University of Kansas Edwards Campus


The University of Kansas opened its Edwards Campus in December 1992 and the most recent enrollment numbers from Fall 2018 enrollment report 2101 students. KU Edwards currently offers more than 50 bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and certificate programs. The Edwards Campus is located in Overland Park, Kansas, in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Its four buildings are situated on 34.8 acres at 127th Street and Quivira Road. Since opening, the Edwards Campus has contributed more than $500 million to the Johnson County economy through education, research and service initiatives.

Student Statistics

KU Edwards Campus provides educational programming designed to help students complete degrees, change or advance their career and continue their education. Therefore, the student population has unique characteristics not found at many traditional colleges and universities. Based on fall semester 2019 enrollment, the ages of KUEC students were:
Age group
18 or younger0%1
19-2428%410
25-2926%381
30-3927%385
40-4913%192
50-595%72
Other0%0

Based on a spring 2017 student survey and summer 2018 alumni survey.
Reason for continuing their education, according to a pre-enrollment survey:
The KU Edwards Campus offers a wide variety of undergraduate degree completion and graduate programs. U.S. News & World Report recognizes KU's public administration, overall education and special education. KU also consistently ranks among the best colleges in the nation for military veterans and transfer students.

Campus information

On Dec. 3, 1992, the 37,000 square foot Regents Center opened. This first KUEC building contains 23 classrooms, three lecture halls, a computer lab and faculty offices.
Stage one of the $80-million campus expansion project was completed in August 2004 with the opening of Regnier Hall, an 82,000 square-foot building containing 21 classrooms, office space for 45 faculty members and a 240-seat auditorium.
The third new campus building opened in March 2012. Named the BEST Building, the $25 million, 75,000 square-foot building was funded in part by the Johnson County Education Research Triangle. The building meets LEED certification requirements and includes a 4,000 square-foot conference center accommodating up to 400 people. BEST expanded the undergraduate and graduate opportunities available to 1,000 additional students and allowed for 10 new degree programs.
The campus is also home to KU's Professional & Continuing Education, a century-old organization that continues to support the teaching, research and public service missions of the University of Kansas by providing postgraduate professional education, workforce development, distance learning and lifelong learning programs. Additionally, KU Edwards Campus houses community organizations such as the Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, and the Center for Public Partnerships and Research.

'''KU Continuing & Professional Education'''

From its beginning in 1891 as the KU “School of University Extension,” KU Professional &  Continuing Education always addressed the needs of working professionals without direct access to a college or university. Today's organization continues this mission of offering professional education in addition to workforce training and lifelong enrichment. Throughout the state of Kansas, the Kansas City metro region, and beyond, KUPCE is the umbrella organization for the following major programs:
KUPCE offers short courses and free webinars in aerospace engineering to assist aerospace engineers in achieving their professional goals and fulfilling ongoing certification requirements.
To keep pace in today's ever-changing world of technology innovations, KUPCE implements a variety of tech-related courses and “boot camps” on subjects like computer coding, data analytics and cybersecurity.

Hundreds of Kansas City area business-people rely on KUPCE for current, relevant business courses and free webinars that tackle the toughest challenges in today's business world — from critical thinking and emotional intelligence to organizational change and personal branding. This program offers customized coaching and leadership training and business leaders may also earn a Professional Leadership Certificate from KU.
A number of courses are provided in the area of social and behavioral sciences including an online, self-paced Applied Behavior Analysis for Practitioners training program designed and conducted by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from the KU Department of Applied Behavioral Science.
To instill the belief that one is never too old to learn, KUPCE collaborates with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a national organization that offers courses throughout the year geared toward those over 50-years-old.

Through KUPCE, the KU Edwards Campus has a full staff of conference and event specialists along with the facilities to host small and large events. Meeting space is available for community groups and businesses to rent for a full day, half-day and on a per-hour basis. Available spaces can accommodate groups of two to 400 people. Available services include coffee service, audio-visual equipment, technology support, a vending area, room set-up arrangements, breakout rooms and catering recommendations.
Established in 1968, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center serves as the central law enforcement training authority and facility for the state of Kansas, providing basic training and professional development. KLETC directly trains almost all of the municipal, county and state law enforcement officers in Kansas, and oversees, supervises and monitors the training of officers at eight authorized and certified academy programs operated by local law enforcement agencies and the Kansas Highway Patrol. The Center is located in Reno County, south of Hutchinson, Kansas, in a former naval air station. Currently, law enforcement officers must complete a 14-week basic training to receive their certificate and then earn 40 hours of continuing education each year to maintain it.
A 1949 Kansas law created the Kansas Fire & Rescue Training Institute to provide training for the Kansas Fire Service. The Institute trains a number equal to approximately 55 percent of the Kansas fire service every year through delivery of an average of 12 KFRTI courses each week. Many of the training courses from KFRTI are brought to local cities through its Mobile Fire Academy, a concept designed to deliver training anytime or anywhere in Kansas. Training from KFRTI includes firefighting skills, technical rescue, hazardous materials, incident command, arson identification, fire inspection, and response to terrorist incidents. KFRTI also provides training for fire officers and fire instructors. KFRTI provides national certification, offers technical resources and serves as a point of contact for the National Fire Academy.

Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training

The , established in 2008 with private and public funds, is a multidisciplinary center that promotes research and training on the causes, nature and management of autism spectrum disorders. K-CART aims to generate new scientific discoveries about ASD, disseminate research-based practices by training professionals, practitioners and families who serve children and adults with autism, and provide clinical services through its alliance with the Center for Child Health and Development at KU Medical Center. The CCHD diagnoses and develops treatment recommendations for children with developmental disabilities.

Student Services

The KU Edwards Campus offers many online as well as on-site student services such as free parking, computer labs, a dedicated student union, disability resources, veteran's resources, childcare resources, gender equity resources, academic advising, financial aid and scholarship assistance, tutoring and a student writing center. Other campus features include multicultural programming, tech support and WiFi.
The KU Edwards Campus Student Advisory Board assists with campus events and provides students the opportunity to offer their input on various issues to Edwards Campus administration.
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The Edwards Campus welcomes our international student population and offers individual assistance through the new student process.
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The KUEC-PC provides KU Edwards Campus students with confidential mental health services and support in Overland Park. Offering a wide variety of therapeutic, assessment and crisis care services, KUEC-PC staff are available to treat students and/or connect them with local resources. Call 785-864-4121 to complete an intake for the appointment process.
----Office of Diversity & Equity
Diversity and Equity coordinates, communicates and clarifies KU's commitment to diversity in its faculty, staff, students and academic programs. D&E oversees departments such as , ,  and .
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IOA is responsible for conducting investigations as part of KU's Discrimination Complaint Resolution Process. If you or someone you know on campus is being subjected to discrimination or harassment, whether based on race, sex, national origin, disability, or any other protected category, please speak up and report it to IOA. Complaints can be made anonymously and can be reported online, by telephone, or by otherwise contacting IOA. The Edwards Campus is committed to providing opportunity and access to all students and prospective students.
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The Student Account Services website contains information about your bill, how to make a payment online, payment plans and tuition reimbursement through your employer. For information on tuition and fees assessments, payments and penalties, call 785-864-3322.
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The Student Advisory Council is an essential link connecting students’ needs and interests to Edwards Campus administration.
----Student Health Services/Health Insurance
The Kansas Board of Regents sponsors an insurance option tailored to students. Visit for more information. This plan provides its best benefit when used the at KU Lawrence or . It may also be used at other United Healthcare network providers. Each KU student has a secure portal that may be used for: making appointments, requesting prescription refills, viewing balances, checking messages, viewing lab results and more. For questions on insurance, contact the business office at 785-864-9500.
----Student KU Identification Card
A KU ID card is required to check out library items or to print in the computer labs at the Edwards and Lawrence campuses. Students must be enrolled to obtain an ID card. Cards are available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday at the Welcome and Success Center located at the front desk of the Regents Center. Effective January 2019, there is a $21 fee for the initial card and replacement cards are $26. For more information on what is required to obtain a KUID, please visit https://kucard.ku.edu/.
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Student Money Management Services offers information about personal finance, helpful links and videos and confidential individualized education. It is committed to improving KU students' financial well-being by empowering them with the competencies they need to analyze their finances, make sound decisions, and commit to controlling their monetary lives while at the University of Kansas and beyond. Skype or phone appointments are available.
----Study Space and Vending Options
The campus offers a variety of open study spaces for students. Stop by the Hawks Nest in Regents Center or the BEST Building Open Computing Space. There are also more private conference rooms and lounges available to students, including a conference room to the left of the entrance to the Regents Center and a dedicated Veteran's and Student Leadership Lounge on the second floor of BEST. Internet connection is available throughout the campus. Snack and beverage vending machines are located throughout campus with extensive vending options in the Hawks Nest.
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The Office of the University Registrar website contains information about transcripts, academic calendars, enrollment, tuition and fees, diplomas, residency and many more student related services. For Edwards Campus students, call 785-864-4423 for more information from the Office of the University Registrar.
----Veteran Services
The Office of Veteran Services assists and maintains resources for students with military obligations.Our goal is to enable you to succeed as you:

'''Degree in 3'''

The program is a partnership between KU Edwards Campus and Blue Valley Schools, Olathe Public Schools, Shawnee Mission School District, , Raytown C-2 School District, Johnson County Community College, Kansas City Public Schools, USD 232, Independence School District, Kansas City Kansas Community College, and Metropolitan Community College. The program allows students to earn college credits in high school, complete an associate degree one year after graduating and finish their bachelor's degree two years later.

Tuition and costs

Total rates by academic program are available per credit hour. Rates include tuition, course fees, relevant undergraduate or graduate fee, student union fee and construction fee. A flat rate applies for students with 12 credit hours or more for all fees except course fees. Course fees are charged per credit hour.
The KU Edwards Campus has a program called that allows Missouri residents to pay the equivalent of in-state tuition while enrolled in courses at KU Edwards. The program is available to both degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students who can document they are residents of either Bates, Buchanan, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Platte, or Ray counties for the past 12 consecutive months.

