Organization
Florida Institute of Technology is an accredited, coeducational, independently controlled and supported university. It is committed to the pursuit of excellence in teaching and research in the sciences, engineering, high-tech fields, business, psychology, liberal arts, aviation and related disciplines, as well as providing the challenges that motivate students to reach their full academic and professional potential. Today, 8,900 students are enrolled in programs on and off campus, and online. More than 5,000 students attend class on the Melbourne campus and more than 1,100 at Florida Tech’s off-campus sites, while over 2,500 students are enrolled in online programs. Florida Tech offers more than 270 degree programs in science, engineering, aviation, business, education, humanities, psychology and communication. Included are doctoral degrees offered in 27 disciplines and over 90 degree programs at the master’s level.
Because of the moderate size of the student body and the university’s dedicated faculty and staff, a student at Florida Tech is recognized as an individual. Acting as individuals or as members of student organizations, students are encouraged to express their opinions on ways in which academic programs and student life might be made better for all. An active student government and student court play a meaningful part in matters affecting student life.
Many students enrolled in graduate programs, as well as undergraduates, take part in sponsored research programs and make significant contributions to project results. Florida Tech houses a number of research institutes and centers that, in collaboration with academic departments, aid in the students’ training. These institutes and centers are described more fully under “Research” in this section.
The university is organized into five academic units: the College of Aeronautics, Nathan M. Bisk College of Business, College of Engineering and Science, College of Psychology and Liberal Arts, and Extended Studies for off-campus programs.
The College of Aeronautics offers bachelor of science degrees in aeronautical science, aviation administration (off-site), aviation management, aviation meteorology, and human factors and safety, each with flight and nonflight options, and the bachelor of arts in aviation management (online). The college offers the Master of Science in Aviation (M.S.A.) in airport development and management, and applied aviation safety on the Melbourne campus, and the M.S.A. in aviation management and aviation safety online. There are two master of science programs offered by the college: aviation human factors and human factors in aeronautics (online). The college offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Aviation Sciences in one of twelve aviation-related specializations, and the online Doctor of Aviation (Av.D.) for professionals in the aviation industry.
The Nathan M. Bisk College of Business offers online associate degrees in accounting, business administration, healthcare management, management and marketing. Bachelor’s degrees on the Melbourne campus are offered in business administration (variety of specialized areas), business and environmental studies and information systems. Bachelor of Arts degrees are offered online in accounting and in business administration (variety of specialized areas). The master of business administration is offered on campus, at off-campus sites and online in a variety of specialized areas. The master of science in information technology is offered online in the areas of cybersecurity and database administration.
The College of Engineering and Science includes six research intensive departments: aerospace, physics and space sciences; biomedical and chemical engineering and sciences; computer engineering and sciences; mechanical and civil engineering; mathematical sciences; and ocean engineering and sciences. The college is also home to the Harris Institute for Assured Information and the Human-Centered Design Institute. Recognized programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels include aerospace engineering, applied mathematics, astrobiology, astronomy and astrophysics, biochemistry, biological oceanography, biological sciences, biomathematics, biomedical engineering, biomedical science, chemical engineering, chemical oceanography, chemistry, civil engineering, coastal zone management, computer engineering, computer information systems, computer science, conservation technology, earth remote sensing, education and interdisciplinary studies, electrical engineering, engineering management, environmental resource management, environmental science, flight test engineering, genomics and molecular genetics, geological oceanography, information assurance and cybersecurity, mathematical sciences, mechanical engineering, meteorology, ocean engineering, operations research, physical oceanography, planetary science, sustainability studies, software engineering, space sciences, systems engineering and teaching. All degrees offer leading-edge training and opportunities to participate in world-class research programs.
