Find out more about Western Kentucky University

The Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies is an online liberal arts degree from Western Kentucky University.  This a very flexible, yet also focused, degree in liberal arts.  You will create a personalized program that fulfills graduation requirements and brings multiple disciplines together.  The curriculum is comprised of general education courses, electives, and courses from two areas of emphasis chosen by the student. 

Depending on your academic and professional goals, and personal interests, you will choose two of the following areas of emphasis:

• Arts
• Humanities 
• Science 
• Business 
• Education
• Technology 
• Health
• Social and Behavioral Science
• Organization and Communication of Ideas
• Social Justice and Equity Studies

The online Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies is a liberal arts degree program from Western Kentucky University.  This liberal arts degree is designed for students who want greater flexibility than traditional degrees offer.  With only two required courses, you are in control of the curriculum with this liberal arts degree.  Students create a personal academic plan, around a chosen area of emphasis, that suits their professional and personal goals.  The area of emphasis is comprised of complementary courses from different academic disciplines. 

Four emphasis areas are offered fully online:

• Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Organization & Communication of Ideas
• Business
• Health

The online Master of Arts in History degree program from Western Kentucky University is designed to prepare students to teach history on the junior or senior college level and to provide the initial graduate work for those who intend to pursue a doctoral degree.  This history degree features courses that are offered on a rotating basis, flexibility, and a non-thesis option for a Master of Arts degree.  The faculty believes in engaging students in the pursuit of knowledge and that asking questions and seeking knowledge is one of the worthiest of all pursuits.  You will examine how humans have tried to turn their hopes into reality with this degree in history. 

The curriculum is built around the student’s areas of interest and requires you to select one of the following concentration areas:

• Pre-Modern Europe/World (Ancient World to Early Modern Europe)
• Modern Europe (Enlightenment to Present)
• Non-Western World
• Pre-Civil War United States (including Civil War)
• Post-Civil War United States

The online Bachelor of Science in Management with a track in Business Administration provides a broad business perspective for students who wish to be involved in profit or goal management responsibilities.  This program is offered completely online with courses taught by the same professors who teach the courses on campus.  Courses include Management Information Systems, Business Communication Fundamentals, Critical Thinking in Management, Principles of Financial Management, and Human Resource Management.

The online Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership provides an academic foundation for the professional and career-focused study of leadership principles and skills, specifically designed to advance the professional objectives of students who desire to complete a baccalaureate degree for career advancement and expanded job opportunities.  The curriculum combines leadership, management, and global and social-cultural perspectives that provide graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide effective leadership at various levels and in a variety of occupational settings.  Courses include Leadership Theory and Application, Leading Change, Leading Ethics and Decision Making, Leading in Global Contexts, and Contemporary Leadership Issues.

The online Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership is designed to meet the needs of diverse students for professional training based upon knowledge from business, economics, communication, organizational functioning, leadership principles, political science, psychology, and research.  Courses use practical and applied approaches to develop skills in applied leadership, managerial and professional skills, decision-making, operational knowledge, and the ability to influence people while managing processes, products, and services.  Students can choose electives that allow them to advance in their chosen career field, allowing the flexibility to focus on an area of specialization and earn a graduate certificate while earning this master’s degree.

Wester Kentucky University offers a Master of Business Administration degree online.  This program takes place through the Gordon Ford College, and encompasses a wide variety of theories, technologies and disciplines of business.  Work on real-world business issues with qualified and devoted faculty as you enhance your own competitive edge in the field.  

Courses for this accessible and rigorous degree involve but are not limited to:

• Data modeling
• Accounting concepts
• Contemporary issues
• Information technology and strategy

This program seeks to meet the needs of the business community.  Through faculty guided, discipline-based learning, students can graduate with initiatives towards business, industry, and government organizations.

