Morehead State University College Portrait
Morehead State University150 University Blvd. Morehead, KY 40351
1-800-585-6781
Morehead State University
Morehead State University aspires to be the best public university in the south!
Meeting the educational needs of Eastern Kentucky while striving to constantly improve the quality of its public service, economic development and applied research programs are the primary objectives of Morehead State University. Located in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest, the nearly 500 acre main campus lies within the city limits of Morehead, Kentucky. Academically, MSU is accredited as a comprehensive University offering a wide variety of undergraduate, graduate, and pre-professional programs in a collegial and open environment. MSU offers students a 17:1 student/faculty ratio, allowing for a more personalized educational experience, and has been recognized for the fifth consecutive year as one of the top public universities in the South in the 2010 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report.
Living in the Eagles Community
Morehead State University and the surrounding area offer students an engaging educational experience both in and out of the classroom!
Constantly seeking improvement and new opportunities for student learning, MSU has recently built an Equine Health Education Center and a Space Science Center, through partnership with NASA, and started construction of a Center for Health Education and Research, through partnership with St. Claire Regional Medical Center and the University of Kentucky. Additionally, MSU has begun construction on a new $30 million Student Recreation Center. Housing facilities include space for about 2,600 students in traditional residence halls, suites, and apartments. In addition to academics, students have the opportunity to join more than 100 clubs and organizations or participate in a variety of student activities. Athletically, the University sponsors 16 intercollegiate sports for men and women in accordance with the regulations of the Ohio Valley Conference, the Pioneer Football League, and Division I of the NCAA. MSU also supports an intramural program involving more than 25 team and individual sports.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2010?
More Information
| Total Students | 8,842 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 7,399 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 4,547 | 61% |
| Men | 2,852 | 39% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 19 | <1% |
| Asian | 29 | <1% |
| African American / Black | 252 | 3% |
| Hispanic | 64 | 1% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 2 | <1% |
| White | 6,842 | 92% |
| Two or More Races | 16 | <1% |
| International | 45 | 1% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 130 | 2% |
| Where do MSU undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| Kentucky | 85% |
| Other US States & Territories | 15% |
| Other Countries | 1% |
| Residency Unknown | <1% |
| How old are MSU undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 24 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 25% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2010)
New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores
Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended
| Test Scores of Enrolled New Freshmen | ACT | SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Composite | 19 - 24 | |
| Math | 17 - 23 | 470 - 550 |
| English | 18 - 24 | |
| Critical Reading | 430 - 540 |
50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.
| High School Background of Enrolled New Freshmen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percent in top 25% of High School Graduating Class | 47% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 78% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 80% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.31 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 94% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2009-10 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $14,112
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend Morehead State University varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.
How much would I pay?
Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?
Scholarships & Grants
- 48% of 2009-10 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $5,224. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.
Annual Need-Based Loans
- 50% of 2009-10 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $3,887. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.
Percent of 2008-2009 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
MSU Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 17 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 83% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 97% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 374 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 48% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 12% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | <1% |
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Campus-based Housing
74% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
38% of all undergraduates live on campus
More Information
Campus Safety
The Morehead State University Police Department maintains a 24-hours a day, 7 days a week operation. Sworn police officers and state certified dispatchers are on duty to respond to any crime, suspected crime, or incident requiring police attention. Emergency phones are available throughout campus. The MSU Police Department actively participates in programs to promote crime awareness, prevention, and reporting. Topics include, but are not limited to; theft, rape, drugs & alcohol, and personal & property security.
Campus Crime Statistics
Carnegie Classification of Institutional Characteristics
The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/
- Basic Type
- Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)
- Size and Setting
- Medium four-year, primarily residential
- Enrollment Profile
- High undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Full-time four-year, selective, lower transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Balanced arts & sciences/professions, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Postbaccalaureate comprehensive
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
Student Activities and Involvement at MSU
Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.
Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.
Group Learning Experiences
- 93% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 60% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 23% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 81% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 22% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 55% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 59% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 7% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 95% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 97% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 78% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 66% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 95% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff
- 58% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 84% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 97% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 75% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 68% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 86% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 48% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 87% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 89% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 89% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at Morehead State University in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| Associate's | 158 |
| Bachelor's | 926 |
| Master's | 368 |
| Total | 1,452 |
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| General Studies | 14% |
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 7% |
| Social Work | 6% |
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General | 5% |
| Sociology | 4% |
| Links to degree programs at Morehead State University |
|---|
Associate'sBachelor'sMaster's |
Future Plans of 2009-10 Bachelor's Degree Recipients
Survey Administration Process
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 64% four-year success and progress rate means that 64% of students starting in Fall 2004 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
Counts for the Fall 2004 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 1,261 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 347 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2009 that returned for their second year: 67%
Student Learning at Morehead State University
All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.
Morehead State University is committed to achieving academic excellence through the development, delivery, and maintenance of superior academic programs. The periodic review of all academic programs and annual assessment of student learning outcomes is an integral part of the institution’s strategic plan to enhance teaching and learning in the classroom. The assessment of student learning and development occurs at the course, program, and institutional level. Results from the Collegiate Learning Assessment indicate that MSU contributes more to the learning gains made by students than 99 percent of the 176 four-year undergraduate institutions participating in the 2007–2008 CLA.
Learning Assessment Examples
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.
- Results from the Collegiate Learning Assessment
The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) measures critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving, and written communication using a performance task and an analytic writing task. The scores from the tasks are reported separately below.
Test Administration Process
Test Information
Performance Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the performance task is well above what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 969
Senior Score: 1130
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 23
Senior Score: 21
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1070
Senior Score: 990
Analytic Writing Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the analytic writing task is above what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1011
Senior Score: 1132
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 22
Senior Score: 21
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1030
Senior Score: 999