While pursuing a doctoral degree in aerospace engineering at UCF, Tommy Genova 麻豆精品 S�20MS 麻豆精品 S�20PhD worked alongside Professor Kareem Ahmed, one of the world 麻豆精品 S檚 foremost researchers in hypersonics and combustion. He played a leading role in designing and measuring outcomes of combustion experiments and collaborated regularly with engineering partners from GE and other companies.
Genova credits Ahmed, as well as renowned professors Jayanta Kapat and Subith Vasu, for helping to propel him to a highly successful career. He now works as the lead engineer of combustion at GE Aerospace, one of the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 aviation and aerospace component manufacturing companies.
麻豆精品 S淚 attribute most of my success to the degree I got from UCF, 麻豆精品 S� Genova says. 麻豆精品 S淭he technical skills I built and connections I made in my graduate studies and research have been invaluable to get me to the point I 麻豆精品 S檝e gotten to in my career.
Like Genova, the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings recognize the high quality of 鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 aerospace engineering graduate program, which advanced seven spots and now is among the top 40 in the nation.
Overall, 13 UCF graduate programs rank among the top 50 in the nation. Among public universities, nine programs in engineering and computer science rank in the top 50.
鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 emergency and crisis management program聽 ranks No. 1 in the nation, counselor education is No. 9 and nonprofit management is No. 15.
UCF is the ideal home for graduate students looking to advance their careers and gain new skills in those fields and many others. In addition to working alongside world-class faculty, students benefit from the university 麻豆精品 S檚 location in Orlando and strong partnerships with industry.
The city is home to many leading engineering firms, a world modeling and simulation hub and the hospitality capital of the world, as well as a short drive from the Space Coast.
Orlando also is one of the most dynamic regions in the country, securing the No. 1 ranking among the 30 most populous metro areas in job growth, population growth and GDP growth. In 2024, Orlando led the nation in employment expansion, driven by thriving industries such as healthcare, tech and financial services.
A UCF education combines the strong advantages of Orlando with world-class faculty like Ahmed, Vasu and Kapat who bring strong industry and academic experience into classrooms and research labs.
麻豆精品 S湵涔� 麻豆精品 S檚 rise in U.S. News & World Report 麻豆精品 S檚 Best Graduate Schools rankings reflects our strategic commitment to becoming a national leader in engineering, 麻豆精品 S� says Michael D. Johnson, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. 麻豆精品 S淎cross our academic enterprise, we are investing in exceptional faculty, expanding research capabilities and deepening industry partnerships 麻豆精品 S� all with the goal of preparing our students to excel in high-impact careers and to help address the world 麻豆精品 S檚 most pressing challenges. 麻豆精品 S�
Nation 麻豆精品 S檚 Top Pipeline to Aerospace Industry
Advances in engineering rankings at Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Premier Engineering and Technology University have come as the university has launched a bold faculty hiring initiative to prepare leaders for the future of industry.
UCF also has consistently been ranked by Aviation Week Network as the No. 1 provider of talent in the nation to aerospace and defense companies.
For GE, Genova is far from the only example of that strong talent pipeline. He says his division of GE has hired many UCF graduates who are making substantial contributions to the company.
麻豆精品 S淯CF has invested a lot into its aerospace engineering program, and it has shown, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淭here is a lot of exciting research going on that make it an attractive destination for someone interested in the aerospace field. This is not only evident from the strong growth of the program, but the increased number of UCF graduates in the field. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淕raduate school at UCF was a challenge but rewarding. The course work was quite informative and helpful in understanding aerospace concepts at a deeper level. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Nik Patel 麻豆精品 S�19MS, alum
Many UCF aerospace engineering graduates go on to prominent roles at NASA and 麻豆精品 S� at a time when private spaceflight is rapidly growing 麻豆精品 S� the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 leading private spaceflight companies.
Nik Patel 麻豆精品 S�19MS worked in Tarek Elgohary 麻豆精品 S檚 lab on his path to a master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in aerospace engineering. He completed a co-op at NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which led to a full-time job as flight director and mobility subject matter expert for the Mars Curiosity Rover.
麻豆精品 S淓ventually, I was recruited by Blue Origin to work on their lunar lander program as the verification and validation lead for mission operations systems, 麻豆精品 S� Patel says. 麻豆精品 S淚 have been here at Blue Origin for three years now and we are quite excited to see the lander land in the coming future. I am now working as one of the leads on the lunar mission. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淔rom the master 麻豆精品 S檚 classes, I learned the soft skills required to do my job. For example, balancing multiple priorities, communicating with teams efficiently and focusing on the entire system of an aerospace project, 麻豆精品 S� Patel says.
Helping Students through UCF Counselor Education Program
Emily Ferrand 麻豆精品 S�20 graduated from the counselor education program with a focus on school counseling. The program now ranks No. 9 in the country after moving up three spots this year.
