About the University of Florida

University of Florida is a public institution that was founded in 1853. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 33,720, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 2,000 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of Florida's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 47.

• Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

  The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering is the largest professional school, the second largest college, and one of the top three research units at the University of Florida. With nine departments, 15 degree programs, and more than 20 centers and institutes, the college offers students both depth and breadth in their scholastic and career choices. Curriculum is designed to produce leaders and problem-solvers who take a multidisciplinary approach to innovation. Per research dollar invested, the college produces inventions at twice the national average, and startups at five times the national average. The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering is one of the ten largest in the country, and virtually every major global corporation recruits its graduates.

• Warrington College of Business

  The Warrington College of Business Administration is one of the premier public business schools in the world, characterized by outstanding students, faculty, and administrators. This organizational excellence is reflected in numerous national rankings. In the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings, the Hough Graduate School of Business ranked #15 among public universities, the newly-established Heavener School of Business ranked #21, and the Fisher School of Accounting ranked #5. The Economist also ranked Warrington #1 among all U.S. universities for its faculty quality and its online MBA program. Warrington is highly productive and efficient in its educational mission. In 2011, Warrington awarded over 2,200 degrees (second highest among its peer group, which averaged 1,550 degrees). Furthermore, Warrington’s degrees awarded per faculty was highest among its peers at 20.9, against the peer average of 12.2; the next highest was 15.5. 

• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)

  As the university’s largest college, we are home to the humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and the physical, natural and mathematical sciences. We are therefore charged with the responsibility of teaching the majority of the university’s core curriculum each year. Nearly every UF undergraduate takes at least one class in our college. More than 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students pursue their degrees from among 42 disciplines. From astronomy to women’s studies, we offer the largest selection of majors on campus. But educating tomorrow’s leaders is not the only task occupying our over 700 faculty. Whether discovering new planets, serving on presidential task forces or writing bestselling novels, they have achieved international acclaim for their contributions to society. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is, in short, the heart of the University of Florida and the Gator Nation. 

  At the undergraduate level, students acquire an intellectual foundation based on a well-rounded and comprehensive education designed for an increasingly technological and rapidly changing society. At the graduate level, students master a specialized body of knowledge and pursue original research under the guidance of outstanding faculty.

• Fredric G. Levin College of Law

  UF Law has a longstanding tradition of preparing its graduates for significant leadership roles. UF Law is fourth among public law schools (eighth overall) for the number of degrees granted to sitting federal judges as of 2014, according to Federal Judicial Center data; more than 250 graduates serve as state appellate and trial judges in Florida and many serve in those roles in other states.No law school has produced as many presidents of the American Bar Association since 1973. There have been five UF Law graduates, including 2010-11 president Stephen N. Zack (pictured). Graduates are also represented by the majority of The Florida Bar presidents, including President-elect Bill Schifino (JD 85) and past-Presidents Eugene K. Pettis (JD 85), Gwynne Young (JD 74), Scott Hawkins (JD 83), Mayanne Downs (JD 87) and John G. White III (JD 83). Four Florida governors and hundreds of state senators, representatives and cabinet members hail from UF Law. Thirteen graduates also became college presidents, and more than a dozen have served as deans of law schools.

• College of Medicine

  Providing superior patient care with a humanistic approach is the driving force behind each one of our missions at the College of Medicine. Our clinical faculty and health-care partners will serve as some of the best teachers and role models you will come across in your medical education career.

  The UF Health Science Center, with campuses in Gainesville and Jacksonville, is home to a world-class academic health center that has been serving Florida for more than 50 years. Our partner in providing innovative, high-quality health care for a half century is UF Health Shands Hospital. The UF Health family of hospitals comprises two major teaching hospitals, UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville and UF Health Jacksonville (each a Level I trauma center); two specialty hospitals, UF Health Shands Rehab Hospital and UF Health Shands Psychiatric Hospital; a network of outpatient rehabilitation centers; and two home-health agencies. UF Health includes UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital and UF Health Shands Critical Care Center.

  In addition, the college partners with the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, which is located across the street and serves military veterans from throughout North Central Florida and South Georgia. The college also has affiliations with several community health-care sites and additional hospitals in Florida.

• College of Journalism and Communications

  The UF College of Journalism and Communications is considered one of the nation’s best. The strength of its programs, faculty, students and alumni throughout its history has earned the college ongoing recognition as one of the best programs of journalism and communications in the United States.

