Northern Kentucky University College Portrait
Northern Kentucky University1 University Drive Highland Heights, KY 41099
(859) 572-1400
Northern Kentucky University
Northern Kentucky University, located just south of Cincinnati, offers Certificates, Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Arts and Sciences, Business, Education & Human Services, Informatics, Nursing and Health Professions and Law. Two doctoral degrees are offered-one in the College of Education & Human Services and the other in the College of Health Professions.
Welcome to Northern Kentucky University, a growing metropolitan university of more than 15,000 students served by nearly 2,000 faculty and staff on a thriving suburban campus near Cincinnati. Located in the quiet suburb of Highland Heights, Ky. - just seven miles southeast of Cincinnati - we have become a leader in Greater Cincinnati and Kentucky by providing a private school education for a fraction of the cost. While we are one of the fastest growing universities in Kentucky, our professors still know our students' names.
Living in the Norse Community
We're nestled in a suburb in Northern Kentucky. Grocery stores, restaurants, and other necessities are within walking distance for students. The campus is just 20 minutes away from a major airport and seven miles south of Cincinnati.
NKU is a growing campus nestled in the hills of a safe and quiet suburb in Northern Kentucky with all the attributes of a larger college town. Grocery stores, restaurants, banks and post offices are conveniently within walking distance for students, and hospitals with urgent care facilities and emergency services are nearby. The campus is accessible from four major highways and just 20 minutes away from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. We're located seven miles south of downtown Cincinnati and less than two hours away from Lexington and Louisville.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2010?
More Information
| Total Students | 15,716 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 13,485 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 7,568 | 56% |
| Men | 5,917 | 44% |
| Gender Not Reported | 13485 | 100% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 34 | <1% |
| Asian | 132 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 854 | 6% |
| Hispanic | 195 | 1% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 4 | <1% |
| White | 11,388 | 84% |
| Two or More Races | 93 | 1% |
| International | 191 | 1% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 594 | 4% |
| Where do NKU undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| Kentucky | 68% |
| Other US States & Territories | 31% |
| Other Countries | 1% |
| Residency Unknown | <1% |
| How old are NKU undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 24 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 28% |
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 - 24 | 435 - 555 |
| English | 19 - 24 | |
| Critical Reading | 430 - 550 |
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 | 29% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 63% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 80% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.1 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 95% | |
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: $17,700
Out-of-State & Other Costs
The cost to attend Northern Kentucky 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
- 31% of 2009-10 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $5,801. 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
- 53% 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 $4,268. 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.
NKU Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 17 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | Data Not Available |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | Data Not Available |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 530 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 51% |
| % 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 | 68% |
More Information
Campus-based Housing
44% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
14% of all undergraduates live on campus
More Information
Campus Safety
Providing a safe and secure campus for students, faculty and staff is a top priority at NKU! As a state-accredited police department, NKU’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) demonstrates that they meet commonly accepted professional standards for efficient and effective operations while taking a proactive approach in providing protection, service and education to the campus community along with a community policing philosophy. With its staff of state-certified and trained police officers, DPS provides around-the-clock protection for all campus areas including parking lots/garages and residential areas. Other safety features include a campus-wide emergency notification system that communicates with the campus community via text, voice and email messaging and/or interior/exterior warning speakers in the event of an emergency, weather alert of school closing; a residential card access security system to enter residence halls; a camera system on entrances/exits to the residential buildings; seventeen emergency call box phones, easily recognized by the blue light towering above each positioned throughout the campus; and a 24-hour police escort service. On-going campus safety and crime prevention presentations are discussed during orientation and regular residential village forums such as the Rape Aggression Defense System, a comprehensive course for women and a program of realistic, self defense tactics and techniques which begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training; and the Citizens' Police Academy that is an educational program designed to give the public a working knowledge of NKU’s police department’s personnel and policies. Further information on presentations can be found at: http://dps.nku.edu/outreach/. Campus crime statistics (Jeanne Clery Act and Michael Minger Act) can be found at: http://dps.nku.edu/safety/annual_crime/.
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
- Large four-year, primarily nonresidential
- Enrollment Profile
- Very high undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Medium full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Balanced arts & sciences/professions, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Postbaccalaureate with arts & sciences (education dominant)
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
More Information
Student Activities and Involvement at NKU
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
- 90% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 44% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 11% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 75% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 10% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 46% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 48% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 6% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 95% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 95% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 71% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 61% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 93% 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
- 57% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 78% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 96% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 68% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 63% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 87% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 45% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 83% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 86% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 79% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at Northern Kentucky University in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| Associate's | 127 |
| Bachelor's | 1,988 |
| Master's | 461 |
| Doctoral | 144 |
| Total | 2,720 |
More Information
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS | 10% |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 8% |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 7% |
| Business/Commerce, General | 4% |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 4% |
| Links to degree programs at Northern Kentucky University |
|---|
Associate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral |
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 68% four-year success and progress rate means that 68% 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.
- 1,848 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 543 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2009 that returned for their second year: 69%
Student Learning at Northern Kentucky 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.
Northern Kentucky University believes assessment of student learning outcomes at the program level should focus on the the student experience through the course of enrollment in the program of major. NKU will use the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) tool for measurement of student learning outcomes. The university would anticipate results would show learning gains between the freshmen and senior years of the student's learning experience.
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 assessment of student learning are not yet available.