
Thomas More University is a private Catholic institution in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. It began in 1921 as Villa Madonna College, founded by the Benedictine Sisters of Covington to provide higher education for women.
The college later became coeducational. In 1968, it moved from Covington to its present campus and adopted the name Thomas More College, honoring the English scholar and statesman. It became Thomas More University in 2018. Those changes help explain the institution's present identity: a Catholic university with undergraduate and graduate programs, located in suburban Northern Kentucky.
Thomas More University offers undergraduate and graduate study across the liberal arts, sciences, business, education and health professions. Its programs include biology, communication, computer and information sciences, criminal justice, nursing, psychology, accounting and business administration.
Students considering a major should check the current academic catalog for its degree requirements and delivery format. A field listed among the university's programs may have separate admission standards or clinical, fieldwork or licensing requirements. Nursing and teacher preparation, for example, warrant a closer look at progression requirements as well as general university admission.
Thomas More University's main campus is in Crestview Hills, a suburban community in Northern Kentucky's Cincinnati metropolitan area. The location gives students access to regional employers and services while placing the campus outside Cincinnati's urban core.
Commuting is a significant part of the student experience: about 69% of students commute, according to the reported housing figures. Students planning to drive should account for travel time and parking; first-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is the nearest major airport identified in the institutional information.
Thomas More University describes its mission in terms of Catholic higher education, the liberal arts and preparation for responsible participation in society. Its institutional identity is rooted in the Benedictine tradition.
For prospective students, that affiliation is relevant to the university's approach to education and campus life, including opportunities for ministry and service. The mission states what the university intends to cultivate; it is not, by itself, evidence of any particular academic or career outcome. Students comparing institutions may want to examine how the current curriculum and campus programming reflect those stated priorities.
Name of the institution
Thomas More UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
Suburb: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999Religious affiliation
Catholic (Roman Catholic Church)School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1921Thomas More University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of less than 1 year
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degreeData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.