The online Master of Science in Recreation and Sports Administration is designed to prepare professional practitioners in the field for a wide range of occupations through four available concentrations: Interscholastic Athletic Administration and Coaching, Facility and Event Management, Intercollegiate Athletic Administration, and Sport Media and Branding.  The Interscholastic Athletic Administration and Coaching concentration emphasizes the ever changing economic, political, legal, and marketing concerns that are part of the k-12 sport industry while the Intercollegiate Athletic Administration emphasizes knowledge and skills at the college level.  The Facility and Event Management concentration focuses on professional organizations and the skills needed for their members, such as aquatic management, crowd control, playground safety, and risk management.  The Sport Media and Branding concentration explores the context and complexities of sport media relations, sport branding, digital media production and distribution, and sponsorships that touch many aspects of our social and cultural lives.

Western Kentucky University’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology program gives students the knowledge and skills required to efficiently transmit, store, and analyze information. Graduates may pursue careers as computer network architects, computer programmers, computer support specialists, computer systems analysts, database administrators, information security analysts, software developers, or web developers.

The online Bachelor of Arts in Criminology is designed to prepare students for careers in the field. The study of criminology plays a crucial role in understanding, preventing, and addressing crime. From analyzing the root causes of criminal behavior to exploring law enforcement and the legal system, this field offers insights into how societies maintain order and seek justice.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Systems of Social Control
• Correlates of Crime
• Psychology

This online bachelor’s degree can be completed in four years. Classes are taught by dedicated and experienced faculty who are committed to the success of every student. Graduates are prepared to succeed in the field of criminal justice by obtaining this online bachelor’s degree.

The online Master of Science in Cybersecurity Data Analytics is designed to meet the high demand of cybersecurity professionals that employers are currently seeking. This online master’s program focuses on the engineering aspects of computer network security. Classes are taught by expert faculty who are committed to the success of every student.

Courses include, but are not limited to:

• Visualization and Decision-Making
• Predictive Analytics
• Data Management

Cybersecurity professionals can work in any industry. Career opportunities for graduates include jobs in engineering, architecture, information security, consulting, security auditing, and more. Graduates are equipped to tackle modern challenges and solve problems in the cybersecurity industry by obtaining the online Master of Science in Cybersecurity Data Analytics. 

Learn about children and families, developing an understanding of their needs when you enroll in an online early childhood education degree. You will study the critical principles that help you work with these groups as you gain entry-level competencies for child and family life.  

The curriculum covers such topics as:

• Nutrition
• Family relations
• Developing age-appropriate curriculum
• Child development and assessment
• Parenting

You will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the real world through a required internship.

Choose to complete an elective track in either Child Development or Family Development.

Enhance your existing knowledge of the learning environments and needs of gifted and talented students through this online special education degree. You will learn to prepare a curriculum, engage students, and foster greater excitement for these students.  

There are two options for completing this program:

• Advanced Certification for Teacher Leaders
• Advanced Research Focus

The Advanced Certification for Teacher Leaders leads to a Rank II certification and an endorsement in gifted education. The Advanced Research Focus prepares students for a variety of careers in higher education, government policy work, or other organizations and could lead to a Rank I certification.

The online MAEd in Literacy Education degree program from Western Kentucky University is designed to upgrade literacy instruction at all grade levels and is open to teachers in regular classrooms, special education classrooms, special reading classes, basic adult education classes, and community college reading instructors. Courses cover a range of related topics, such as:

• Reading Intervention
• Literacy Learning & Cultural Differences
• Psychology of Learning
• Curriculum Design

Additionally, there are thesis and non-thesis options available. 

The online MAEd in Elementary Education for Teacher Leaders degree program from Western Kentucky University is made up of two components. The first component, Professional Education, provides advanced level pedagogy, leadership, and content related to Kentucky Teacher Standards and applicable to all P-12 teachers working in the wide gamut of developmental levels and content areas. The second component, Specialization, directs the candidate into an individual program in content, pedagogy, and/or areas of professional growth concurrent with the goals of each candidate. The following Specialization areas are offered:

• Elementary Math Specialist P-5
• Environmental Education
• Gifted Education Endorsement
• Kentucky Computer Technology
• Teaching English as a Second Language Endorsement

