Established in 1997, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has a diverse community in the fall of 2012 of more than 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Those students come from 48 states and the District of Columbia as well as 95 other countries. They may choose from 52 undergraduate, 29 master’s, 1 specialist, and 2 doctoral programs.
FGCU offers an exceptional education at an affordable price. The University recruits and retains students with the potential to succeed in a challenging academic environment and aims to fulfill the academic, social and career expectations of those students. Entering high school students have an average combined SAT score of 1,531 and a grade point average of 3.4.
With approximately 1,100 faculty and staff, FGCU features small classes and personalized attention for students. The University offers a technologically advanced campus providing state-of-the-art buildings and equipment to support educational programs.
Five colleges offer 84 degree programs in Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, and Health Professions & Social Work. The most popular majors include Accounting, Biology, Business, Communication, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, Environmental Science, Forensic Studies, Resort and Hospitality Management, Marketing and Psychology. Examples of STEM programs offered include Environmental and Marine Sciences, Biotechnology, Computer Information Systems and Engineering. On the masters’ level, among the most popular programs are Business Administration, Educational Leadership, Public Administration and Social Work. To date, FGCU has awarded one or more degrees to more than 14,000 graduates.
A well-rounded University experience does not consist solely of academics. Service-learning plays a vital role in an FGCU education, with students providing more than 150,000 hours of service to hundreds of community organizations and projects annually. In 2011, the University was one of only six institutions to receive the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award from The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars .
FGCU is situated on 760 lush acres in the heart of coastal Southwest Florida, where the climate is mild, the air is clean and the sunshine is abundant. The University has carefully preserved its natural setting, providing a living laboratory and a campus rich in wooded trails and tranquil lakes. It’s also convenient to shopping, restaurants, movie theaters and sporting events, all of which can be found within a few miles of the campus. Downtown Fort Myers and Naples as well as the shimmering beaches of the Gulf of Mexico are within a 30-minute drive.
On-campus activities abound as well, with 14 NCAA Division I athletic teams, more than 190 student clubs and organizations, fraternities and sororities, and Student Government.
Beginning in fall 2012 more than 4,200 students will live on campus (or nearby in West Lake Village), enjoying a variety of housing choices, including lakefront apartment-style residences and residence halls supporting our First Year Residence Experience program. Amenities include an aquatics center, lake water sports, barbecue areas, beach volleyball and laundry facilities that are programmed to alert students when cycles are complete.
The campus includes 89 buildings and a solar energy field that supplies about 18 percent of the University’s energy needs. A new performing arts center opened in Fall 2010, and an expanded Student Union was completed in May 2011. A $28 million facility for the College of Health Professions and Social Work was the latest addition in January 2012.
Research and sponsored programs have grown steadily, with awards totaling $14.7 million in 2010-11. Faculty conducts a broad array of research, affording students many opportunities to take part. To date, that research has resulted in applications for nine patents.
The FGCU Foundation has raised more than $300 million, with funds going toward buildings, programs and scholarships.
Roughly 10,000 people participate in the University’s Renaissance Academy lifelong-learning courses conducted at sites in a five-county service area. FGCU also offers a variety of for-credit and continuing education courses at centers in Fort Myers, Naples and Charlotte County.
FGCU students graduate well prepared to succeed not only in their chosen careers but also as valuable members of society.
Florida Gulf Coast University Links
Find Jobs at Florida Gulf Coast University
