University of West Florida

Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees at University of West Florida

The University of West Florida appears in our ranking of the 25 Best Bachelor’s in Engineering Online Degrees. Undergrads and graduate students have a number of options when they apply to the University of West Florida (UWF). Also called West Florida, the university offers 12 different bachelor’s degree programs. Its Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) prepares students for working in government agencies and both public and private facilities. They can meet some of the requirements for getting their social work licenses and gain some field experience. Its Bachelor of General Studies program gives students more freedom and flexibility. Students can complete all general education requirements.They then take classes that interest them to design their own degrees. The university also offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program that allows registered nurses to go back to school and finish an advanced degree. Students can take some online classes in this program. This allows them to finish their degrees without taking time away from their jobs. Bachelor of Science programs are available in fields like mechanical engineering and computer engineering too. UWF offers nearly as many options at the graduate level. Its Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is popular because students can complete the program in different ways. They can enroll in an online MBA program or complete their MBA degrees in a more traditional format. The university offers concentrations for MBA students in:

• accounting
• human resource management
• business analytics
• entrepreneurship
• supply chain logistics management
• information security management
• hospitality and tourism management

Students in the hospitality and tourism management program can find work in:

• hotels
• theme parks
• other recreational companies

A unique program available from the university is its Master of Science in Health, Leisure and Exercise Science. Students can focus their studies on either exercise science or physical education and human performance. Some of the graduates of this program work as:

• physical therapists
• coaches
• physical education teachers

The University of West Florida also offers a Master of Science in History program with concentrations in:

• traditional history
• public history
• early American history

Students following the public history track can work in museums and other facilities before graduating.

About University of West Florida

The University of West Florida is a large university with a campus in Pensacola, Florida. It was established in 1962 after the state identified a need for a college in the northwest region of the state. It opened for classes in 1967 as part of the State University System of Florida.  More than 10,000 undergrads now take classes from the university each year. It also has a graduate enrollment of close to 3,000 students.

University of West Florida Accreditation Details

West Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which serves as both regional and institutional accreditation. It covers all programs available at all levels and gives the university authority to grant degrees to students who successfully complete all their degree requirements. SACS accelerated also gives students the right to bring any college credits they earned from other schools with them and to apply for federal aid. Some of the university’s degree programs have accreditation from:

• the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) among others.

University of West Florida Application Requirements

Both undergrads and graduate students applying to UWF must create an online account with the application portal. To create an account, a student must list his or her:

• full and legal name
• phone number
• home address
• an email address

As they create accounts with the site, students will also answer questions about what they want to study, whether they will apply for any scholarships and where they studied before. The university has an early decision deadline of November 1. It has a priority deadline for those who need scholarships of December 10. All other students can submit their applications by January 15. The deadline for graduate students who want to start in the fall is June 1. UWF accepts applications through October 1 for those who want to start in the spring . It’s  March 1 for those planning to start in the summer. The university also charges an application fee that students can pay with a bank account, debit card or credit card. Other requirements for incoming students will vary based on whether they want to study at the undergrad or graduate level. Undergrads typically need to submit the application and provide the university with official high school transcripts. They mays also need to submit a standardized test score. Graduate students will use the online application and submit transcripts from any of the colleges they attended. The university gives priority to those who maintained a GPA of 2.5 to 3.0 in college. Graduate students may need to submit:

• letters of recommendation
• a writing sample
• a resume also

Tuition and Financial Aid

Florida residents qualify for an in-state undergrad tuition rate of around $219 per credit hour. The cost for nonresidents is closer to $650 per credit hour. Due to its campus’s close proximity to Alabama, the university offers a discounted tuition rate for residents of that state. Alabama residents can take undergrad classes and pay just $342 per credit hour. UWF also charges nonresident and in-state tuition at the graduate level. Graduate students pay around $384 per credit hour as Florida residents It’s around $1,045 per credit for nonresidents. Alabama students pay around $489 per credit hour after the university applies its discount. The university will waive all fees for military students enrolled in an undergrad or graduate degree program. UWF offers financial aid packages for all students that help them meet some or all of their educational costs. As soon as the university receives a student’s FAFSA, it begins working on his or her package. Students can qualify for aid from both the state and federal government. These include subsidized loans for undergrads and unsubsidized loans for graduate students. The university also offers a wide range of scholarship opportunities. Students can apply for any of the scholarships offered by the University of West Florida that interest them.

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