The College of Psychology and Liberal Arts includes the School of Arts and Communication, the School of Behavior Analysis, the School of Psychology and the military science program (Army ROTC). The college offers bachelor’s degrees in applied behavior analysis, forensic psychology, humanities, multiplatform journalism, psychology and strategic communication. Master’s degrees are offered in applied behavior analysis, global strategic communication, industrial/organizational psychology and organizational behavior management, and an online master’s degree in organization leadership. Doctoral degrees are offered in behavior analysis, clinical psychology and industrial/organizational psychology. In addition to the programs offered on campus, the college offers associate degrees in applied psychology, liberal arts and criminal justice and bachelor’s degrees in applied psychology and criminal justice through Florida Tech Online, and the master of arts degree in professional behavior analysis in a combination of online and on-site study and practice.
Degrees offered off-campus through the Department of Extended Studies provide a number of specialized master’s degrees, and the master of business administration. Extended studies students may also take some of their courses online through the department’s Virtual Site.
The Evans Library and Learning Commons provides information resources and assistance to students and researchers in all Florida Tech disciplines, in a welcoming environment, in-person and online.
Bibliographic resources include over 100 databases with access to journal articles, eBooks, conference proceedings, and other scholarly periodicals; curriculum-focused print and multimedia collections; and government documents provided via participation in the Federal Depository Library Program. The Harry P. Weber University Archives and Historical Timeline document Florida Tech’s history, and special collections include the papers of Edwin A. Link, Major General Bruce Medaris and poet laureate Edmund Skellings. Florida Tech researchers’ scholarly papers, theses and dissertations are collected and distributed through the open-access Scholarship Repository at Florida Tech.
Librarians and staff guide students through the research process with expertise, and offer reference service and research assistance both in the library and online via chat and email. Course-integrated, for-credit, and informal instruction is offered year-round by dedicated instruction librarians, and a Graduate Research Workshop is available each fall and spring, both on campus and online through the library website (library.fit.edu).
Florida Tech Online is the partnership between Florida Tech and Bisk, whose mission is to prepare adult students, wherever they may be, for rewarding and productive professional careers in a work environment that is increasingly global in scope, driven by rapidly changing technology and focused on quality. In pursuit of this mission, Florida Tech Online seeks to provide students with the finest possible education using the most appropriate delivery technology. Florida Tech Online offers an education reflective of current best practices and taught by instructors who are fully qualified academically and by the virtue of professional practice. The partnership provides nontraditional students invaluable online access to a quality education.
Through the partnership, Florida Tech brings the classroom to the student with instructor-led, interactive programs that offer the same high-quality programs online that are offered to on-campus students. Associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees can be earned anytime, anywhere. The superior interactive delivery allows easy work-life balance with the ability to schedule classes around a busy lifestyle. No actual classroom attendance is ever required in order to receive the same degree as on-campus students, with the option to participate in the Melbourne campus commencement exercises.
Accreditation and Memberships
Florida Institute of Technology is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, education specialist and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida Institute of Technology. The commission requests they be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support an institution’s significant noncompliance with a requirement or standard.
The university is approved by the Office of Education of the U.S. Department of Education.
The university is a member of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, the American Council on Education, the College Entrance Examination Board and the American Society for Engineering Education.
The undergraduate aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, ocean engineering and software engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. The undergraduate computer science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
The aeronautical science and aviation management programs are accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI).
The Doctor of Psychology, Clinical Specialization, is accredited by the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (750 First Street NE, Washington, D.C., 20002-4212; phone 202-336-5979; email apaacred@apa.org; www.apa.org/ed/accreditation). The graduate programs in applied behavior analysis are accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).
The Nathan M. Bisk College of Business is an accredited member of the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). A list of accredited business programs can be found at http://cob.fit.edu/accreditation.php. The master of business administration-project management degree program is also accredited by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC).
Florida Institute of Technology is certified to operate at off-campus sites in Virginia by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Florida Institute of Technology programs at the Maryland site are approved by the Maryland State Higher Education Commission.
Florida Institute of Technology is approved to offer online education in the State of Kansas by the Kansas Board of Regents.
Florida Institute of Technology is registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.
