University of Central Florida

Center for Distributed Learning

Orlando, Florida

DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM

UCF delivers courses and programs over the Internet to meet the diverse needs of a growing student population and to fulfill the general University mission.

UCF provides this delivery for those who would not otherwise be able to attend classes on one of the UCF campuses. In the last full academic year, UCF has served 12,884 individual students with Web-based courses.

The course materials and methods were developed by UCF to maximize the distant learner's achievement of course objectives. All distributed learning courses provide full University credit, and are subject to standard campus tuition charges and UCF policies.

DELIVERY MEDIA

To participate in Web-based courses, students must have access to the UCF campus network or another Internet service provider and, at minimum, either a Pentium III PC running Windows 2000 or a Macintosh G4.

Students viewing video streams need a broadband Internet connection, such as cable or DSL, with a download speed of at least 128 Kb, with 256 Kb or greater preferred. Students also need to have at least Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.4, although Windows Media Player 9 is required to take advantage of some playback features.

PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Distance learning degree programs offered by Florida's public universities are generally limited to upper-division and graduate course work. For more information on UCF's programs, students should visit the Web site listed in the Contact section.

The Web-based bachelor's degree in liberal studies leads to either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in liberal studies degrees. The liberal arts track is an honors-linked program available to students seeking an individualized, nontraditional, interdisciplinary major.

The Web-based RN to bachelor's degree in nursing curriculum is available for Florida RNs seeking a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N). Some campus attendance is required. Students may complete course work and clinical practicums in five semesters or eighteen months. The School validates registered nurses' knowledge in the areas of adult health, childbearing and child rearing, and psychiatric–mental health.

UCF offers Web-based programs leading to the Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Master of Arts (M.A.), or Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in technical education and industry training. These programs are for individuals with occupational course work and/or work experience who wish to teach in middle or secondary schools, correctional institutions, postsecondary technical institutes, community colleges, or to become technical trainers in business or industry. Courses for vocational teacher certification, curriculum development, and career and technical education are included.

The Web-based bachelor's degree in health service administration is an upper division curriculum. The program is designed for registered nurses, respiratory therapists, EMTs, radiographers, medical laboratory technologists, dental hygienists, and others holding A.A./A.S. degrees or licenses that are nationally recognized. Students without a background in the health-care industry can also be accommodated to build a background in health service administration to enter the industry.

The B.S. in health information management is designed to prepare managers who are part of a health-care team. The curriculum is approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

The video-based Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology (B.S.E.T.) degree program is comprised of courses that are offered via video streaming, with Internet enhancement. Special arrangements are made for laboratory courses. This track provides an orientation for professional careers in technical management and operations in the manufacturing, sales, service, and construction industries.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a major metropolitan research university whose mission is to deliver a comprehensive program of teaching, research, and service. UCF was established in 1963 and opened in the fall of 1968. Its original name, Florida Technological University, was changed by the Florida Legislature on December 6, 1978.

UCF proudly identifies with its geographic region while striving for national and international excellence in selected programs of teaching and research. The University of Central Florida is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels.

The University offers graduate study via the video-based Florida Engineering Education Delivery System (FEEDS), a product of the cooperative effort of the State University System (SUS) and private sector industries in Florida. FEEDS offers access to high-quality graduate programs and extended studies through the use of live and recorded television, teleconferencing, and computer aided communication.

The Master of Science (M.S.) in forensic science provides two tracks for full-time students and practicing professionals, forensic analysis and forensic biochemistry. Approximately 60 percent of the course work can be accessed online and the remainder can be taken on site at UCF or other qualified institutions.

The College of Education offers a master's program in exceptional education that leads to an Master of Education or Master of Arts degree. The M.Ed. degree prepares exceptional education teachers to work in programs serving K–12 students with varying exceptionalities. It is designed for teachers already certified in an area of exceptional education. The M.A. program is for noneducation majors or teachers previously certified in another field.

The Master of Nonprofit Management (M.N.M.) provides opportunities for students to prepare for employment or advance their careers in nonprofit organizations. the program is intended to produce graduates equipped with the management skills and analytical skills needed for successful careers in the nonprofit sector.

The online M.Ed. in instructional technology/media, media track, is designed for individuals who wish to become media specialists and work as leaders of school library media programs in public schools. The M.A. track in this same program is focused on educational technology. It is designed for classroom teachers looking for ways to become highly skilled at successfully integrating technology into the curriculum.

The Master of Science in Nursing program is designed to build upon the student's baccalaureate nursing education and professional experience. The goal of the program is to prepare advanced practice nurses to assume leadership positions in a variety of health-care settings. UCF also offers Web-based graduate certificates. From the College of Health and Public Affairs, students may earn a graduate certificate in nonprofit management, designed to provide graduate-level education for individuals who are currently working in the nonprofit sector or in organizations that are in partnership with the nonprofit sector. From the College of Education, a graduate certificate for community colleges is offered, designed to prepare academic leaders in community colleges by strengthening their knowledge base with practical content in curriculum and instruction. The graduate certificate in professional writing, offered through the Department of English, is designed for immediate relevance in the workplace. A new graduate certificate in nursing and health professional education is designed to prepare nurses and allied health professionals to teach in nursing and health professional programs, health-care institutions and agencies, and in the community. A graduate certificate in domestic violence, offered through the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, is designed for persons working or planning to work in the domestic violence field or whose occupational responsibilities include contact with the victims or perpetrators of domestic violence.

FACULTY

UCF employs more than 1,150 full-time and 280 (FTE) part-time faculty members in the six distinct colleges that are part of the University. Eighty percent of the full-time faculty members have terminal or doctoral degrees. More than 420 resident faculty members have completed an eight-week, in-house faculty development course for Web-based instruction.

ADMISSION

Students who plan to enroll in Webbased courses must be admitted to the University and use the same admission procedures as other students.

TUITION AND FEES

The nonrefundable application fee is $30. The UCF campus card fee is $10. The 2003–04 semester registration fees for residents were $94.42 per credit hour for undergraduate study and $207 per credit hour for graduate study; non-resident fees were $462.02 for undergraduate study and $776.27 for graduate study.

FINANCIAL AID

Information regarding financial aid is available from UCF's Office of Student Financial Assistance online at http://finaid.ucf.edu.

CONTACT

Dr. Steven E. Sorg
Assistant Vice President for Distributed Learning
12424 Research Parkway, Suite 256
Orlando, Florida 32826-3271
Telephone: 407-823-4910
Fax: 407-207-4911
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://online.ucf.edu/

APPLYING

Undergraduate applicants with more than 60 credit hours or who have earned an A.A. degree from a Florida public community college must submit high school transcripts and transcripts from all colleges attended. Applicants with fewer than 60 credit hours must also submit SAT or ACT scores and must meet the freshmen State University System eligibility requirements. Graduate applicants must submit official GRE (or GMAT scores for selected programs) test scores and official transcripts showing a bachelor's degree earned at a regionally accredited institution. The minimum University requirements for admission into a graduate program are a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale or a score of 1000 on the combined verbal-quantitative portions of the GRE or 450 on the GMAT (for programs that require it). Requirements for specific programs are in addition to or different from the minimum University requirements.