How to Apply for Computer Science at the University of West Florida: the 120-credit B.S., three elective areas and the 2.5 major GPA rule, the international 2.5 GPA, SAT/ACT/CLT and course-by-course evaluation, the April 1 fall 2027 deadline, and requirements for students in China, Canada and transfer students

The University of West Florida (UWF) is in Pensacola, Florida. Its computer science degree, the James E. Miller Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, is offered by the Department of Computer Science in the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering. This guide summarizes what the university publishes for students at high schools in China (including A-Level, IB and AP students), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Degree and accreditation

• Degree: B.S. in Computer Science; the 2026-2027 catalog lists 120 semester hours for the degree. The department also offers a B.S. in Software Design and Development and an M.S. in Computer Science.
• Accreditation, worded differently: the department and program pages say the B.S. is accredited by ABET’s Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC); the 2026-2027 catalog page says the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC). Check ABET’s website or ask the department.
• Delivery: UWF offers face-to-face, hybrid and online classes, and the program page notes that some classes may be offered online only.
• Areas: the program page lists concentrations in software engineering, intelligent systems and cybersecurity, plus the option of a mathematics minor or a cybersecurity certificate. There is also an Artificial Intelligence minor; computer science majors may not earn the computer science minor.

2. Courses (2026-2027 catalog)

• Grades: a C- or better in all major and major-related courses, with a cumulative major GPA of 2.5 or higher.
• State common prerequisites (25 credits): an introductory programming course in C, C++, Java or an equivalent language, Calculus I and II, two calculus-based physics courses with labs, and two science courses from a list, each with a C- or better. The catalog says these must be completed before graduation but are not required for admission to the program.
• Math starting point: set by math placement, starting from College Algebra, Precalculus or similar and continuing to calculus.
• Major (54 credits): CDA 3101 Introduction to Computer Organization, COT 3100 Discrete Structures, CEN 3031 Software Engineering I, CIS 4592 Capstone Project, COP 4710 Database Systems, COP 3014 Algorithm and Program Design, COP 3530 and COP 4534 Data Structures and Algorithms I and II, COP 3022 Intermediate Computer Programming, COP 4027 Advanced Computer Programming, COP 4020 Programming Languages, COP 4634 and COP 4635 Systems & Networks I and II, and CAP 4601 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence.
  • Plus any two courses from three groups: Intelligent Systems (Data Mining, Introduction to Big Data Analytics, Deep Learning, Generative AI Architectures and Algorithms), Software Engineering (Software Engineering II, Software Engineering Management) and Cybersecurity (Malware Analysis, Secure Software Development, Introduction to Database Security).
  • Plus two pre-approved upper-level department electives.
• Major-related (6 credits): STA 4321 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I, plus Linear Algebra or Set Theory and Mathematical Logic.
• Recommended general education: Ethics in Contemporary Society (PHI 2603), Calculus I and II, two calculus-based physics courses and Principles of Macroeconomics.

3. Admission

• Entering the major: the catalog says the common prerequisites are not required for admission to the program; whether computer science has any other entry requirement, and how current students switch in, is not published. Ask the department (computerscience@uwf.edu).
• Holistic review: the international requirements page says UWF reviews holistically; students may be admitted below the listed thresholds, and meeting them does not guarantee admission.
• Applicant type: students with 12 or more college credits after high school apply as transfers; everyone else applies as a freshman.

4. International first-year application

• Grades: a high school GPA of at least 2.50/4.00. All secondary and post-secondary records go to an approved credential evaluation company for a course-by-course evaluation with GPA calculation, and the agency sends the report and official transcripts directly to UWF; records not in English also need a translation. Eight agencies are approved, including ECE, JS&A and Scholaro.
• Testing: SAT, ACT or CLT scores that meet UWF Regulations 3.042 and 3.001.
• Application fee: USD 30; students working with an approved recruitment agent may receive a fee waiver.
• Optional items: an essay, letter of reference or resume can be emailed to admissions@uwf.edu.
• Deadlines (final freshman application and materials deadline): fall 2027 April 1, 2027; summer 2027 April 1, 2027; spring 2027 December 1, 2026. The international page links to the same deadlines page and lists no separate international dates.
• Other dates (summer and fall 2027): rolling decisions from October 15, a December 1 application and scholarship priority deadline, and confirmation by May 1.

