The University of Florida (abbreviated UF) is a major public research institution of higher education. It is Florida’s oldest, biggest, and most comprehensive university and is ranked among the United States’ public universities that are academically diverse. The university included nearly all academic and professional disciplines. UF has a threefold mission: teaching, research, and service. Teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels is a fundamental purpose of UF. Research and scholarship are integrated into the process of education to expand students’ understanding of the natural world, the senses, and the intellect. Service shows the university’s commitment in sharing the benefits of its knowledge and research for public advantage. These three interconnected concepts are incorporated into all of the academic programs and represent the University of Florida’s commitment to lead and serve Florida, the United States, and the World.

UF offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as certificates in an online distance-learning format through the Division of Continuing Education (DCE). The division strives to provide flexible learning experience for busy working professionals. The programs are intended to meet the diverse learning needs of students. Courses are delivered in synchronous (set schedule) and asynchronous (open, flexible schedule) formats. With distance education at UF you have more freedom and more responsibility for your own learning. The courses are delivered through WebCT Vista, which is educational enterprise software that was developed and is run by Blackboard Inc. WebCt Vista provides course materials such as class notes, quizzes, message forums, and audio presentations that are available in a variety of formats. You can take a self-assessment offered by the division to see if distance education is right for you.

The University of Florida is highly recognized. It is currently ranked 49th for overall best university by U.S. News and World Report. U.S. News also ranked UF as one the United State’s Top 10 most popular colleges. The Princeton Review ranked UF 13th in its 2009 Best 368 Colleges. A funny thing to know is that the famous sports drink Gatorade was developed by researchers at the University of Florida.

The University of Florida traces its founding to 1853 when the East Florida Seminary, which was state-funded, acquired the private Kingsbury Academy in Ocala. In the 1860s, the seminary moved to Gainesville after the Civil War. The seminary was later consolidated with the state’s land grant Agricultural College. In 1905, the college became a university and was renamed the University of Florida shortly after in 1906. On September 26, 1906, the first classes met with 102 students. The university only enrolled men until 1947. Today, with over 51,000 students, University of Florida is the first largest university in the United States.