Operation and Control
Florida Tech was granted a charter as a nonprofit corporation by the State of Florida in December 1958. The corporate charter established the school as an independent institution of higher learning with academic programs leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees. The charter ensures the university will be coeducational in character and admission will be open to all qualified applicants regardless of race, gender, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Under the corporate charter, control of the university is vested in a self-perpetuating board of trustees. Members of the board are selected based on outstanding ability, integrity and personal interest in the development and preservation of the university.
The university is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Florida Tech provides access to higher education for persons with disabilities through the Academic Support Center. Individuals are encouraged to contact the office at 321-674-7110 to obtain information about the process of registering for accommodation and services.
Campus Environment
Florida Tech’s campus is located in Melbourne on Florida’s Space Coast. The area offers a delightful year-round subtropical climate and inviting ocean beaches. The campus is within an hour’s drive from the entertainment areas in Central Florida and is part of the Florida High Tech Corridor.
The university’s location gives it a unique place in the academic world. Corporations whose scientists and engineers are making tomorrow’s technological breakthroughs for the U.S. space program surround the Kennedy Space Center. The space center’s proximity allows easy interaction between space center personnel and the university community. Moreover, the growing number of innovative high-tech businesses and industries in the Melbourne area help to make Florida’s business environment one of the most promising and exciting in the nation, and helps university professors to stay abreast of the latest challenges and developments in the scientific, technical and business worlds. With both the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean nearby, students in the oceanography, aquaculture, environmental science and marine biology programs have ready access to the beaches and waters for a variety of field experiments and research projects. Overall, Florida Tech’s location is ideal for keeping pace with developments in science, technology and business.
Facilities
The Botanical Garden is a lush Florida forest of palm, water oak and tropical vegetation on campus. Visitors can enjoy leisurely walks on the pathways through this garden. One path, the Dent Smith Trail, is named in honor of the man who founded the Palm Society and contributed significantly to the university’s palm collection. More than 200 species of palm, some quite rare, are found on the campus.
The Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust provided Florida Tech with $1.5 million to fund the operations center for FIT Aviation, to both house its flight training programs and to run its training facility. Located at Melbourne International Airport, the Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research includes a 50-seat multipurpose/training room, a lobby with displays to showcase Florida Tech’s aviation achievements, student lounge with airfield viewing, instructors lounge, briefing rooms, weather/flight planning room and general operation offices.
The Nathan M. Bisk College of Business building is located north of the campus on Babcock Street, and houses offices for business faculty and administrators, and a Student Resource Center.
The Center for Aeronautics and Innovation (CAI) features multipurpose conference space with lobby displays to showcase aeronautics at FIT and the Florida Tech Research Park. The center houses the main office for FIT Aviation including the EASA and Air Carrier Training programs, various simulator high bays, and training rooms and classrooms. Offices for the Florida Tech Research Park, external relations and economic development are also located in this building to facilitate outreach to businesses and the community and to promote colocation for high-tech companies. CAI also houses the home office for the NCAA Sunshine State Conference.
The seven-story Frederick C. Crawford Building provides space for modern laboratories, classrooms and faculty offices for the mathematical sciences and the School of Arts and Communication. Also in the Crawford Building are the offices of the vice president for research and assistant vice president for institutional compliance.
Florida Tech merged with the former Brevard Art Museum through a $1 million gift from the Foosaner Foundation to form the Foosaner Art Museum at 1463 Highland Avenue in the Eau Gallie Arts District in Melbourne, Florida. The museum complex encompasses over 28,000 square feet and includes the Art Museum with galleries, a gift shop, collections storage and administrative offices; the Harris Community Auditorium, used for lectures, demonstrations, meetings and performances; the Renee Foosaner Education Center, composed of painting, drawing and pottery studios; and the Frits van Eeden Gallery.
The Foosaner Art Museum seeks to stimulate thought, inspire creativity and enrich the community by offering diverse, high-quality visual arts exhibitions and educational programs, and by augmenting, preserving, and presenting its world-class permanent collection. Admission is free for Florida Tech students, faculty and staff.
The Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts is dedicated to furthering the understanding of cultural and creative achievements in the textile and fiber arts through public exhibitions and educational programs.