The online MAEd in Middle Grades Education for Teacher Leaders degree program from Western Kentucky University is made up of two components. The first component, Professional Education, provides advanced level pedagogy, leadership, and content related to Kentucky Teacher Standards and applicable to all P-12 teachers working in the wide gamut of developmental levels and content areas. The second component, Specialization, directs the candidate into an individual program in content, pedagogy, and/or areas of professional growth concurrent with the goals of each candidate. The following Specialization areas are offered:

• Environmental Education
• Gifted Education Endorsement
• Kentucky Computer Technology
• Teaching English as a Second Language Endorsement

The online MAEd in Secondary Education for Teacher Leaders degree program from Western Kentucky University is made up of two components. The first component, Professional Education, provides advanced level pedagogy, leadership, and content related to Kentucky Teacher Standards and applicable to all P-12 teachers working in the wide gamut of developmental levels and content areas. The second component, Specialization, directs the candidate into an individual program in content, pedagogy, and/or areas of professional growth concurrent with the goals of each candidate. The following Specialization areas are offered:

• Environmental Education
• Gifted Education Endorsement
• Kentucky Computer Technology
• Teaching English as a Second Language Endorsement

You can advance your rank and career prospects with the Master of Arts in Mathematics from Western Kentucky University. The online STEAM education master’s program boosts your skills to impact your students positively.

Through the online STEAM education graduate program, you prepare to teach at the college level. Your online studies lend expertise in such topics as:

• Statistics
• Operations research
• Stochastic processes
• Partial differential equations

The online MS in Instructional Design degree program from Western Kentucky University prepares practitioners to assume leadership roles in public or private organizations. Program graduates are equipped to design and develop instructional elements such as instructional videos, online instructional activities, user manuals for instructors, instruction materials for commercial products, professional development curricula for teachers, multimedia instructional units, training packs for trainers, instruction materials for vocational/technical courses, lesson and unit plans for classroom use, and educational curricula. Graduates also possess the abilty to:

• Analyze a variety of instructional performance issues in business, government, education, and home settings
• Design and develop instructional solutions, including appropriate combinations of traditional/instructor-led strategies, constructivist techniques, technology systems, and performance support systems
• Ethically and effectively manage instructional design projects, including project management/tracking and scheduling, budgeting, and client consultation skills
• Design appropriate assessment plans for instructional solutions
• Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of instructional solutions

Help students discover and utilize library resources with an online library science degree. This degree prepares students for service as library media specialists, training development specialists, educational technology specialists, and information service specialists in schools, colleges, public libraries, and private organizations.  

Students complete two areas of study:

• Library Media Specialist - prepares professionals for work in information service organizations like public libraries, library media centers in P-12 schools, and positions as library assistants in college and university libraries
• Educational Technology - prepares professionals who work with training and development specialists to incorporate technology into instruction/training, who serve as trainers of employees in the use of technology, and who are certified teachers who are educational technology specialists in P-12 settings

You can gain expertise in business, leadership, management, technology, and engineering with the Master of Science in Engineering Management from Western Kentucky University. The online engineering management master’s program leads to such careers as:

• Industrial production manager
• Architectural and engineering manager
• Industrial engineering technologist

Through the online engineering management graduate program, working professionals with limited time may opt out of a thesis and take additional coursework and a complete capstone project. Graduates appreciate the multidisciplinary education that leads to success in management roles.

The online Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management program is a diverse and evolving field that incorporates medicine, management, finance, information technology, and law into one career path.  The curriculum focuses on the management of information, people, and operational units, including budget preparation and administration of computerized health information systems.  Graduates have the skills and competencies needed for success in health data management, computer information systems, and administrative and clinical workflow.

The online Certificate in Long Term Care Administration is ideal for professionals in nursing, business, social work, dietetics, healthcare, or information technology.  Students gain preparation for leadership roles in national long-term care organizations.  Graduates are prepared for many roles in long-term care, such as Clinical Nurse Consultants, Dieticians, Nursing Home Administrators, Business Office Managers, Dietary Managers, and more.