  Led by Dean Diane McFarlin, the College developed its reputation for excellence by creating curricula that combine conceptual and theoretical instruction with skills training so students have the opportunity to apply what they are learning in professional settings. Professional and practical opportunities are key components of a productive learning experience for students in journalism and communications fields and contribute to the College’s national rankings.

• College of Design, Construction and Planning

• College of Veterinary Medicine

  Following graduation of its first class in 1980, the college has built on the university’s reputation for excellence. Today we claim more than 2400 graduates of our professional (DVM) degree program. We pride ourselves in our commitment to advancing scientific medical knowledge. The college commits to:

  • Provide clinical educational experiences with all major species for students, interns, and residents and service referring veterinarians and animal owners through the UF Veterinary Hospitals and outreach programs
  • Develop new knowledge through basic science research, clinical research, and educational programs.
  • Disseminate knowledge to veterinarians and other constituencies needing the services of the College.
  • Prepare the next generation of educators and researchers through its graduate, internship, and residency programs.
  • Work synergistically with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the UF Academic Health Center to advance biomedical and agricultural knowledge important to veterinary medicine.

• College of Public Health and Health Professions

  The University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions has established a new educational model that focuses on the integration of public health problem-solving and individual patient care.

  The college’s mission is to preserve, promote and improve the health and well-being of populations, communities and individuals. To fulfill this mission, we foster collaborations among public health and the health professions in education, research and service.

• College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS)

  Overview

  The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) administers the degree programs of the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). IFAS is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information accessible.

  Mission

  The mission of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is to deliver unsurpassed educational programs that prepare students to address the world's critical challenges related to agriculture, food systems, human wellbeing, natural resources and sustainable communities.

  Core Values

  Grounded in the land-grant ideals of access, innovation and relevance, CALS promotes these core values in pursuit of its mission:

  • Integrity
  • Diversity
  • Collaboration
  • Service

  Vision

  Be the premier land-grant college of agriculture and related sciences

  We will be known for excellence and innovation in teaching and for the readiness of our graduates for leadership. We will be the destination of choice for students seeking academic programs in agriculture, natural resources and related sciences and the pre-eminent source of talent for employers, graduate programs and professional schools.

• College of Dentistry

  The college is nationally recognized for its oral health research enterprise, emphasizing infectious diseases in dentistry, bone biology, pain and neurosciences, and translational research to improve clinical and dental care.

  UF College of Dentistry has a Statewide Network for Community Oral Health with locations throughout Florida. In addition to the UF-owned dental centers in Gainesville, Hialeah, Naples and St. Petersburg, the college’s dental students perform community rotations and provide care in affiliated dental centers as part of their education. Almost all of the patients treated live at or below 200% of the federal poverty limit.

• College of Education

  The University of Florida College of Education, founded in 1906, consistently ranks among the top 30 public education schools in the elite Association of American Universities.The college’s distinguished professors and their graduate students aggressively pursue vital, interdisciplinary research that is helping to transform teaching and learning, education policy, and leadership in all education disciplines. By partnering with public schools and communities across the state and beyond, UF education faculty engage in novel scholarship and research activities that enhance “whole school“ improvement, student achievement, early-childhood readiness, teacher preparation and retention, and classroom technology advances. COE faculty in 2015 held research grants worth an all-time high of $86 million, a 16 percent increase over the previous year.

• College of the Arts

  The University of Florida College of the Arts was developed from the School of Architecture, which was established in 1925. In 1975, the previous College of Architecture and Fine Arts was divided into two colleges, the College of Architecture and the College of Fine Arts. In 2010, the College of Fine Arts celebrated its 35th anniversary. In May 2014 the college changed its name, becoming the College of the Arts.

  Many arts programs, however, have flourished since UF’s earliest days. The UF Band Program got its start in 1913, and the Men's Glee Club was founded in 1907. The painting and drawing programs began in 1929 and became the basis for the School of Art and Art History. 

• College of Health and Human Performance (College of HHP)

  HHP’s three departments and three research centers place the college in a position to influence and improve an array of societal problems and challenges.

  College of HHP academic departments:

  • Applied Physiology and Kinesiology (APK)
  • Health Education and Behavior (HEB)
  • Tourism Recreation and Sport Management (TRSM)

  College of HHP research centers:

  • Center for Digital Health and Wellness
  • Center for Exercise Science
  • Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute

  Our scientists are performing groundbreaking research in the mysteries of addictive behavior and substance abuse. They are investigating America’s obesity epidemic from all perspectives, and inquiring how to prevent adolescents from abusing substances. Researchers are studying beneficial therapy techniques for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and cardiovascular disorders.

