Programs and Partnerships

Home » Home - Programs and Partnerships

UCF is a prominent player in graduate education nationwide, offering innovative community partnerships, world-renowned faculty, and cutting-edge research opportunities. As one of the fastest-growing research universities in the country—located in one of the most dynamic metropolitan areas in the United States—Orlando, Florida— UCF assists in the economic development of the central Florida region. UCF attracts and supports industries vital to the region’s future while providing students with real-world experiences that help them succeed after graduation.

UCF aligns its teaching, research, and services with the needs of our local economy, such as simulation and training, optics and lasers, hospitality management, video game production, business, education, and health care. We believe innovation comes from the meeting of diverse viewpoints and we will be successful when working together and to our full potential.

Graduate Student Advisory Council

Photo of 2023 Graduate Student Advisory Council

The Graduate Student Advisory Council established in November 2021 is made up of students from across the university. They meet monthly to share experiences; identify and propose solutions to challenges unique to graduate students and make recommendations to the College of Graduate Studies for creating an inclusive graduate community.

The council meets monthly with the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, Elizabeth Klonoff, PhD, to provide advice on topics such as fostering inclusivity, enhancing graduate student well-being, expanding research and scholarship opportunities, cultivating a vibrant graduate student culture, improving graduate student and faculty relationships, and advocating for competitive GTA and GRA stipends.

These council members represent various disciplines and study modes, (full-time, part-time, online, and in-person) maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 and uphold UCF’s Golden Rule. They commit at least two hours monthly to prepare and meet with the Dean, engaging in both in- person and virtual activities.

The inaugural council consisted of 14 students, selected from more than 150 applicants for one academic year term.  Last year we expanded to 19 members, with at least one representative from each college.

In the past year, the Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC) achieved significant outcomes and addressed pressing issues. GSAC initiated the prestigious Award for Excellence by a Graduate Student Researcher, celebrating remarkable research and creative scholarship by UCF’s graduate students. This self-nominated award empowers graduate students to share their work with the UCF community, with GSAC granting scholarship awards to the deserving recipients.

Acknowledging ongoing faculty mentoring and advising concerns and other matters from the GSAC, Dr. Klonoff and her administrative team, held collaborative discussions with colleges to enhance the graduate study experience and promote mutual support. This proactive approach is set to become an annual protocol for the leadership team.

Moreover, GSAC members played a pivotal role in crafting questions for the new KnightBot implementation on the graduate studies website. A GSAC member also joined the dean in discussions with the Student Government Association regarding graduate student funding and the transfer of graduate outreach funds to Graduate Studies. After several months of dialogue, the funds were successfully transferred to the Graduate Student Life office to support social, networking, and professional development events for graduate students.

Looking ahead, GSAC has laid out a roadmap for future initiatives, including expanding of outreach events at regional campuses, such as tailgates for sporting events, graduation celebrations, and family gatherings, to ensure that the graduate student experience at UCF remains enriched and inclusive.

Interdisciplinary Programs

The interdisciplinary nature of graduate study and research has a longstanding presence in UCF graduate education. Faculty and students reach beyond organizational structures to engage with others who share similar research interests yet can provide complementary expertise and perspective to the research work. The College of Graduate Studies houses seven graduate programs including Interdisciplinary Studies, Modeling and Simulation, Nanotechnology, and Geographic Information Systems. The Interdisciplinary Studies master’s program includes an incubator model that supports the testing of student interest in new degree programs or those that cross multiple colleges and departments.

Learn more about interdisciplinary programs

Interdisciplinary Studies

Interdisciplinary studies provide a unique way for graduate students to reach beyond organizational structures to achieve their educational and research goals. Faculty and students cross disciplinary boundaries to engage in learning and research with others who share similar interests yet can provide complementary expertise and perspectives. The College of Graduate Studies houses eight graduate programs including master’s and doctoral degrees, and graduate certificates in Interdisciplinary Studies, Modeling and Simulation, Nanotechnology, and Geographic Information Systems. These programs take advantage of the diversity of courses and research work on campus, unleashing the potential within each student and researcher and allowing for innovative solutions to changing workforce and societal demands and global problems. 

