UCF

You won't see mouse ears on the staff of this Orlando campus. The University of Central Florida (whose mascot is a stylized knight) is part of the State University System of Florida. Boasting an enrollment of more than 56,000 students, UCF offers 216 degree programs through 12 colleges. Areas of study include engineering, optics, computer science, medicine, business administration, education, hospitality management, and digital media. In addition to its main campus, UCF operates 10 regional campuses throughout Florida. The school was founded in 1963 as Florida Technological University and held its first classes five years later. UCF changed its name to the current moniker in 1978.

UCF is considered a research university, with programs in biomedical, life sciences, and optics. In addition to more traditional areas of study, the university also boasts the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, where graduate students learn video-game development, including art, programming, and production. The academy is funded jointly by the State of Florida and UCF.