History Timeline

Since the 1940s, professors from KU's main campus in Lawrence had been teaching classes in such fields as education, communications, and business management in various makeshift venues such as office buildings and the former Linwood Elementary School, located at 9900 Mission Road in Leawood.
In July 1975, the KU Endowment Association purchased Linwood Elementary School from the Shawnee Mission School District. For a short time, the building was called the Linwood Center but was soon named the Regents Center after the Kansas Board of Regents in order to avoid confusion and emphasize that KU was operating on behalf of the Kansas Board of Regents. In the beginning, courses offered at the center were primarily in the areas of education and business, all of which were taught by faculty from the Lawrence campus.
In 1993, The Regents Center moved to 126th and Quivira Road in Overland Park after KU alumnus and Johnson County real estate developer Clay Blair III donated 36 acres of land to the university in 1990. Blair requested the land be named in honor of Roy and Joan Edwards, KU alumni and longtime mentors to Blair. Blair and the Edwardses befriended each other in the early 1960s when Blair roomed with the Edwards' son, Roy Edwards III, at KU's main campus in Lawrence, Kan. After Blair's graduation, the Edwardses and Blair continued their friendship and, as a result, Blair's act of generosity and support for KU made the university's vision of having a campus in greater Kansas City a reality.
Since then, the Edwards Campus has produced more than 10,000 graduates and is estimated to have contributed more than $500 million to the Johnson County economy. On Oct. 23, 1990, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at what would be the KU Edwards Regents Center attended by Governor Mike Hayden, KU officials, and various state and local dignitaries.
On Jan. 12, 1993, KU Edwards Campus officially opened its doors to students. Students could enroll in any of 11 master's level programs and one doctoral degree program. Only one track, a master's in social work, was a full-time program. The other degrees were scheduled as part-time programs, with classes offered during evenings and weekends to accommodate working students.
In October 1999, the Kansas Board of Regents approved a 10-year, $70 million master plan for the KU Edwards Campus which included three new buildings and an extended parking lot.
In 2000, KUEC offered undergraduate courses during the summer for the first time. Edwards Campus students had a choice of 15 master's programs and two doctoral programs. Enrollment at KUEC accounted for 51 percent of total KU graduate credit hours. Also this year, KUEC offered its first certificate program, Systems, Analysis and Design, created by an advisory board of IT professionals.
In 2001, the Hall Family Foundation of Kansas City donated $5 million for the KU Edwards Campus expansion project and the next year, the Victor and Helen Regnier charitable foundation donated another $3 million to the construction of a second building on the Edwards Campus. Those donations, combined with financial support from the Roy A. Edwards family and a $15 per credit hour bond fee that would be paid by Edwards Campus students, allowed for the construction of Regnier Hall, which began on Oct. 14, 2002. The 82,000 square-foot building features 21 classrooms, a 240-seat auditorium and offices for 45 faculty and staff and opened on Aug 4, 2004.
In 2003, KUEC held a 10-year anniversary celebration. County Economic Research Institute reported the Edwards Campus contributed nearly a $208 million of economic impact on Johnson County since 1993. Focusing on programs that had workforce demand, the Edwards Campus grew from 10 degree programs in 1993 to 22 degree programs, serving upper-division undergraduate and graduate students in such areas as biology, English, education, business, engineering and social work.  
On Sept. 19, 2006, KU Edwards Campus dedicated a new 1900 sq. ft. molecular biology lab which includes a teaching lab, research lab, preparatory area and sterile culture room. It features a BSL2+ designation, which enables the lab to handle most microbes used in teaching microbiology, pathogenic microbiology and genetics.
On April 21, 2010, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on KU Edwards Campus for the Business, Engineering, Science and Technology Building, a 75,000-square-foot, $23 million facility. The BEST Building opened on March 2, 2012, expanding the undergraduate and graduate opportunities available to 1,000 additional students in these four disciplines and offering 10 new degree programs.  
By fall of 2019, enrollment at KU Edwards Campus climbed 24.5 percent over the previous three years, bringing the total student credit hours for fall 2019 to 13,393 – the highest enrollment in more than 10 years. KUEC offers more than 50 graduate, undergraduate and academic certificate programs and continues to answer the unique workforce needs of the Kansas City metro area, serving nearly 2,000 nontraditional students with flexible, career-focused education. In 2019, three-quarters of KUEC students have jobs and almost 50 percent work full-time; 80 percent are over the age of 25; 27 percent are parents of children under 18, and approximately 23 percent are first-generation college students.

Johnson County Education Research Triangle sales tax

In November 2008, Johnson County voters approved a sales tax to fund a partnership between the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. The Johnson County Education Research Triangle is formed by KUEC, KU Medical Center and K-State-Olathe. The Triangle sales tax enabled the KU Edwards Campus to build the 75,000 square-foot BEST Building, which allowed the Edwards Campus to grow by 1,000 students, as well as launch 10 new academic programs. By 2019, the Johnson County Education Research Triangle supports 27 degrees and certificate programs at KUEC, which grew 15 percent in the 2018–19 school year.