Prepare to lead your healthcare organization into the future with an Executive Master of Health Administration degree. The skills and knowledge you gain in this innovative program will equip you with the competencies you need in this dynamic field.

Become a well-rounded leader and innovator through your online healthcare administration degree studies. Working professionals can continue their careers while preparing for new opportunities with flexible online coursework and just three campus visits per year.

Graduates can assume positions such as:

• Health service manager
• Medical records specialist
• Health technologist
• Medical administrative assistant

The online Master of Public Health provides a broad-based foundation that addresses the health and well-being of populations and communities.  The curriculum allows students to customize their public health focus areas to best meet their specific professional or academic goals.  The program is designed to meet the need of the public health workforce, healthcare providers, students enrolled in other programs, and other working professionals.

Learn how to improve the lives of those with speech disorders with a Master of Science in Communication Disorders focusing on Speech-Language Pathology. This program adheres to academic and clinical requirements set by the American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) for those pursuing certification and licensure.

Coursework introduces students to various communication disorders, delays, and differences and ways in which to improve skills for these individuals. Students may choose to take a thesis or non-thesis pathway. A six-week summer clinical experience is required and may be completed in the student’s local area.

Classes examine topics related to:

• Early intervention in speech-language pathology
• Motor speech disorders
• Fluency disorders
• Aphasia
• Voice disorders
• Cognitive-communication disorders
• And more

Did you discover your passion for the speech-language pathology field after completing your bachelor’s degree in another field? You don’t have to start from scratch to pursue your SLP career. The Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Speech Language Pathology program is designed specifically to meet the educational needs of students with bachelor’s degrees without foundational coursework in communication sciences and disorders.

Graduates of this bridge program will be prepared to enter master’s programs in Speech-Language Pathology. Courses provide an introduction to the biological, physiological, neurological, developmental, and linguistic bases of human communication and swallowing processes. 

Students can anticipate coursework such as:

• Phonetics
• Language disorders
• Audiology
• Assessment in communication disorders
• Articulation disorders

You can avoid a thesis while gaining expertise in the life sciences with the Master of Science in Biology from Western Kentucky University. The online biology master’s program prepares you for work in such areas as:

• Research
• Teaching
• Public service

Through the online biology graduate program, you can design your curriculum to align with your career goals. Possible areas include ecology, marine biology, or cellular/molecular biology.

Sociology is such a far-reaching major, that you can find your niche within its field.  WKU offers this online BA in Sociology to give you the research, communication and problem-solving skills to apply to a variety of positions.  Through your coursework, you’ll gain a solid understanding of how individuals and groups interact in societies.  If you choose, you can concentrate your studies within this online BA degree in any of the following areas:

• Community, Environment, and Development
• Family, Gender, and Sexuality
• Inequality and Social Change
• Research Methods

Designed with the working professional in mind, is this online MS in Child & Family Studies.  You can earn this advanced degree from WKU, while juggling your job and commitments to your own family.  You’ll learn theory and practical applications of human development.  The curriculum will enable you to make a positive impact on the lives of kids and their families.  With a thesis option to complete this 100% online curriculum, classes usually offered are:

• Grant Writing for Child and Family Programs
• Research Methods
• Youth and Family Theory and Research

If you want to make a difference in diverse, rural communities, consider this online MSW from Western Kentucky.  You’ll learn advocacy, counseling, and skills for intervening in the lives of others to improve their quality of life. This CSWE-accredited program was designed to fulfill the need for social workers in rural communities.  Coursework likely includes:

• Cultural Competency in Social Work Practice
• Rural Community Organization and Development
• Foundations of Social Welfare Policy

Finish your master’s faster if you already have a BSW, with this online MSW in Advanced Standing.  You’ll enter this CSWE-accredited program at Western Kentucky with the ability to apply your professional experience to the curriculum.  This particular master’s degree was designed with the aim to fulfill critical needs for social workers in diverse, rural populations.  You’ll gain the skills to intervene successfully with individuals, families, groups, and entire communities, through electives such as:

• Social Work and the Law
• Child Sexual Abuse
• Social Work with Migrants