Academics Florida Gulf Coast University
Colleges and Schools at Florida Gulf Coast University
| College/School | Year Founded |
|---|---|
| College of Arts and Sciences | 1995 |
| Marieb College of Health & Human Services | 1997 |
| College of Professional Studies | 1997 |
| College of Education | 2001 |
| U.A. Whitaker School of Engineering | 2005 |
| Lutgert College of Business | 2008 |
| School of Entrepreneurship | 2019 |
| The Water School | 2019 |
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) is organized into eight academic colleges. In the 2017–18 academic year, incoming freshmen had an average ACT composite score of 23.3, a combined SAT math and reading score of 1143, and a high school GPA of 3.9.
The Lutgert College of Business, accredited by AACSB, offers undergraduate degrees in accounting, computer information systems, economics, finance, management, and marketing. It also houses the Small Business Development Center, which provides counseling and other resources for local businesses. Graduate programs include degrees in accounting and taxation, computer information systems, and business administration (both traditional and executive). In 2012, FGCU introduced an undergraduate degree in real estate.
The School of Entrepreneurship, accredited by SACSCOC and nationally ranked, offers a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship Studies, an entrepreneurship minor, and a graduate certificate. It is home to the FGCU Institute for Entrepreneurship, which runs extracurricular initiatives such as the FGCU Runway Program Student and Alumni Business Incubator, the Freshman Entrepreneurship Living-Learning Community, and the FGCU Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program.
The Resort and Hospitality Management Department provides students with hands-on experience through supervised fieldwork at local resorts and spas. The Professional Golf Management program, certified by the PGA, is one of just 19 in the country and the only one in Florida. Other selective programs at FGCU include nursing, music, and athletic training.
A distinctive feature of FGCU is its University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future, a graduation requirement designed to educate students about ecology, sustainability, and environmental preservation. Additionally, service learning is a mandatory component of graduation, with students collectively contributing over 2.2 million volunteer hours to the community since FGCU’s inception in 1997.
The College of Engineering offers degree programs in civil, environmental, bioengineering, and software engineering. The software engineering program began replacing the computer science degree in 2011. Engineering students benefit from facilities like Holmes Hall and the Emergent Technologies Institute. The university’s bachelor’s programs in bioengineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering, and software engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. A Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) program was launched in 2017.
In 2017, FGCU established an Honors College, which opened in August with nearly 900 students, elevating its existing honors program.