Located in Williamsburg, the University of the Cumberlands was founded in 1887 by 18 Baptist ministers in a small church in eastern Kentucky. UC offers more than 20 undergraduate degrees, including journalism, history and music, and 11 graduate programs in several fields, including medicine, psychology and religion. Student costs for the 2010-11 school year are $17,000 for tuition and fees and $6,826 for room and board. The school offers classes during two 14-week terms, a one-month term in May and an optional summer session. The school operates on a $61.6 million annual endowment and has a student enrollment of 3,300.
Founded in 1960, Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College is located in Cumberland and operates additional campuses in Harlan, Pineville, Middlesboro and Whitesburg. Among the five campuses, SKCTC has more than 5,000 students enrolled in more than 50 educational programs, including four-year college transfer, associate's degrees and certification. The school offers a variety of vocational programs, including machine tool technology, mining technology and heavy equipment operation. For the 2010-11 school year, tuition at any of the SKCTC campuses is $130 per credit hour for Kentucky residents and $445 per credit hour for non-residents.
Located in Hazard, Hazard Community and Technical College operates six campuses and offers more than 200 degrees and certifications. Three HCTC campuses are situated in Hazard; the other three are in nearby Hindman, Jackson and Hyden. Students have a variety of educational programs to choose from, including education, cosmetology, business administration and information technology. The school provides several types of financial aid, including the federal Pell Grant, federal college work-study, scholarships and student loans. HCTC is a member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and is centered on several core values, including commitment, heritage and integrity.
Founded in 1879, Union College is located in Barbourville and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The school's 1,600 students, representing 24 states and 14 countries, are enrolled in 35 degree programs. The school offers 21 intercollegiate sports programs, including football, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball. UC is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and all of its teams except football compete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. The football team is a member of the Mid-South Conference.