University of South Florida (Tampa)
AC-4: Graduate Program

The Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) is the newest degree-granting college at the University of South Florida and is unique in its mission and its approach. Endowed through a generous gift from Drs. Kiran and Pallavi Patel, the College was established in 2009 to foster sustainable urban development and help society live in harmony with the environment. It accomplishes this by nurturing collaborative research and education across disciplines and supporting meaningful engagement with communities locally and globally.

The Master's of Science degree in Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) is a unique interdisciplinary program that incorporates courses from various colleges across the University. Although there are courses in the core of ESP, the degree also offers students the opportunity to choose an area of concentration. This degree is intended to bring together faculty and students with a breadth of knowledge and curiosity about the environment. The program is broad in that it allows students to explore issues in both environmental science and policy, but it is specific in that students may specialize in an area that focuses on his/her unique interests.

The M.S.E.V. degree provides a student with the opportunity to earn the advanced degree with coursework and a required research thesis. Students must have an accredited first degree in engineering or complete a list of makeup engineering coursework. An optional concentration in Engineering for International Development allows students to combine their graduate education and research with engineering service in the Peace Corps. The M.S.E.V. is a research-oriented degree in which the student writes, as a major part of the degree requirements, a thesis that defines, examines, and reports in depth on a subject area relevant to Environmental Engineering. Major Research Areas: The field of Environmental Engineering has long been known for its breadth and ability to adapt to the new technological, societal, and global problems facing the environment. Major research areas include water quality engineering; air quality engineering; fate and transport of contaminants in the environment; environmental biotechnology and nanotechnology; waste management; sustainability and ecological engineering; surface water hydrology and hydraulics; groundwater hydrology; water reuse; green engineering; renewable energy; fate of emerging contaminants; and humanitarian engineering with a focus on the developing world. Graduates of the program are prepared for careers in academia, governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), or private industry and firms involved in planning, design, research and development, or policy. The environmental engineering laboratories provide state-of-the-art analytical and experimental equipment for chemical and biological research. Equipment includes an ion chromatograph, atomic absorption spectrophotometer, several gas chromatrographs (including with mass spectometry), HPLC, TOC machine, and environmental chambers. Field research sites are available locally and in several international settings that include developing world communities.

Master of Architecture http://www.grad.usf.edu/programs/programinfomation.php?pcode=ARCFA-M.Arch. Doctor of Philosophy & Master of Arts Applied Anthropology http://www.grad.usf.edu/programs/programinfomation.php?pcode=APAASBCMM.A. Doctor of Philosophy & Master of Science Biology http://www.grad.usf.edu/programs/programinfomation.php?pcode=BIOASEEVM.S. Doctor of Philosophy & Master of Science Chemical Engineering http://www.grad.usf.edu/programs/programinfomation.php?pcode=ECHEN-Ph.D.

Water: The Water Concentration prepares students to find solutions to one of the greatest challenges on the planet. It educates them to understand the complex local, regional and global water-related sustainability challenges and to develop innovative and sustainable solutions. Students will develop skills necessary for planning sustainable water resources and green infrastructure systems. The program prepares students for careers in the public and private sectors in national and international organizations. Sustainable Energy: The Sustainable Energy Concentration uses expert knowledge and real-world expertise to prepare students for the growing field of renewable energy, which is expected to increase dramatically over the next decades, as the U.S. and other countries seek to become more sustainable by increasingly switching to renewable fuels and power. Students will be prepared for private and public sector positions of leadership and responsibility in the biofuels, solar, wind, biomass, and other renewable energy sectors. The concentration is designed for students from a wide range of backgrounds. Sustainable Tourism: The M.A. in Global Sustainability concentration in tourism, enables students to learn knowledge and skills as well as obtain personal experience in field of sustainable tourism. Taking advantage of the Florida environment, the concentration focuses specifically on coastal habitat and marine environment issues related to tourism. The program also educates students in the concepts of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria, the concepts of the UNWTO international network for sustainable observatories (INSTO), and provides many experiential learning opportunities including but not limited to beaches, marina, aquariums, and theme parks in Florida. Entrepreneurship: The M.A. in Global Sustainability concentration in Entrepreneurship provides students with a comprehensive understanding of concepts, tools, and skills of sustainability and green technology. Focus areas include green technology, development, transportation, energy, and sustainable enterprise Sustainable Business: The M.A. in Global Sustainability concentration in Building Sustainable Enterprise will provide a foundation for designing sustainable organizations and businesses. Organizations and businesses from all sectors need to develop sustainable practices and models to minimize their environmental footprint and maximize their social responsibility to all stakeholders to meet the requirements of a sustainable, low carbon economy. The goal of this concentration is to provide participants with the knowledge, literacy, skills and tools they need to create more sustainable organizations. Sustainable Transportation: The M.A. in Global Sustainability concentration in Sustainable Transportation teaches methods for achieving a more sustainable transportation system and how that system fits into efforts to improve community design and the livability of urban areas. Food Sustainability & Security: The M.A. in Global Sustainability concentration in Food Sustainability and Security provides students with a solid understanding of key issues in food systems and safety/security. http://www.usf.edu/pcgs/ma-program/food-sustainability-security-concentration.aspx Coastal Sustainability: The Coastal Sustainability Concentration exposes students to the reality that maintaining the quality of life and benefits that the ocean has provided to humankind while sustaining the integrity of ocean ecosystems, requires changes in how we view, plan, manage, govern and use ocean resources and coastal areas. Students will be prepared for public and private sector employment and leadership positions in the areas of land use planning, real estate development, coastal resource management, hazard mitigation planning and floodplain management, emergency planning management and civic organizations. Climate Change & Sustainability: The Climate Change and Sustainability concentration provides an interdisciplinary approach for students to advance their career by providing the knowledge and skills necessary to assess the impacts of climate change and vulnerability, and to develop climate change mitigation and adaptation measures for both developed and developing nations. The concentration explores the contemporary perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs associated with the climate debate by defining the issues and framing the localized nature of impacts. Analyses of different regions around the globe will provide insight on climate change mitigation policy, climate change impacts and vulnerabilities, adaptation planning, and societal resilience. The concentration emphasizes the translation of policy and research into climate-smart mitigation and adaptation strategies that will yield sustainable and resilient communities.

The Patel College of Global Sustainability fosters sustainable urban communities and environments through collaborative research, education and community involvement. Its research generates innovations and new knowledge that helps cities around the world, including those in developing countries, to reduce their ecological footprint while improving their form and function to make them healthier, more livable and resilient. In this innovative 30 credit hour program, the students will apply their passion for the environment with cutting-edge research and on-the-ground experience. The program offers a multidisciplinary study of the environment, social and economical dimensions of sustainability to enable informed decisions and to create tangible change toward sustainable futures. Upon graduation, the students will be ready for careers in global sustainability that require teamwork and program planning skills to solve sustainability issues in developing and developed nations.

The Graduate Certificate program in Renewable Energy recognizes post-bachelor preparation for the engineering and design of modern renewable energy systems such as solar thermal, concentrated solar thermal (CSP), photovoltaic, etc. and grid integration of renewable energy. The goal is to provide a broad background in renewable energy technology that enables a certificate holder to understand the fundamental components of various renewable energy systems. At the same time, greater depth of learning is gained in a focus area for professional preparation and/or further study for an advanced degree.

Global Sustainability: http://www.grad.usf.edu/programs/search.php?searchtext=sustain*&input=Submit