Masters Program in Sustainable Design
About The University
About the Program
Curriculum
Entry Requirements
Admission Process
Course Schedule
Intake Periods
Faculty
Course Fees
Testimonials
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The University of Florida (UF) – the state’s largest university and the nation’s fourth-largest – enrolls approximately 50,000 students annually. UF has 16 colleges and more than 100 research, service and education centers, bureaus and institutes. The Graduate School coordinates almost 200 graduate programs.
Since 1985, UF has been a member of the Association of American Universities, the prestigious higher-education organization comprised of the top 62 public and private institutions in North America.
As one of the largest research universities in the nation, the University of Florida contributes nearly US$6 billion annually to Florida’s economy and is responsible for nearly 75,000 jobs.
University of Florida is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
University of Florida Rankings
1. Top 50 National Public Universities – Doctoral: 16th
2. Kiplinger’s Top 10 Best Values in Public Colleges (Out-of-State): 4th
3. U.S. News in 2009 ranked UF as one of the Top 10 most popular colleges in the United States
4. UF ranked 2nd among all universities in Kiplinger’s “100 Best Values in Public Colleges” (2006, 2007 & 2008)
5. UF’s ranked college placement 13th best by “The Princeton Review” in its “2009 Best 368 Colleges Rankings”
About the College of Design, Construction and Planning (DCP)
The College of Design Construction and Planning (DCP) is the academic unit offering the Masters Program in Sustainable Design. The College was established in 1925 and has become one of the largest design, planning and construction institutions in the country with more than 1,500 students. DCP is composed of five independent professional disciplines-two schools: the M. E. Rinker, Sr. School of Building Construction, the School of Architecture, and three departments; the Department of Interior Design, Department of Landscape Architecture and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
The college also offers an interdisciplinary program in historic preservation, one of the oldest and most prestigious programs in the US, which allows graduate students to gain expertise in research and application of historic preservation in the United States and abroad. Since 1988, DCP has offered a Ph.D, with more than 120 graduates to-date. In 2008, DCP established the nation’s first Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and the Built Environment, drawing upon faculty throughout the college.
The three-semester UF Master of Science in Sustainable Design program leads to a post-graduate professional degree in the specialized field of sustainable design. Open to applicants with a bachelor’s degree in any field, it is an excellent opportunity for enhancing a student’s educational background, professional qualifications or teaching credentials through individualized, in-depth and interdisciplinary research in specific areas under the guidance of faculty specialists.
Curricula for this program are tailored on a case-by-case basis to accommodate students’ particular interests. It draws upon the diverse strengths of the College of Design, Construction and Planning in architecture, building construction, historic preservation, interior design, landscape architecture and urban and regional planning. Each curriculum includes a minimum of 35 credits of course work, with up to six applied toward the required thesis project.
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| Module | Credit |
|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 12CR |
| International Sustainable Development | 4CR |
| Sustainable Design Problem Solving | 4CR |
| Ecological Issues in Sustainability | 4CR |
| Semester 2 | 12CR |
| Design Studio in Sustainability | 6CR |
| Comparative Law and Policy for Sustainability | 3CR |
| Greening Existing Buildings | 2CR |
| Capstone Project Proposal Development | 1CR |
| Semester 3 | 12CR |
| Sustainability Capstone Project | 6CR |
| Electives in Sustainable Design | 4CR |
| Cases of Sustainability in Practice (study tour in US) | 2CR |
| TOTAL | 36CR |
Please click here to download the course descriptions.
Entry Requirements
In line with the general MSSD degree requirements, applicants must have an acceptable four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or a four-year international equivalent. Applicants for admission will be expected to have some professional work experience/education that can serve as a foundation for the field of sustainability. Some design experience/training is desirable but not required. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit test scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A statement of purpose for enrolling in the program is required. Applicants for admission must submit recent official scores for the GRE test as well as official transcripts for all previous academic work. The GRE scores are required but are not considered the primary criteria for acceptance.
Summary of Admission Criteria
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Some professional work experience.
- Some design experience/training is desirable but not required.
- TOEFL required if English is not your native language.
- A statement of purpose.
- GRE test
- Official transcripts.
Will be updated shortly.
You may download the schedule for the Jan 2010 cohort here.
Target Start Date: Jan 10, 2011
Participating Faculty
The participating faculty from UF encompasses all disciplines within the college. They have been selected because of the relevance of their expertise and recognized quality of teaching, research and service. The guest faculty members who would provide specific lectures or seminars that complement the basic course work.
You may download the faculty bios here.
Application fee: S$640 (inclusive of GST)
The total price of the program is S$51,360 (inclusive of GST). One additional expense for students will be round-trip airfare to the U.S. for the closing wrap-up session. All local costs for course participants in the U.S. are included in the base program fee.
Scholarships are available to students on a competitive basis to cover partial program costs.
The course fee will be paid in 4 equal installments of S$12,840 each, averaging about 3 months between each installment. A payment schedule will be provided to each student where necessary.
Additional Payment Modes
Students may also choose to pay with an education loan from a bank (e.g. POSB, Citibank, RHB, etc).
Page under construction. Please come back soon for updates.
You may view or download our e-brochure here.