The center’s growing permanent collection includes more than 1,200 objects. Highlighting the collection are traditional handmade textiles, embroidery, garments and related accessories from Africa, Japan, India and Central Asia; European and North American embroidery and samplers from the 17th through 20th centuries; and contemporary wearable art and fiber arts. The two-story center features 3,000 square feet of exhibition space.
The Ruth Funk Center preserves and displays an international collection of textiles through rotating public exhibitions and educational programs including free lectures and events for the campus community, work study and volunteer opportunities for students and free admission for the general public.
The 500-seat W. Lansing Gleason Performing Arts Center is designed for stage plays, musical productions, scientific displays, lectures, seminars, camps and conferences. It is equipped with a complete control booth for professional stage facilities, lighting and sound. The facility is equipped with both C- and KU-band, and digital satellite downlink services that can be incorporated into productions and viewed on a large screen. Situated in the central portion of the campus, the center is a cultural asset to the university and surrounding community.
A $5 million gift from Community Foundation of Brevard and Harris Corporation funded the Harris Institute for Assured Information housed in the 29,000-sq.-ft. Harris Center for Science and Engineering.
The Harris Student Design Center is a result of a $1 million gift from the Community Foundation of Brevard and Harris Corporation. The 11,500-sq.-ft. structure serves College of Engineering and Science students completing capstone design projects.
The Edwin Link Building accommodates the biomedical engineering, ocean engineering and construction management programs.
The F.W. Olin Engineering Complex houses several areas of the College of Engineering and Science, including chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, engineering systems, mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering. This three-story facility includes 26 specialized research and teaching laboratories and the 145-seat Lynn Edward Weaver Auditorium.
The F.W. Olin Life Sciences Building is the home of the biological sciences programs. This two-story facility contains eight teaching laboratories and 12 research laboratories designed with flex-space for customizing the areas to meet the needs of specific activities.
The F.W. Olin Physical Sciences Center houses chemistry, physics and space sciences; a high-bay research area; an observatory dome; and a rooftop deck area that can accommodate up to 15 additional telescopes. An 0.8-m telescope, the largest research telescope in the state of Florida, was installed in the observatory dome in November 2007.
The F.W. Olin Sports Complex provides state-of-the-art baseball and softball fields, a soccer field, and an intramural field for all students. The 12,600-sq.-ft. Anthony J. Catanese Varsity Training Center is located in the F.W. Olin Sports Complex. It is home to the football coaching staff offices and includes a large meeting room, locker room, laundry and equipment facilities, athletics training room and a weight training room.
The Panther Aquatic Center is located between the Clemente Center and the Panther Dining Hall. The 32,000-sq.-ft. facility features a competition pool and a recreation pool. The competition pool includes nine 25-yard lanes complete with one- and three-meter diving boards. The depth ranges from 5.5 to 13 feet. The recreation pool varies in depth from three to six feet and includes three 25-yard lanes, stair entry and wading benches. Both pools are equipped with geothermal heating and cooling systems. Varsity locker rooms and a public changing room are located on site. Covered seating is available adjacent to the competition pool.
The Scott Center for Autism Treatment is dedicated to providing the highest quality treatment, training and applied research to enhance the functioning and improve the quality of life of children with autism and related disabilities in Central Florida. The center provides empirically supported behavioral and allied health care diagnoses, assessments and treatments for children and their families; intensive training and supervision in treatment for autism and related disabilities to students enrolled in the Florida Tech behavior analysis graduate programs and to other professionals and paraprofessionals who will be working with this population; and an ongoing program of research directed toward improving clinical and behavioral outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and developing technological treatments and teaching aides for this population. Community Psychological Services on the second floor provides psychological evaluations and treatment.
The Shephard Building is the home of the education and interdisciplinary studies programs in sustainability, general science (nondegree), interdisciplinary science and athletics coaching.
