Academics & Research
Academics & Research
Education about sustainability gives students the opportunity to learn and develop solutions to complex environmental, social and economic issues affecting today’s world. A number of UF colleges offer majors, certificates and other curricular opportunities in sustainability. There are also several centers and institutes on campus and around the state of Florida that collaborate with UF on research related to sustainability.
In order to support departments, colleges and faculty working to incorporate sustainability into curriculum, UF has coordinated past and ongoing programs, including the Prairie Project and the SDG Faculty Guide.
The Prairie Project
From 2010 to 2016, UF hosted the Prairie Project – an annual training workshop and mentorship program to support colleges and faculty to develop curriculum for sustainability. Highlighted goals included encouraging service learning experiences and integrating environmental issues with campus stewardship.
Sustainable Development Goals Faculty Guide
In 2020-2021, an interdisciplinary team of UF staff and faculty collaborated to create the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Faculty Guide. This resource serves to support faculty looking to incorporate the SDGs, an internationally-recognized framework for sustainability, into their syllabi and courses.
The Green Gator Graduation Cord Challenge is a program run by Gators Going Green at the University of Florida. Students who successfully earn at least 10 points and complete the required application form the semester they are graduating will be eligible to receive a green cord to wear during the commencement ceremony.
There are dozens of centers and institutes connected to the UF community that focus all or some research on issues of environmental, social and/or economic sustainability. Institutes such as the Florida Climate Institute, the UF Water Institute and the Florida Energy Systems Consortium connect UF with research networks across Florida.
Coursework about sustainability gives all UF students the opportunity to learn and develop solutions to complex environmental, social, and economic issues affecting today’s world, regardless of their major or intended career path.
Several UF colleges offer majors and concentrations that focus heavily on sustainability in their respective fields, allowing students to be highly prepared for a career in sustainability. Review select sustainability degree programs at UF (this list is not comprehensive):
- Graduate Certificates in Sustainable Architecture and Sustainable Design
- Interdisciplinary major in Sustainability and the Built Environment
- J.D. Specialization in Environmental, Energy, Land Use, and Real Estate Law
- Major and minor in Sustainability Studies
- Organic and Sustainable Crop Production minor
- Plant Science major
- Undergraduate and graduate degrees from the School of Sustainable Infrastructure and the Environment (Engineering)