The main campus of 1,600 acres of rolling hills and natural woodland along the Escambia River is ten miles north of downtown Pensacola. Its facilities have been designed to complement the natural beauty of this nature preserve which includes nature trails. In addition, the University of West Florida owns waterfront property on Santa Rosa Island which is available for recreational, academic, and research pursuits. The University operates the Fort Walton Beach Campus, the Eglin Air Force Base Center, and offices at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Hurlburt Field, and Whiting Field.

In 1963 the Florida Legislature authorized funds to establish the University of West Florida as one of ten universities in the State University System. The first president, Dr. Harold B. Crosby, assumed office in July 1964. Ground was broken on April 16, 1965, and the first students began classes in the fall of 1967. Dr. James A. Robinson, the second president, took office in 1974 and Dr. Morris L. Marx was appointed UWF's third president in the Spring Semester of 1988.

Currently, UWF enrolls over 8,000 students in its College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, and College of Professional Studies and has conferred nearly 50,000 bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees.

The UWF Information Center provides maps, parking permits, and information about courses, facilities, and campus events. Located at the east entrance to the campus, it has a drive-through window for automotive traffic and a lobby for walk-in visitors. Information concerning campus tours may be obtained from the Office of Admissions at (850) 474-2230 or 1-800-263-1074. Information about off-campus locations can be obtained by calling the Fort Walton Beach Campus at (850) 863-6565 and the Eglin Center at (850) 678-3727.

More information about the University of West Florida and its programs is available on the Internet through the UWF Home Page at uwf.edu on the World Wide Web.

This Catalog represents the current curricula, educational plans, offerings, and requirements of the University of West Florida and of the State University System at the time the text in the Catalog was prepared. The provisions of the Catalog do not constitute an offer for a contract that may be accepted by students through registration and enrollment in the University. In accordance with the University, Board of Regents, and Florida legislative mandate, the University must reserve the right to change any provision, offering, or requirement at any time within the student's period of study at the University. Students should be aware that admission to the University or registration for a given semester does not necessarily guarantee the availability of a course at any specific time, but every effort will be made to meet each student's curricular needs. Students are ultimately responsible for adhering to the requirements for courses and degrees offered by the University by obtaining current information about those courses and degree programs.