  HHP is proud that its students graduate with the tools, knowledge and confidence to fulfill their dreams – and become remarkable assets to their communities. Our alumni choose careers as therapists, clinicians, scientists, recreation and event managers, tourism professionals and physicians. Each helps to contribute to a healthier world for tomorrow.

• College of Nursing

  The College of Nursing aspires to be a model of excellence, recognized nationally and internationally, for innovative education, dynamic programs of research, and creative approaches to practice. We are committed to preparing nurses for leadership as clinicians, scientists and educators who reflect and care for a diverse society; foster interdisciplinary collaboration; and improve the health of individuals, families and communities.

  As part of the University of Florida , the College of Nursing has all the resources of the state’s flagship university at their fingertips, including a top-notch interdisciplinary Health Science Center and centers and institutes like the Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute of UF , the UF Genetics Institute, the UF Health Cancer Center, and the UF Institute on Aging.

  The nursing education programs offered at UF address gaps in the health care system, as do the College’s innovations in technological resources and initiatives linking students to diverse and international populations. The College of Nursing has a history of pioneering leadership in nursing education, having offered Florida ‘s first nurse practitioner programs, and first PhD in Nursing Science program.

  Health care delivery networks associated with UF provide access to an integrated system of community hospitals and clinics, including statewide home health care, a major veterans’ health system and the Shands Healthcare system.

  Faculty members set a standard for excellence when it comes to innovative education, dynamic research and quality patient care.

• College of Pharmacy

  The oldest college in the UF Health Science Center, UF College of Pharmacy was established in 1923. Today, the college is ranked among the top colleges and schools of pharmacy in the nation. In keeping with the University of Florida mission, the college is dedicated to excellence in pharmacy research, service, and educational programs enhanced through online technologies.

  The college prepares students who seek academic training and degrees in professional practice and graduate research areas. The doctor of pharmacy degree is offered to students in four Florida cities, and also to working pharmacists with bachelor’s degrees across the United States.

  The college is accredited through the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the national agency for the accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy and providers of continuing pharmacy education.

History of the University of Florida

The University of Florida originated as several distinct institutions that were consolidated to create a single state-supported university by the Buckman Act of 1905. The earliest of these was the East Florida Seminary, which was closed soon because of the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861. Another major predecessor to the University of Florida was Florida Agricultural College which was situated in Lake City. Florida Agricultural College was known as  the first land-grant college in the state.

In 1905 East Florida Seminary and Florida Agricultural College together with two other institutions were merged into the University of the State of Florida, renamed into University of Florida in 1909. The alligator was incidentally chosen as the school mascot in 1911, after a local vendor ordered and sold school pennants with a gator emblem on them. The university colors, orange and blue, are believed to be a combination of the blue and white school colors of the University of Florida at Lake City and the orange and black school colors of the East Florida Seminary in Gainesville. In 1924, the Florida Legislature permitted women  to enroll during regular semesters at the university.

During the World War II many students withdrew to enlist in the US Military, In the post-World War II era the various colleges of the university became open to all female and African-American students.

Nowadays the University ranks among the best public institutions of the country.

Accreditation

The University of Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges to award bachelor, master, specialist, engineer, doctoral and professional degrees.

Rankings

• University of Florida's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 47.
•  27th —  Top American Research Universities, National Rank 2012
• 180th in the world — QS World University Rankings 2015

According to Numbeo, one bedroom apartments in Gainesville rent for $729.50 a month on average. As for transportation, one-way ticket costs $1.50. A meal in an inexpensive restaurant costs around  $9.00.

The university of Florida has a vibrant student life.The Department of Student Activities and Involvement is home to a diverse group of over 1,000 registered Student Organizations.  Student organizations at the University of Florida have critical impact on the student experience providing opportunities for leadership development, social interaction, entertainment, and education. So whether its dance, religion, political, recreation, research, cultural, music, adventure, or even special interest, there is an organization for you to join! We encourage you to look through the list  of our currently registered student organizations to find contact information and meeting information.  If you don’t see what you are looking for then consider starting a new organization! 

University of Florida offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. University of Florida also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at University of Florida, 18 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at University of Florida.