Ferrand says she learned a lot in the graduate program, particularly from senior lecturer Stacy Van Horn and Associate Professor J. Richelle Joe. Ferrand has worked five years at Horizon West Middle School, including three years as the school 麻豆精品 S檚 lead counselor.
麻豆精品 S淯CF knows how to produce really solid counselors. The professors are really supportive, and they don 麻豆精品 S檛 shy away from giving feedback, which is really important, 麻豆精品 S� Ferrand says. 麻豆精品 S淚f I 麻豆精品 S檓 not doing something well, then I want someone to let me know that, so I can continue to grow and become a better counselor. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 still friends with some of the people in my master 麻豆精品 S檚 program, and I see them flourishing as counselors, too. It 麻豆精品 S檚 a really great program, and I would always recommend it to anyone who asks, 麻豆精品 S� she says.
UCF has also been recognized as a top 40 Best Education School, improving 30 spots in 5 years.
UCF Emergency Management Remains No. 1 in the Nation
Lauren Gros 麻豆精品 S�22 is an alumna of the master 麻豆精品 S檚 in emergency and crisis management program, which equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to practice as highly trained emergency management professionals.
The emergency management program at UCF continues to rank No. 1 in the nation, with graduates who have outstanding training and knowledge courtesy of highly skilled faculty.
麻豆精品 S淭he program 麻豆精品 S檚 stellar reputation and national ranking made it an obvious choice for pursuing these goals, 麻豆精品 S� Gros says. 麻豆精品 S淥ne of the highlights was working at Seminole County Emergency Management, an opportunity made possible by the university 麻豆精品 S檚 strong connections. 麻豆精品 S�
Gros now works as a professional staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives 麻豆精品 S� Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has emergency management as part of its jurisdiction.
麻豆精品 S淯CF equipped me with a robust foundation in emergency management and public administration, which I apply daily in my career, 麻豆精品 S� Gros says. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檇 enthusiastically recommend UCF to anyone considering a career in emergency management. 麻豆精品 S�
Other UCF programs ranked highly in the public affairs category include:
- Nonprofit Management 麻豆精品 S� No. 15
- Public Management and Leadership 麻豆精品 S� No. 21
- Public Finance and Budgeting 麻豆精品 S� No. 27
- Public Affairs 麻豆精品 S� No. 46
Three Health Programs Rank Among Top 50 Nationally
When Jeff Schmidt evaluated where he wanted to pursue his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, he focused on programs 麻豆精品 S� academic excellence, cost and location.
UCF ranks No. 42 in the nation for graduate physical therapy programs. The cohort graduating in 2024 had a 100% employment rate.
麻豆精品 S淚t was clear UCF met all of those criteria, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淒uring the interview process I realized a fourth item would be just as important: the faculty. It was immediately clear how caring, supportive, down-to-earth the UCF DPT faculty are. This really resonated with me, and I knew right away I wanted to be a part of this program. I could see myself growing significantly as a student and as a person over the next three years under their guidance 麻豆精品 S� and I was absolutely right. 麻豆精品 S�
Today, Schmidt is a senior physical therapist at AdventHealth Sports Med & Rehab. He treats patients with neurologic conditions at a rehabilitation clinic and also serves as a mentor within AdventHealth 麻豆精品 S檚 neurologic residency program and a clinical instructor for DPT students. He also collaborates with his Ph.D. mentor Ethan Hill and the UCF Strategies for Therapeutic Rehabilitation and Optimization for Neuromuscular Growth (STRONG) Lab to examine the effects of blood flow restriction on resistance and walking training for people with multiple sclerosis.
麻豆精品 S淭he UCF DPT program is highly ranked because of its exceptional faculty, rigorous curriculum, clinical focus and emphasis on research, 麻豆精品 S� Schmidt says. 麻豆精品 S淚n my experience working with UCF DPT students and new graduates, their readiness to excel in the physical therapy field is evident. This is a direct result of the program 麻豆精品 S檚 commitment to facilitating academic and professional excellence. 麻豆精品 S�
鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 healthcare management program ranks No. 41 in the country, and speech language pathology is No. 48.
Matt Atkins 麻豆精品 S�20 麻豆精品 S�22MHA earned a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 in health services administration and master 麻豆精品 S檚 in health administration. He credits his UCF education with helping him become executive director of Spring Haven Senior Living in Winter Haven, Florida 麻豆精品 S� where he successfully leads of a team of more than 100 people who care for more than 200 residents.
麻豆精品 S淚 have had an extensive relationship with the faculty that didn’t just end once I walked across the stage at commencement, 麻豆精品 S� he says.聽 麻豆精品 S淭he biggest thing that sets [鲍颁贵 麻豆精品 S檚 faculty] apart, [which] is obvious as soon as you walk into a classroom and start interacting with [them], is they 麻豆精品 S檙e all about developing their students and impacting their future. 麻豆精品 S�
