Overview
Established as a state university in 1963, the University admitted its first students in 1968. Numerous disciplines at UCF are accredited by professional organizations. The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the College of Business Administration by AACSB International-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and the College of Education by the Florida State Department of Education and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Enrollment is more than 42,000 students; the student body was almost equally divided between men and women. The University enrolled 5,923 graduate and 1,008 postbaccalaureate students. All age groups are represented, with most graduate students between 21 and 40 years of age.

The Location and Community
UCF is located 15 miles from downtown Orlando, the home of many laser, electronic, and software firms. The Central Florida Research Park, one of the top ten in the United States and adjacent to the University, has numerous opportunities for part-time graduate student employment and internships.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
The University of Central Florida (UCF), the fastest-growing public university in Florida, offers more than 100 graduate degree programs. The Master of Arts degree is awarded in anthropology, communication, communicative disorders, economics (applied), education (art education, counselor education, curriculum and instruction, early childhood education, educational leadership, elementary education, English language arts education, exceptional education, K-8 mathematics and science education, mathematics education, music education, physical education, reading education, science education, social science education, vocational education), English, history, liberal studies, marriage and family therapy, political science, psychology (clinical), sociology (applied), Spanish, theater, and TESOL. The Master of Science degree is offered in accounting, biology, computer science, criminal justice, engineering (aerospace, civil, computer, environmental, electrical, industrial, materials science, and mechanical), forensic science, health services administration, hospitality and tourism management, industrial chemistry, liberal studies, management, management information systems, mathematical science, modeling and simulation, molecular biology and microbiology, nursing, optics, physical therapy, physics, psychology (clinical and industrial/organizational), statistical computing, and taxation. Also offered are the Master of Business Administration; Master of Education; Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, film and digital media, theater, and studio art and the computer; Master of Nonprofit Management; Master of Public Administration; Master of Social Work; and Master of Sport Business Management.

Ph.D. programs are offered in applied experimental and human factors psychology, biomolecular sciences, business administration, chemistry, civil engineering, clinical psychology, computer engineering, computer science, conservation biology, economics, education (curriculum instruction, educational leadership), electrical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, industrial and organizational psychology, materials science and engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, modeling and simulation, nursing, optics, physics, public affairs, sociology, and texts and technology. The Ed.D. and Ed.S. degrees are offered in curriculum and instruction and in educational leadership. The Ed.S. degree is offered in school psychology.

Facilities & Resources
UCF’s research in optics and lasers, computer and simulation technologies, and microelectronics and materials is known around the world. UCF has a number of internationally recognized research centers and institutes: the Florida Solar Energy Center, the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers, Florida Photonics Center of Excellence, the Institute for Simulation and Training, the Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center, and the Center for Discovery of Drugs and Diagnostics. In 1997 UCF and the National Institute of Justice joined to establish the National Center for Forensic Science, the nation’s first research center dedicated to combating terrorism and bomb attacks.

Research facilities are also extensive in other areas. In the computer sciences, students and researchers have access to more than 1,000 microcomputers, a NeXT computer, an image processor, graphics terminals, and an entire lab devoted to computer-based graphics. Buttressing UCF’s computer network is the parallel processing Intel supercomputer once used by the U.S. Navy. Access to other computer systems is available across Florida through the State University System (SUS) network.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science maintains modern research facilities for CAD/CAM, robotics, microelectronics, light wave research, laser and optics, mechanics, combustion, environmental engineering, and related research.

UCF recently established the Burnett College of Biomedical Sciences that will dramatically increase research aimed at helping patients who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other illnesses.

The chemistry department has access to laboratory instrumentation and scale-up and industrial control equipment. A fully equipped instrumental biofeedback research laboratory and psychological testing laboratory as well as physiological research laboratories and communicative disorders facilities are available for use in that field. Well-equipped laboratories are also available in the biological sciences, as are a greenhouse, an extensive herbarium, a vertebrate collection, and outstanding inland and coastal natural resources for fieldwork.

UCF is adjacent to the Central Florida Research Park, home of many research labs pursuing activities in simulation and training, lasers, optical filters, behavioral sciences, diagnostic test equipment, and oceanographic equipment.

Research funding has doubled in the last three years, and the number of licensed technologies has doubled in the last two years. UCF’s faculty members and students are immersed in research, with 14 researchers obtaining more than $1 million in funding. One third of UCF’s faculty received grant support, which directly benefits graduate students as they collaborate on and support these research efforts.

For more information on the University’s research and research facilities, prospective students should visit the Web site at http://www.research.ucf.edu.

Expenses and Aid
Tuition is $371.17 per semester credit hour and thesis credit hour. Out-of-state fees were $1,183.63 per semester credit hour. Health fees paid by all students ranged from $39.60 to $99 per semester.

Financial Aid:
Programs administered by the Student Financial Assistance Office include long-term loans and institutional emergency short-term advances. On-campus employment is also available. Information on in-state and out-of-state tuition waivers and teaching or research assistantships are available through the academic programs. Approximately $2.5 million in University graduate fellowships is available..

Housing/Living Expenses:
Many apartments are near UCF, some within walking distance for graduate students. On-campus housing is available but very limited. Rent per month ranges from $400 for a one-bedroom apartment to $700 for a two-bedroom apartment. A free campus shuttle is available from most of the communities.

International Students
International scholars and students at UCF make significant contributions to campus learning, community diversity, research, and global partnerships necessary for advancement through the 21st century. The university actively recruits and welcomes international scholars and students.

The UCF International Services Center (ISC) will help you through international admission to the university, obtaining immigration documents, and adapting to a new academic environment and culture. Furthermore, the ISC provides Immigration Sessions to new international scholars and students, and workshops.

How to Apply / Application
Prospective international students should apply to Graduate Studies at the address given below at least six months before the start of classes for the term in which they plan to enroll. Domestic applicants should contact Graduate Studies for the appropriate deadline. A $30 application fee, official transcripts, and GRE General Test scores (GMAT scores for business programs) are required of all applicants. TOEFL scores are required for international students. Additional documents and information may be required by individual degree programs.

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