George M. Skurla Hall houses the College of Aeronautics. It is a modern two-story building that includes faculty offices, classrooms, laboratories in air traffic control, advanced systems and computers, and a 125-seat auditorium. The flight training department is located nearby at the Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research.
University residence halls provide a variety of accommodations including single-sex and coed halls, with community, private or shared bathrooms. All residence hall rooms and apartments are equipped with two Ethernet connections to the university’s fiber-optic network. Southgate Village Apartments offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for upper-division students. Located on the edge of the Botanical Garden, Columbia Village offers fully furnished four-bedroom suites with efficiency kitchens. The Columbia Village commons building features a meeting room, laundry facilities, resident assistant office and a resident director’s apartment. Harris Village Suites offer one-, two- and four-bedroom apartments with full kitchens, and laundry and recreation areas. Priority for all housing is given to undergraduate students. Mary Star of the Sea–Newman Hall is an all faith-based residence hall with apartment-style living for 148 students. The furnished one-, two- or four-bedroom apartments encourage students to grow in their faith while pursuing academic excellence. Panther Bay Apartments feature five-bedroom apartments with private bathrooms, fully appointed kitchens, living and dining areas, and a laundry room. The complex also features a clubhouse with meeting space, a computer lab, swimming pool, and basketball and volleyball courts.
Services
The Academic Support Center (ASC) helps undergraduates with academic difficulties by providing tutoring and counseling directed toward both their studies and campus life as it relates to their studies. The staff responds to students’ academic concerns by offering information and referral services.
The All Faiths Center is located on the southern end of campus. It houses the Protestant Campus Ministry and the Catholic Campus Ministry. These ministries offer free dinners, daily Mass, Bible studies, community service, social activities, retreats and pastoral care.
The Applied Computing Center on the third floor of Evans Library features 57 Windows®-based computers and three Macintosh® OSX computers networked through the university’s high-speed internet. In addition to an integrated computing environment, the lab also offers computers for digital video processing with both USB and IEEE 1394 (Firewire) ports. The center has work-table space and accommodations for student groups or projects.
The Campus Services Office provides services related to student housing, residence life, meal plan administration, ID card services, residence hall electronic door access, student health insurance enrollment, and domestic and international student health insurance waivers.
Florida Tech’s campus dining service is committed to providing the campus community with quality food and services in a clean, comfortable and friendly atmosphere. Services include traditional all-you-can-eat and á la carte locations, catered affairs, pizza delivery and grocery services. All locations accept the meal plan, cash, checks and major credit cards. For more information, visit www.fit.edu/food. Campus dining locations are:
Black Kats Café: The late night coffee house and lounge is located adjacent to the Rathskeller and is open daily until 1:00 a.m.
Center Court: Located in the Clemente Center on the south side of campus, Center Court offers freshly made smoothies along with grab-and-go sandwiches and salads for lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday. Center Court serves a special concessions menu for varsity sports events.
Library Café: Located at the north entrance to Evans Library, the coffee shop features freshly brewed coffee and flavored iced coffee along with pastries, sandwiches and gourmet bottled beverages.
Panther Dining Hall: Is an “all you care to eat” residential dining facility open seven days per week. It features international dishes, salads, home-style entrées, pasta and grill, and comfort food stations with display cooking; the adjacent grocery store features canned and dry packaged goods with fresh and frozen foods, a slice-to-order deli, sandwiches, and hot and cold entrées to take out.
Rathskeller: Provides late night dining in a social atmosphere. The “Rat” also houses a convenience store. It is located on the ground floor of Evans Hall and is open seven days per week for lunch and late night activities with pool tables and televisions.
SUB Café & Deli: Located in the Denius Student Center building in the center of campus, the SUB is open Monday through Friday for breakfast and lunch, and offers a restaurant-style specials menu along with a grill, deli, gourmet coffee and desserts.
The Office of Career Management Services personnel assist students in obtaining employment while they are enrolled at the university through the Office of Student Employment (OSE), and professional, career-oriented, permanent employment upon graduation. Assistance in résumé writing, interviewing techniques and career counseling is available. An updated Career Resources Library is also available for student use. Current job listings are posted in prominent areas throughout the campus, in major academic units and on the career management services website. As part of career services, a résumé referral program is available for all students registered with this office. Relevant workshops are presented throughout the year.
