrolled in graduate programs for assistance with expenses relating to dissertation or thesis research, as well as for travel to present research at professional meetings. Application materials are available on the Web at: www.rgs.uky.edu/gs/fellowship/supportfunding.html.
