Chartered in 1886 as the State Normal School for Colored Persons, Kentucky State University was Kentucky's second state-funded higher learning institution. The historically black college adopted its current name in 1972, and is today the state's smallest public university with an enrollment of approximately 2,700 students. The university grants associate, bachelor and master's degrees in mainly liberal arts disciplines and offers programs in education, business, computer science, nursing, human services, public administration, and aquaculture and aquatic sciences.
Midway College is located in the small community of Midway, approximately 14 miles east of Frankfort. Tracing its roots to 1847, Midway College is Kentucky's women's college. In the 2010-2011 academic year, the liberal arts college offers 35 majors and 5 minors, including programs in business, equine studies, nursing and teacher education. Midway College confers associate of arts, bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and master of arts in business administration degrees to its graduates.
With campuses throughout central Kentucky, the Bluegrass Community and Technical College operates a campus approximately 13 miles south of Frankfort in Lawrenceburg. The college was created in 2005, following the merger of Lexington Community College and Central Kentucky Technical College. Students at the Lawrenceburg campus can obtain associates in arts and science degrees in business management, construction technology, emergency medical technician, fire science technology, nurse aide, medical information technology, office systems technology, and nursing.
Georgetown College is a small liberal arts college approximately 20 miles east of Frankfort in downtown Georgetown, Kentucky. The traditionally Baptist college was founded in 1829 and grants undergraduate and graduate degrees. It offers approximately 70 majors, minors and academic programs, including arts, business, communication and media studies, computer science, education, fine arts, languages, mathematics, music, philosophy, psychology, religion, sciences, sociology, and theatre and performance studies.