Brescia University

Owensboro, Kentucky, United States · Est. 1925 · Private Non-profit

Catholic liberal arts university in Kentucky, evolved from a women's junior college to a coeducational institution.

  • Founded in 1925 as Mount Saint Joseph Junior College for Women by Ursuline Sisters
  • Became fully coeducational after World War II; renamed Brescia University in 1998
  • Private Catholic institution affiliated with the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph
  • 638 students (fall 2023): 551 undergraduates, 87 postgraduates
  • Offers undergraduate and master's programs in management, curriculum & instruction, and liberal arts
  • Athletic member of NAIA River States Conference; 18 varsity sports; Bearcats mascot

Academics

Brescia University offers undergraduate and master's degree programs across liberal arts disciplines. Master's programs include Management and Curriculum and Instruction, added when the institution achieved university status in 1998. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and holds memberships in ACCU, NAICU, and CIC.

Campus & Student Life

Located in Owensboro, Kentucky, Brescia serves 638 students with a mix of undergraduate and graduate enrollment. The university maintains a strong athletic program with 18 intercollegiate varsity sports competing in the NAIA River States Conference since 1984–85. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field; women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball, plus coed cheer.

History & Mission

Brescia traces its origins to 1925 when the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph founded Mount Saint Joseph Junior College for Women at Maple Mount. After World War II, the institution consolidated its campuses and became fully coeducational. It was renamed Brescia College in 1951 after the Italian city where Saint Angela Merici founded the Ursuline order, and achieved university status in 1998 with the addition of graduate programs.

Founded
1925
Type
Private Non-profit
Courses
3
Total intake
Not yet verified
AffiliationRoman Catholic; Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph
Websitehttps://www.brescia.edu
HousingNot available
Some details are still being verified.

Quick stats

Courses offered
3
Avg career outcomes
$45.5K
Total intake
Not yet verified
Housing
No
Data last verified June 2026 · compiled from official sources