U. Kentucky Offers Program to Prepare Students For DEI ‘Leadership’ Roles in Higher Ed (Updated)
“A PhD Studies in Higher Education specialization in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion prepares students for high-level administrative positions in diversity, equity, and inclusiveness leadership in higher education settings.”
Despite supposedly ending its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, further analysis shows the University of Kentucky may not have abandoned its ideological agenda after all.
A recent investigation by CriticalRace.org found that the University of Kentucky’s College of Education offers a graduate program specifically designed to train students for leadership roles in DEI within higher education. The program is part of the PhD Studies in Higher Education Program’s “specialization in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion,” and can be found in UK’s 2026-2027 Graduate Catalog.
“A PhD Studies in Higher Education specialization in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (SHED-DEI) prepares students for high-level administrative positions in diversity, equity, and inclusiveness leadership in higher education settings,” reads the catalog.
Additionally, students in this specialization must complete a nine-credit certificate course that prepares graduates for roles in “Senior Diversity Officer Leadership.”
“Our PhD program in Studies in Higher Education is ideal for individuals who want to lead, research, and shape the future of colleges and universities,” reads the UK website.
The University of Kentucky’s Graduate School has not been immune from scandal regarding its participation in DEI programming.
In 2025, a federal investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights concluded that UK’s Graduate Program violated the Civil Rights Act by participating in “The Ph.D. Project.” This organization operates as a pipeline program specifically targeting minority students, an initiative that the University of Kentucky was found to have “endorsed, promoted, and benefited” from.
“The university endorsed, promoted, and benefited from a program that limited participation based on race through its payment of partnership fees and the support of travel for participants in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic year,” read the investigation letter.
“Title VI and its accompanying regulations forbid the University’s participation in programs designed to discriminate against individuals on the basis of their race or national origin.”
Both revelations come after UK supposedly embraced “impartiality” by closing its DEI office and ending mandatory diversity training. In 2024, President Eli Capilouto announced that UK would move toward neutrality in an effort to counter concerns that the institution had become “partisan or political.”
“[We’ve] listened to policymakers and heard many of their questions about whether we appear partisan or political on the issues of our day and, as a result, narrowly interpret things solely through the lens of identity. In so doing, the concern is that we either intentionally or unintentionally limit discourse.”
Far from embracing neutrality, the University of Kentucky’s “DEI specialization” program trains future higher education leaders to push progressive ideologies on college campuses.
UPDATE:
We received the following message from Kristi Willett, Executive Director of U. Kentucky Public Relations: “Please note the University of Kentucky has not offered this PhD program since spring 2025. The listing in the catalog was an error but has since been removed.”
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Comments
Big Education churning out another useless non-productive degree while charging students exorbitant costs that put them in a financial hole that they can’t escape.
I understand they’re also considering three new concentrations in used car sales, panhandling, and second-story work.
Another “university” displaying an abysmal ignorance of the First Rule of Holes.
I’d say, let’s guess the “profile” of those who would seek such a WORTHLESS degree, but that might be viewed a racist, so I won’t.
Clue: it won’t be Norwegians
the ‘profile’ is both white dimwitted women and dickless white men. dei blacks are usually professors or presidents of the United States.
Q: How do you prepare a person for a DEI leadership role?
A: Dumb down until they master the following;
(1). Up is down
(2). Right is wrong
Then learn to sing: “Equity, equity, equity……..equity.”
Hibbedy-bibbedy.
Looks like U Kentucky didn’t get the memo. DEI is dead.
Well, it IS Kentucky and generally speaking it takes a long time for news to wander up the mountains.
But seriously there will be a market for this program because the shift in the Overton Window has been swift and recent. There is no doubt a large cadre of students who studied DEI et al as undergrads, and failing to find employment, pursued a Masters in the field. What does one do if a Masters fails to get your suitable employment? Why, pursue a PHD of course. Now after that? Well, I hear Starbucks is hiring.
But not in Washington state any more…
The Bluegrass State has devolved into the Wokegrass State.
“A PhD Studies in Higher Education specialization in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion prepares students for high-level administrative positions in diversity, equity, and inclusiveness leadership in higher education settings.”
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You can replace both occurrences of “diversity, equity, and inclusiveness” with any other phrase whatsoever, and this tautology will still be true!
12th century Native American cuisine!
Struggle session design!
Underwater basket weaving!
So the coursework will include hair-braiding along with basket-weaving?
Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Don’t celebrate the death of DEI yet. The continued existence of programs like this shows that it would only take a small swing in voting to bring back the Democrats, and all this machinery would swing back into action. We celebrated the end of socialism with the fall of the Soviet Union, and within a few years it came roaring back. Like a cancer, you can never be sure it has been eradicated. Best not to celebrate, but instead to keep stomping on the remains to make sure that the fire has been put out. UKy should be punished for still having such a program.
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