Graduate Programs

Graduate education plays a prominent role at UCF with more than 9,200 students and over 200 graduate degree programs and certificates. The reputation of any educational institution is best reflected in the accomplishments of its students, faculty, and alumni—our graduates become leaders in their professional fields and enhance the quality of life for all through their innovative research and creative scholarship.

University Graduate Accomplishments

Doctoral student Shalece Kohnke earned was 1 of 15 in the nation named a 2022 DRK-12 (Discovery Research PreK-13) U.S. National Science Foundation CADRE Fellow.  

NASA awarded $35M to Assistant Professor Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Associate Professor Adrienne Dove to lead a mission that will land a spacecraft on a part of the moon never visited before, the Gruithuisen Domes. 

The U.S. National Science Foundation named 8 UCF professors 2022 NSF CAREER award recipients with a total grant amount of more than $4.3M.

The Modeling and Simulation program received a $1M DOE grant to develop new curriculum and launch outreach programs for high schools to create a pipeline of talent that will help lead the nation in this area of innovation.

U.S. News & World Report ranked the Optics program among the top 25 Best Global Universities, and 4th among U.S. public universities.

UCF’s emergency management program ranks No. 2 in the country, and graduate programs in education, engineering and nursing climbed in this year’s U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings.

A total of 21 UCF graduate programs rank in the top 100 of their fields, with four programs in the top 25 and nearly a dozen showing marked advancement.

Top Doctoral Programs*

  1. Nursing Practice DNP
  2. Computer Science PhD
  3. Physical Therapy DPT
  4. Education PhD
  5. Physics PhD

Top Masters Programs*

  1. Social Work MSW
  2. Business Administration MBA
  3. Health Administration MHA
  4. Hospitality and Tourism Management MS
  5. Computer Science MS

Top Feeder Schools

  1. University of Central Florida
  2. University of Florida
  3. University of South Florida
  4. Florida State University
  5. Florida Atlantic University

Top Feeder States

  1. New York
  2. Georgia
  3. California
  4. Texas
  5. Ohio

*Based on enrollment

UCF Online

The College of Graduate Studies facilitates the application process for UCF’s high-quality distance learning graduate degree programs through UCF Online spanning across numerous academic disciplines. Applicants may select from three online doctoral degrees, 40 online master’s degrees (some with multiple tracks), and 42 online certificates. In 2022-2023 academic year, a total of 2,738 graduate students enrolled in UCF’s online programs. 

The College of Graduate Studies commits to informing stakeholders of any state and national developments in online graduate program offerings and assisting with online program curriculum development. We work closely with UCF Online and the Center for Distributed Learning to ensure compliance with academic policies and identify potential areas for program development.

Top UCF Online Graduate Programs Based on Enrollment

  1. Social Work MSW
  2. Nursing MSN
  3. Healthcare Informatics PSM
  4. Nonprofit Management MNM
  5. Criminal Justice MS

International

With 150 countries represented on campus, UCF welcomes the rich diversity and perspectives of our international students. UCF has more than 200 study and research agreements with institutions in more than 60 countries—providing learning and research opportunities for students and faculty in countries from across the globe.  Furthermore, the College of Graduate Studies serves as the initial point of contact for placement advisers with the Fulbright Foreign Student Program and works closely with graduate program directors and faculty to recruit Fulbright scholars to UCF.  The College of Graduate Studies received a total of 26 applications for Fall 2022 admission from Fulbright Scholars around the world.   

Top 10 Feeder Countries for New International Students Fall 2021

  1. Bangladesh
  2. Brazil
  3. China
  4. India
  5. Iran
  6. Italy
  7. Korea
  8. Nigeria
  9. Pakistan
  10. Saudia Arabia

Top Enrolled Programs for International Students

  1. Civil Engineering PhD
  2. Computer Engineering PhD
  3. Computer Science MS
  4. Computer Science PhD
  5. Electrical Engineering PhD
  6. Hospitality and Tourism MS
  7. Mathematics PhD
  8. Mechanical Engineering PhD
  9. Optics and Photonics PhD
  10. Physics PhD