University of West Florida

How this program compares

Benchmark this program against our national recognition pages and use the key guides below to evaluate ROI, admissions difficulty, and outcomes.

Admission Snapshot

Typical admitted student: Minimum institutional GPA referenced at 3.0 in catalogue summary text; undergrad CS prep or leveling pathway; GRE optional but guidance differs for domestic vs international competitiveness—check active graduate admissions site for your entry term.

About This Program

UWF anchors Northwest Florida recruiting relationships with aerospace, defense logistics, coastal science, and growing Gulf Coast metropolitan employers while offering comparatively affordable FL public tuition tiers. Pensacola’s joint military presence creates applied computing demand that MSCS grads can intersect via internships coordinated through career services.

Career Outcomes

30-semester-hour MSCS administered by Hal Marcus College of Science & Engineering with software engineering vs data science tracks and flexible online/live modalities per official catalog disclosures.

• 1. Software Engineer
• 2. Data Engineer
• 3. Cloud Developer
• 4. Defense Tech Analyst (eligible employers)
• 5. Applied ML Engineer after elective focus

What You'll Learn

• Satisfy MSCS breadth core plus track electives in software engineering or data science.
• Pursue modality-flexible coursework (campus synchronous or online synchronous per catalog statements).
• Produce culminating experience consistent with departmental policy (project/comprehensive options—verify annually).
• Navigate responsible deployment topics common to AI-enabled systems when electing analytics-focused coursework.

Curriculum Highlights

UWF catalogue materials describe approximately 30 semester hours spanning core breadth (algorithms, distributed/parallel computing, databases) plus track electives emphasizing software engineering or data analytics with modern AI-focused offerings. Applicants without CS undergrad prep may pursue prerequisite leveling. Confirm concentration naming, modality, and culminating option details in catalog.uwf.edu each admit year.

Top Employers

Regional defense primes and subcontractors where eligible; healthcare IT groups along the Gulf Coast; regional logistics and aerospace employers; nationwide remote recruiters—confirm via employer events.

Admissions

Minimum institutional GPA referenced at 3.0 in catalogue summary text; undergrad CS prep or leveling pathway; GRE optional but guidance differs for domestic vs international competitiveness—check active graduate admissions site for your entry term.

Application Materials

• Letter of intent: Required
• References: Typically two positive references
• Resume/CV: Required
• Transcripts: Official transcripts required
• English proficiency exams for qualifying international applicants

Academic Requirements

• Appropriate undergraduate preparation including programming/discrete mathematics
• Bridge coursework allowed when graduate committee approves
• English proficiency thresholds per Graduate School policy