Sustainability and the Built Environment
The Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and the Built Environment (BSSBE) allows students to explore creative solutions for the planning, design and construction of human structures and settlements.
About This Major
- College: Design, Construction and Planning
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and the Built Environment
- Hours for the degree: 120
- Minor: No
- Website: www.dcp.ufl.edu/sustainability
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 globally recognized expertise in sustainability of the faculty in the College of Design, Construction and Planning and from across campus supports the degree program.
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 matriculate into combined-degree programs offered in association with the degree and to enter graduate school in a wide range of areas including architecture, building construction, historic preservation, interior design, landscape architecture and urban and regional planning.
The BSSBE is a limited-access major that requires a minimum 3.2 GPA. Native UF students should apply no later than the end of semester 3. Transfer students must complete the AA degree, ECO 2013 and ECO 2023 with minimum grades of C, and have a minimum overall GPA of 3.2. Transfer students must complete the standard online UF transfer application as well as the BSSBE application.
Certain highly qualified students may have the option of pursuing a 4+1 or a 4+2 degree in programs such as urban and regional planning or landscape architecture and building construction. Refer to the college website for application materials and submission deadlines. Students interested in pursuing the major should first contact the college's associate dean for undergraduate student and academic affairs.
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
Critical Tracking and Recommended Semester Plan
Equivalent critical tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students
Semester 3
- 3.20 UF GPA required semesters 1-4
- Complete BCN 1582 or IDS 2935 with a grade of C+ or better
- Complete ARC 1720 or BCN 3012 or IND 2100 or IND 2130 or LAA 2710 or
URP 4000 with a grade of C+ or better - Complete ECO 2013 with a grade of C or better
- Complete LAA 2330 with a grade of C+ or better
Semester 4
- Complete ECO 2023 with a grade of C or better
Semester 5
- Complete DCP 3200 and DCP 3210 with grades of C+ or better
- Complete one of the following: AEB 4126, REL 2104, REL 2930, REL 3103,
REL 3492, PHM 3032, SYD 3410 or SYD 4512 with a grade of C+ or better
Recommended semester plan
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| ECO 2013 Macroeconomics (GE-S) | 4 |
| History of a Built Environment. Select from ARC 1701 Architectural History 1 (GE-H, N) or ARC 1720 Survey of Architectural History (GE-H, N) or BCN 3012 History of Construction (GE-H, 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, N) or URP 4000 Preview of Urban and Regional Planning (GE-H) | 3 |
| Introduction to Sustainability and the Built Environment. Select from BCN 1582 International Sustainable Development (GE-S, N) or IDS 2935 Facets of Sustainability | 3 |
| LAA 2330 Site Analysis | 3 |
| Elective, 1000/2000 level | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| ECO 2023 Microeconomics (GE-S) | 4 |
| General education courses (GE) | 6 |
| Elective, 1000/2000 level | 4 |
| Total | 14 |
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| DCP 3200 Methods of Inquiry for Sustainability and the Built Evironment | 3 |
| DCP 3210 Sustainable Solutions in the Built Environment | 3 |
| Ethics and/or Environmental Justice. Select from AEB 4126 Agricultural and Natural Resources Ethics (GE-H or S) or PHM 3032 Ethics and Ecology (GE-H) or REL 2104 Environmental Ethics (GE-H) or REL 2930 Topics in Religion (GE-H) or REL 3103 Religion and Nature in North America (GE-H) or REL 3492 Religion, Ethics and Nature(GE-H) or SYD 3410 Urban Sociology or SYD 4512 Environment and Society | 3 |
| Approved electives * | 6 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| DCP 3220 Social and Cultural Sustainability in the Built Environment | 3 |
| Ecology for the Built Environment. Select from EES 4103 Applied Ecology or EES 4316 Industrial Ecology or FOR 2662 Forests of the World or FOR 3153C Forest Ecology or FOR 4090C Urban Forestry or GEO 3352 The Human Footprint on Landscape or ORH 3000 Introduction to Ecosystem Restoration or PCB 3601C Plant Ecology or SWS 2007 The World of Water (GE-P) or SWS 2008 Land and Life (GE-B) or SWS 3022 Introduction to Soils in the Environment (GE-P) or SWS 4231C Soil, Water and Land Use (GE-P) or WIS 2552 Biodiversity Conservation: Global Perspectives (GE-B, N) or WIS 4203C Introduction to Landscape Ecology or WIS 4427C Wildlife Habitat Management or WIS 4523 Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Conservation or WIS 4554 Conservation Biology | 3 |
| Energy and/or Climate Change. Select from AGG 3501 Environment, Food and Society (GE-B) or AOM 2520 Global Sustainable Energy: Past, Present and Future or ARC 3610 Environmental Technology 1 or ARC 4620 Environmental Technology 2 or GEO 3250 Climatology (GE-P) or LAA 4260 Water Conservation Through Site Design and Green Roofs | 3 |
| Approved electives * | 6 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 7 | Credits |
| Practicum in Sustainability. Select from DCP 4941 Practicum or DCP 4942 Field Experience | 6 |
| Resource Economics. Select from AEB 2014 Economic Issues, Food and You (GE-S) or AEB 2451 Valuing Environmental Protection in Florida (GE-S) or AEB 3103 Principles of Food and Resource Economics or AEB 3281 Agricultural Macroeconomics or AEB 3450 Introduction to Natural Resource and Environmental Economics or AEB 4283 International Development Policy (GE-S) or FOR 4664 Sustainable Ecotourism Development or GEO 2500 Global and Regional Economies (GE-S) or GEO 3502 Economic Geography (GE-S) or GEO 3602 Urban and Business Geography (GE-S) or SYO 4352 Consumption, Economy and Society | 3 |
| Approved elective * | 3 |
| Elective, 3000/4000 level ** | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| Sustainability Capstone. Select from DCP 4290 Sustainability Capstone Project or DCP 4910 Individual Research 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 2014, AEB 2451, AEB 3103, AEB 3281, AEB 3450, AEB 4126, AEB 4283
AGG 3501, AGR 4268C, ANT 4403, AOM 2520, ARC 2304
EES 3000, EES 4050, EES 4316, EMA 6938, ENV 4612
FNR 4660C, FOR 3004, FOR 3153C, FOR 4060, FOR 4090C
GEO 2500, GEO 3250, GEO 3352, GEO 3372, GEO 3502, GEO 3602
IND 2214
LAA 2360C
ORH 3000
PCB 3601, PHM 3032
REL 2930, REL 3103, REL 3492
SWS 2008, SWS 3022, SWS 4231C, SYD 3410, SYD 4512, SYO 4352
WIS 2552, WIS 4203C, WIS 4427C, WIS 4523, WIS 4554.
** Upper-division electives: Any 3000/4000-level course not otherwise required.