The University of Central Florida is one of the top 10 colleges in the United States for undergraduate Hispanic students, according to Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine.
UCF’s efforts to recruit, retain and graduate Hispanic students earned it a spot on the magazine’s list of 100 best colleges for bachelor’s degrees.
Using data from the U.S. Department of Education, Hispanic Outlook rated public and private universities throughout the country for its May 7 issue.
More than 1,600 Hispanic students earned their bachelor’s degrees from UCF in the 2010-2011 academic year. UCF awarded 220 master’s degrees to Hispanic students that year.
UCF also placed in the top 10 for degrees awarded to Hispanics in several categories. UCF ranked 10th for education; ninth for biological and biomedical sciences; sixth for business management and marketing; seventh for engineering and engineering technology; fourth for health professions and related programs; and fourth for psychology.
Hispanic Outlook is sent to high schools around the country with large Hispanic student enrollment to provide students and parents with information about what schools might offer them the best opportunities for higher education.
The rankings demonstrate UCF’s commitment to helping students of all backgrounds succeed. The university provides support services such as tutoring and counseling, and looks for innovative ways to engage students and their parents.
For example, UCF offers orientation sessions in Spanish for parents who feel more comfortable speaking their native tongue. In addition, UCF’s Board of Trustees last year approved an undergraduate program in Latin American Studies. The program, which began in the fall, prepares students to understand, study and work with Hispanic populations throughout the world.