University of Florida Division of Continuing Education

About Us

Managing the Business of Adult Education:
Nontraditional Approaches within a Traditional System

Overview
DCE is the UF agency that works with UF colleges and the general community to develop and offer flexible opportunities to thousands of students who might not otherwise have access to adult learning. These programs are tailored to meet diverse needs ranging from high school and college courses to doctoral degrees. Working professionals also turn to UF for their continuing education activities, advanced certificates, executive training, and to advance their degrees while maintaining careers.

Three branches of the DCE division extend UF services and programs to students and faculty representing more than 10 colleges:

Although distance learning is a significant function of the DCE division, the overall activity of the Division has grown since its creation 32 years ago to fulfill a complex and comprehensive role within the university by supporting the outreach activities of all colleges. The strength of the division lies in five areas of core competencies:

  1. Business Plan Development - Identify and manipulate variables that impact fiscally sound and sustainable program budgets.
  2. Management Software - Create and manage applications for registration, administration and financial management, including online registration and student services processing.
  3. Marketing Services - Marketing feasibility research, research-based marketing plans, consultant for "best practices."
  4. Student Services - Development of unique student services in response to non-traditional student needs. Continual interface with the University Registrar; personalized student services for students enrolled in DCE-supported courses and programs
  5. Campuswide Facilitation - Identify, match and provide resources to meet faculty and college needs. Provide national and international association memberships.
DCE Mission
The mission of the University of Florida (UF) Division of Continuing Education (DCE) is to provide access to higher education opportunities through a variety of non-traditional approaches.

DCE adapts the traditional systems for developing, scheduling, and delivering credit and non-credit programs and courses so that individuals and groups in Florida and around the world, who might not otherwise have access to UF's broad range of quality education, will be able to access UF programs to meet their diverse learning needs. These programs range from professional and personal development opportunities to individual credit courses and a range of degrees, including doctoral level. This capability provides working professionals with access to UF opportunities to meet their degree and certification needs as well as their continuing education and executive training goals while maintaining careers and fulfilling other obligations.

DCE Principles
Mandated to operate at the dynamic intersection of academic integrity and entrepreneurial sustainability, DCE supports the following principles:
  1. Commitment to an environment in which educational innovation and creativity can be investigated, shaped, validated and sustained, and attention to new opportunities for flexibility, accessibility and sustainability in response to educational challenges that focus on the needs of non-traditional, non-residential and working adult students.
  2. Continuous engagement with the university's historic mission to "serve the State of Florida, the nation and the world by pursuing and disseminating new knowledge while building upon the experiences of the past," and its aspirations of "strengthening the human condition and improving the quality of life."
  3. Dedication to developing dynamic synergies through a combination of university faculty and proven practitioners and carefully chosen consultants.
  4. Commitment to consistent respect, support and consideration for all teaching, learning and administrative stakeholders and to continuous improvement through assessment and research.