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    Sustainability and the Built Environment

    The Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and the Built Environment (BSSBE) enables students to explore creative solutions for the planning, design and construction of human structures and settlements.

    About This Major


    Critical TrackingRecommended Semester Plan

    Overview

    Whether it is the redesign and rehabilitation of existing structures or innovative new design, students will be provided a theoretical foundation for seeking sustainable solutions to problems in the built environment. The degree program is supported by the globally recognized expertise in sustainability of the faculty in the College of Design, Construction and Planning and from across campus.

    Graduates will have excellent opportunities for work in various green industries, for government agencies involved with regulation and management of the built environment and with nonprofit organizations promoting the principles of sustainability. Additionally students will be prepared to enter graduate school in architecture, building construction, historic preservation, interior design, landscape architecture and urban and regional planning.

    Transfer students must complete the A.A. degree, MAC 1147 or (MAC 1140 and MAC 1114), STA 2023, and ECO 2013 and ECO 2023 with minimum grades of C. Students must also have a 3.0 minimum overall GPA. Refer to the admissions website for transfer admission information, application deadlines and the online application.

    Certain highly qualified students may have the option of pursuing a 4+1 or a 4+2 degree in urban and regional planning, landscape architecture or building construction.

    Field trips to broaden and expand students' educational experiences through study of planning, design, construction, and sustainability projects are required and will be paid for by students.

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    Critical Tracking

    To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.

    Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

    Semester 1

    • Complete BCN 1582 or IDS 2154 with minimum grade of C+
    • Complete ECO 2023 with minimum grade of C
    • 2.00 UF GPA required

    Semester 2

    • Complete ARC 1701 or ARC 1720 or BCN 3012 or IND 2100 or IND 2130 or LAA 2710 or URP 4000 with minimum grade of C
    • Complete MAC 1147 or (MAC 1140 and MAC 1114)
    • 2.50 UF GPA required

    Semester 3

    • Complete ECO 2013 with minimum grade of C
    • Complete LAA 2330 with minimum grade of C
    • 2.75 UF GPA required

    Semester 4

    • Complete STA 2023
    • 3.0 UF GPA required

    Semester 5

    • Complete DCP 3210 with minimum grades of C+
    • Complete one: AEB 4126, REL 2104, REL 2166 or REL 3492 with minimum grade of C
    • Complete one: AEB 2451, AEB 3450, AEB 4283, FOR 4664, GEO 2500 or SYD 4512
    • 3.0 UF GPA required
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    Recommended Semester Plan

    To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.

    Semester 1 Credits
    BCN 1582 International Sustainable Development (GE-S and N) or
    IDS 2154 Facets of Sustainability
    3
    ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (GE-S) 4
    ENC 1101 Expository and Argumentative Writing (GE-C) 3
    IUF 1000 What is the Good Life (GE-H)​ 3​
    Biological or Physical Science (State Core GE-B or P) 3
    Total 16
    Semester 2 Credits
    History of a Built Environment:
    ARC 1701 Architectural History 1 (GE-H and N) or
    ARC 1720 Survey of Architectural History (GE-H and N) or
    BCN 3012 History of Construction (GE-H and N) or
    IND 2100 History of Interior Design 1 (GE-H) or
    IND 2130 History of Interior Design 2 (GE-H) or
    LAA 2710 History of Landscape Architecture (GE-H and N) or
    URP 4000 Preview of Urban and Regional Planning (GE-H)
    3
    MAC 1147 Precalculus: Algebra and Trigonometry (State Core GE-M) or
    MAC 1140 Algebra and MAC 1114 Trigonometry (GE-M)
    3-4
    Electives, 1000/2000 level 7
    Total 13-14
    Semester 3 Credits
    ECO 2013 Principles of Macroeconomics (State Core GE-S) 4
    IDS 4930 People and Data
    3
    LAA 2330 Site Analysis 3
    Electives, 1000/2000 level 6
    Total 16
    Semester 4 Credits
    ENC 3254 Professional Writing in the Discipline (State Core GE-C) 3
    IDS 4930 Climate Change, Science and Solutions (GE-P) 3
    STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics (GE-M) 3
    Humanities (State Core GE-H) 3
    Elective, 1000/2000 level 3
    Total 15
    Semester 5 Credits
    DCP 3210 Sustainable Solutions for the Built Environment 3
    Ethics and/or Environmental Justice:
    AEB 4126 Agricultural and Natural Resources Ethics or
    REL 2104 Environmental Ethics or
    REL 3492 Religion, Ethics and Nature
    3
    Resource Economics:
    AEB 2451 Economics of Resource Use or
    AEB 3450 Introduction to Natural Resource and Environmental Economics or
    AEB 4283 International Development Policy or
    FOR 4664 Sustainable Ecotourism Development or
    GEO 2500 Global and Regional Economies or
    SYD 4512 Social Institutions and Environment
    3
    Approved electives * 6
    Total 15
    Semester 6 Credits
    DCP 3220 Social and Cultural Sustainability and the Built Environment 3
    Ecology for the Built Environment:
    EES 4316 Industrial Ecology or
    FOR 4090C Urban Forestry or
    PCB 4103 Applied Ecology (2) or
    SWS 2007 The World of Water or
    SWS 2008 Land and Life or
    WIS 4203C Introduction to Landscape Ecology or
    WIS 4427C Wildlife Habitat Management or
    WIS 4523 Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Conservation
    3
    Energy and/or Climate Change:
    AGG 3501 Environment, Food and Society or
    AOM 2520 Global Sustainable Energy: Past, Present and Future
    3
    Approved electives * 6
    Total 15
    Semester 7 Credits
    DCP 3200 Methods of Inquiry for Sustainability and the Built Environment 3
    Practicum in Sustainability:
    DCP 4941 Practicum or
    DCP 4942 Field Experience
    6
    Approved elective * 3
    Elective, 3000/4000 level ** 3
    Total 15
    Semester 8 Credits
    Sustainability Capstone:
    DCP 4290 Sustainability Capstone Project
    6
    Approved electives * 6
    Elective, 3000/4000 level ** 3
    Total 15

    * Approved electives: Any 3000/4000-level course in the College of DCP not otherwise required. Additional courses that also fulfill this requirement: AEB 2451, AEB 4126, AEB 4283, AGG 3501, ANT 4403, AOM 2520, ARC 2304, EES 3000, EES 4050, EES 4316, ENV 4612, FNR 4660, FOR 3004, FOR 3153C, FOR 4060, FOR 4090C, GEO 2500, GEO 3372, IND 2214, LAA 2360C, REL 3492, SWS 2007, SWS 2008, SYD 4512, WIS 4203C, WIS 4427C, WIS 4523.

    ** Upper-division electives: Any 3000/4000-level course not otherwise required.

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majors: sustainability-and-the-built-environment