Career management services maintain an interview schedule throughout the academic year. Students must be registered with the office for on-campus interviews with recruiters from companies seeking employees with specific academic backgrounds. Career management services annually presents two career fairs that highlight professionals, agencies, corporations and services from throughout the United States.
Summer internships are also listed by the Office of Career Management Services, and assistance is provided for local, national and international searches of internship listings and information on employers. Credit for internships can be arranged through the cooperative education program.
The cooperative education program at Florida Tech is designed to prepare students for professional careers through productive work experiences in fields related to their academic or career goals. It provides progressive experiences in integrating theory and practice. The co-op goals are to provide curriculum-related employment opportunities for students before their graduation; to provide a program containing structured work experience that will be beneficial to students in terms of both their personal and professional growth; and to assist employers in the recruitment process. Co-op is a partnership among students, educational institutions and employers.
The cooperative education program is open to all majors. Two co-op plans are offered to students, as well as the engineering Protrack co-op program for engineering majors (see College of Engineering and Science in the Degree Programs section). The conventional plan integrates alternating periods of full-time paid work experience with full-time academic study. The parallel plan incorporates part-time paid work experience simultaneously with a part-time academic course load. In addition, students can receive credit for approved one-term experiences or back-to-back work terms.
Students participating in the university’s cooperative education program (CWE 1001 Cooperative Education 1 , CWE 2001 Cooperative Education 2 , CWE 3001 Cooperative Education 3 and CWE 4001 Cooperative Education 4 ) receive free elective credits. College of Engineering and Science students can use CWE 3003 Engineering Cooperative Education for a maximum of three credit hours of technical elective. All participating students are classified as full-time students when working full time.
Availability of co-op employment opportunities varies considerably from field to field. For further co-op information, contact the assistant director in the Office of Career Management Services.
The Federal Work-Study (FWS) program is a federally funded program providing students with part-time, on-campus employment. Only students who receive financial aid are eligible for this program. Work-study awards are made by the Office of Financial Aid based on need and dependent on available funds, so it is highly recommended that a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) be submitted early. Students receiving FWS employment report to the Office of Student Employment at the beginning of each academic year. There are a variety of work-study job opportunities (see “Scholarships and Financial Aid” in the Financial Overview section).
The FWS Community Service program exists within the Federal Work-Study program. It provides off-campus part-time jobs to eligible students in nonprofit community organizations. Available positions vary each semester and may be major-related or clerical.
The Florida Work Experience Program (FWEP) is a state-funded program open to FWS students who are Florida residents. FWEP provides degree-related experience as well as income for the student.
The College Roll program provides on-campus employment for currently enrolled students. Positions are temporary part-time jobs and are not based on student need.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) promotes the best possible academic, vocational and emotional health for Florida Tech students by providing a variety of support services including individual, couples and group counseling; career assessment; psycho-educational evaluations; psychiatric consultation and medication management; outreach and consultation; and crisis intervention. All services are offered on the Melbourne campus at the corner of University Boulevard and Country Club Road, adjacent to Holzer Health Center. Additional information about CAPS services and other resources are available at www.fit.edu/caps.
Whether from secondary schools or higher education institutions, the First Year Experience (FYE) office assists new students on the Melbourne campus in their transition to the university by providing advising and coordinating programs throughout the first year. The office coordinates orientation events on campus and the two student success courses (FYE 1000 University Experience and FYE 1005 Strategies for Success ).
FYE advisors provide academic advising to all first-time-in-college students who enter the university with less than 30 earned credit hours. The associate director of transfer and transition programs provides academic advising to transfer students with less than 30 earned credit hours, and assists transfer students with 30 or more credit hours with non-academic issues. After the first year, students transition to their appointed faculty advisors in their academic departments.