5. English requirements

• Applicants with fewer than 60 college credits: the international requirements page says English proficiency is met by the ACT or SAT score requirements referenced in Regulation 3.042.
• 60 or more credits: a C or better in English Composition (ENC 1101) at a U.S. college, a qualifying English exam score, qualifying English and reading subscores on select tests, or completion of UWF’s Intensive English Program (IEP) with a recommendation.
• English exam scores (Table A): TOEFL 79 (4.5 for tests on or after January 21, 2026), IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 110, PTE 53, CEFR B2, Cambridge English 175 and Oxford Online Placement Test B2.
• Test subscores (Table B): SAT Reading and Writing 490; ACT Reading 19 and English 17; CLT 38; plus PERT and Accuplacer scores.
• Regulation 3.042: applicants whose native language is not English can meet the requirement in one of several ways, including being from a country where English is the official language, qualifying ACT/SAT/CLT section scores, completing UWF’s IEP, or a qualifying English exam score. Applicants who meet every requirement except English may be considered for conditional admission and must enroll in UWF’s IEP.
• Exempt countries list: the list linked from the requirements page requires a login, so its contents are not public; ask Admissions.

6. Students at high schools in China

• Documents: send high school transcripts to an approved agency for a course-by-course evaluation with GPA (at least 2.50 after conversion), and submit SAT, ACT or CLT scores.
• Gaokao: the international admissions pages do not mention the Gaokao; how it is used is not published. Ask Admissions (admissions@uwf.edu).
• A-Level, IB, AP: credit rules are not covered on the pages read for this guide and are not published; ask Admissions.

7. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• English: the regulation exempts applicants from countries where English is the official language; whether Canada is on UWF’s exempt list cannot be checked because the list requires a login, so ask Admissions.
• Grades: Canadian high school transcripts also need a course-by-course evaluation; grade requirements for the BC graduation diploma are not published.
• Testing: first-year applicants submit SAT, ACT or CLT scores.

8. Transfer students

• 12 to 29 college credits: a high school GPA of 2.50 or higher, plus at least 2.00 overall and at the last institution.
• 30 or more credits: at least 2.00 overall and at the last institution.
• Testing: the requirements table cites the test score requirements of Regulation 3.032 by credit band, and also says at least 3 credits each of English Composition and college-level math with a C or better can be used in lieu of high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores; ask Admissions which transfer applicants each applies to.
• Evaluation: high school and college records from outside the U.S. need a course-by-course evaluation.
• Computer science: the state common prerequisites (programming, Calculus I and II, physics and two science courses) must be finished before graduation and are not required for admission to the program. Any extra conditions for entering the major are not published; ask the department.

9. Costs and scholarships

• Tuition (estimated at rates as of April 2026): USD 708 per credit for non-Florida residents, or USD 21,240 for 30 credits of tuition and fees (2026-2027); with a shared-suite room at USD 6,622 and meals at USD 5,136, direct costs total about USD 32,998. Alabama residents have a special rate of USD 319 per credit.
• Admissions Academic Merit Scholarship (summer and fall 2027 entry, by GPA and test score; out-of-state amounts):
  • SAT 1400 / ACT 31 / CLT 101 or higher with a weighted GPA of 4.00 or higher: USD 32,000 total (8,000 a year);
  • SAT 1260-1390 / ACT 27-30 / CLT 89-100 with GPA 3.80-3.99: USD 24,000 total (6,000 a year);
  • SAT 1160-1250 / ACT 24-26 / CLT 79-88 with GPA 3.70-3.79: USD 8,000 total (2,000 a year).
  Applicants must complete their file and meet admission requirements by December 1, 2026; awards are announced in December. Renewal generally requires a 3.00 cumulative UWF GPA. The page does not say whether international students are eligible; ask Admissions.

10. Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Send high school transcripts for a course-by-course evaluation early; prepare SAT, ACT or CLT scores
• The fall 2027 deadline is April 1; for scholarship consideration, complete the file by December 1, 2026 and confirm whether international students are eligible
• Ask Admissions how the Gaokao is used and how to meet the English requirement

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Confirm whether Canada is on the English-exempt list; get a course-by-course evaluation; prepare SAT, ACT or CLT scores

Transfer students:

• Keep a college GPA of 2.00 or higher; get foreign coursework evaluated course by course; take programming, Calculus I and II, two physics courses and two science courses at your current school

Sources: University of West Florida, Department of Computer Science; James E. Miller Bachelor of Science in Computer Science; 2026-2027 catalog: Computer Science, B.S.; International Student Admissions Requirements; Completing Your Application (international); Dates & Deadlines; Tuition and Costs; Freshman Scholarships; UWF Regulation 3.042, Admission and Enrollment of International Students. Courses follow the 2026-2027 catalog. Check UWF’s website for the latest.