Ashland Community and Technical College is a two-year college that awards associate degrees; its predecessor schools, Ashland Junior College and Ashland Vocational School, date back to 1938. It is the only college located in Ashland itself and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2010, the school had 4,500 students enrolled, according to John McGlone, head of ACTC public relations. It has three campuses: the main one near downtown Ashland, one in the Summit area of Boyd County, and one in Eastpark, near Interstate 64. Part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College system, ACTC degree programs focus on health care training, manufacturing technology training and other business-related areas. ACTC also offers University Parallel Programs that allow students to transfer to four-year institutions. ACTC also maintains a partnership with Morehead State University through which students can pursue a bachelor's degree in some areas.
Ashland Community & Technical College
1400 College Drive
Ashland, KY 41101-3617
(606) 326-2000
ashland.kctcs.edu
Located in Huntington, W.Va., Marshall University lies approximately 15 miles from Ashland, about a half-hour drive. Founded in 1837, the school was named in honor of Chief Justice John Marshall. Marshall University is the largest university in the Ashland area, with approximately 10,000 undergraduate students and 4,000 graduate and medical students. The school fields basketball, baseball and football teams, which go by the moniker of the Thundering Herd. The university offers two associate degree programs, 68 four-year programs and 52 graduate programs. Marshall is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Marshall University
One John Marshall Drive
Huntington, WV 25755
(800) 642-3463
marshall.edu
Ohio University Southern is a regional campus of Ohio University and is located in Ironton, Ohio, about 15 miles and a half-hour drive from Ashland. OUS offers in-state tuition rates to residents of several nearby Kentucky counties, including Boyd County, where Ashland is located. OUS students can earn an associate, bachelor's or master's degree at the Ironton campus, or transfer to the main Athens campus to complete their four-year degree.
Ohio University Southern
1804 Liberty Ave.
Ironton, OH 45638
(740) 533-4600
southern.ohiou.edu
Kentucky Christian University is located about 30 miles from Ashland, approximately a 45-minute drive. KCU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and awards associate, bachelors' and master's degrees. KCU offers its degrees in a relatively few specialized areas such as ministry, nursing, music, counseling and teaching. Consistent with its mission as a Christian educational institution, KCU strives to prepare its "students for leadership positions in which they can influence individuals, society and culture."
Kentucky Christian University
100 Academic Parkway
Grayson, KY 41143
(800) 522-3181