The Digital Scholarship Laboratory (DSL) on the second floor of Evans Library provides graphics intensive applications, rendering and visualization, a large video display wall, interactive computing, geographic information systems (GIS), large-scale multi-touch displays, virtual reality, prototyping and creation (3D printing, scanning, etc.), textual analysis and data management.
Holzer Health Center is operated by Premier Urgent Care, a private medical provider. All full-time and part-time students may use this facility and receive free office visits and consultations. Students may use their university student health insurance or third-party insurance (in accordance with their health insurance policy provisions) along with personal funds to pay for any additional services provided by Premier. Students are required to present their Florida Tech Student ID cards to be seen at the health center.
The health center provides medical services covering a wide range of health care needs including routine illness, minor injuries, and referrals for radiology and diagnostic services, and works to protect the student body from the spread of communicable diseases. Appointments may be made with any of their health care providers at no charge (sports and internal medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, dieticians). Appointments for chiropractic or psychiatric services will be charged to insurance. The health center will assist the student with referrals to local specialists for care of chronic illness and when other medical conditions necessitate such treatment.
All students must provide a completed vaccination report, verified by the signature of the student’s health care provider, including proof of the required immunizations, whether or not they plan to use the health center. Exemptions to the immunization policy shall apply only if a student submits a written statement signed by their church, hall, temple or spiritual leader that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with their religious tenets or practices; or a licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant submits written certification that the student should be exempt from the required immunization based on valid clinical reasoning or evidence, and describing the need for an exemption. The letter must state if it is a lifelong exemption or dictate when the student would no longer require medical exemption from immunization. All medical exemptions will be reviewed by the university’s medical director.
To protect the student and community, if an outbreak of a communicable infection should occur on campus, the student agrees to remain off campus for the duration of the outbreak and for 30 days after the last case is diagnosed.
The Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is dedicated to advancing Florida Tech’s focus on student success and quality educational experiences by representing the needs and interests of its international community and providing a wide range of services and programs for international students, faculty, scholars, staff and their dependents.
ISSS provides advising and interpretation of U.S. government regulations; serves as liaison with the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, sponsoring agencies, community cultural organizations and foreign embassies; provides orientation and informational programs; and promotes intercultural exchange programs between international students and the university community. (See “Admission Guidelines” for international students in the Academic Overview section)
ISSS has a close working relationship with numerous international student cultural organizations on campus that assist with welcoming new students and fostering cross-cultural appreciation. ISSS also works with Florida Tech departments to facilitate the hiring of international faculty and staff, process H-1B employment visas, and advise on permanent residence sponsorship policy.
It is mandatory that all students who are in F1 or J1 non-immigrant status (without legal permanent residence) check in with their immigration documents at the Office of International Student and Scholar Services on their arrival. New vocational flight students in M1 status should check in at FIT Aviation.
The Math Achievement Center provides personalized help in mathematics at all levels for Florida Tech main campus students. The center is open Monday through Friday and is located in the academic quad near the president’s office. See www.fit.edu/mac for schedules and to make appointments.
The Military Science program has coordinators available to assist any qualified student to achieve a Senior Army ROTC scholarship. More information about the Florida Tech military science program can be found under the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts in the Degree Programs section.
The Office of Military Affairs for Melbourne campus students is located in Harris Commons and has a coordinator available to assist veterans and their dependents with both university and VA-related matters. Florida Tech Online students should contact the military veterans affairs coordinator at 321-674-8204 or by email to OL-va@fit.edu, and extended studies students, the site director at their location.
Study-Abroad
Several study-abroad opportunities are available to students at Florida Tech through the Office of Graduate and International Programs. Some of these diverse programs are discipline-specific and target either undergraduate or graduate students. Consult the Florida Tech website for an overview of available international programs.
A short-term summer program is also available for students interested in studying at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. The Florida Tech at Oxford program offers numerous core curriculum courses and is open to all student levels and majors. Students earn six credit hours while studying at Oxford University. Reduced tuition is available. Additional information about studying abroad is available from the Office of Graduate and International Programs.
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