Background
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The University of Central Florida (UCF) is headquartered on 1415 acres in east Orlando. For students who can avoid the distraction of Disney and the beaches, UCF has more than a dozen locations for learning.
UCF started out as Florida Technological University. The first classes were held in the fall of 1968. It’s now a research institution, where faculty members draw more than $100 million annually for projects. More than 200 degree programs are offered.
UCF’s College of Education produces more teachers than any other institution in Florida. The accredited College of Business Administration along has more than eight-thousand students. The College of Engineering and Computer Science is a stone’s throw from some of the biggest names in technology: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA.
- Known for: When Orlando was given the moniker “Hollywood East” in 1989, UCF noticed. Its film school was created in 1990. It offers undergrad and graduate programs. UCF alumni include former Kennedy Space Center Director Bill Parsons, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France, actress Cheryl Hines, and former NFL quarterback Daunte Culpepper.
- Cost: 2012/2013 tuition and fees (14 hours per term): $5806 in state residents, $21,732 out-of-state. The website offers this nifty calculator for figuring expenses.
- Class size: UCF’s main and satellite campuses have more than 58,000 students overall. Liberal Arts classes can be large.
- Student facts: Total student population is around 55% female. Minorities represent approximately 40 percent of the student body.
- Fun fact: UCF’s athletic teams are the Knights. The Knights will join the Big East Conference next year. Budding radio personalities can join Knightcast, the student-run Internet radio station and live event DJ services at UCF.
