About MSU

Morehead State University is much more than you might expect. We are much more than a college ... much more than an alma mater ... much more engaged ... much more personal ... and much more than a regional partner.

MSU delivers a strong and affordable education for friendly, ambitious students who thrive in a student-focused learning environment defined by small class sizes and faculty committed to teaching and student success.

Academically, the University offers 143 undergraduate degree programs, including 12 associate level degrees and 131 baccalaureate degrees in four colleges — Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Business and Public Affairs; College of Education; and College of Science and Technology — and 20 academic departments.

There are 70 graduate degree programs plus one education specialist program in five specialty areas also is offered. A master’s degree for physician assistants, social workers and a cooperative doctoral program, all with the University of Kentucky, are available on the MSU campus. A doctoral degree in education began in fall 2010.

Morehead State was recognized for the eighth consecutive year as one of the top public universities in the South in the 2011 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S.News & World Report. MSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS).

Classes are offered at regional campuses in Ashland, Jackson, Mt. Sterling, Prestonsburg, West Liberty and at other sites, including Maysville and Pikeville. Additionally, the University offers a number of distance learning courses throughout the region via the Internet and interactive compressed video.

Morehead State was the first institution in Kentucky to offer a complete degree program, the Master of Business Administration (MBA), online. The University has erected a space tracking system in partnership with NASA. The second component of the Space Science Center opened in 2009 — a $16.6 million instruction and research support facility. MSU is among five institutions in the U.S. with a bachelor’s degree in space science.

Physically, the University is located in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County. The nearly 500-acre main campus within the city limits of Morehead includes more than 50 major structures with a total replacement value of more than $144 million. Beyond the city, the University’s real estate holdings include the 320-acre Derrickson Agricultural Complex and Eagle Trace, a par-72, 6,902-yard public golf course. The instructional plant includes 120 classrooms and 112 laboratories. Housing facilities include space for approximately 2,600 students in a variety of housing styles, including traditional residence halls, suites and apartments.

Fiscally, the University currently operates on an annual budget of $129.2 million with about $41.7 million provided by the state and $52.7 million coming from tuition and fees. Additionally, grants and contracts from external sources for research, service and academic/student support projects generate more than $15 million each year. Annual private gifts to the University, through the MSU Foundation Inc., average $3 million annually.

Statistically, the University has awarded more than 55,000 degrees and currently has more than 1,100 full-time employees. Enrollment for fall 2010 was more than 9,000, with the student body representing 106 Kentucky counties, 42 states and 35 foreign countries. The University attracts more than 50,000 visitors annually and its economic impact, directly and indirectly, on the Morehead area is estimated at more than $90 million yearly.