About the Program

The three-semester, Masters of Science in Architectural Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Design (MSAS|SD) leads to a University of Florida master’s degree in the specialized field of sustainable design. Open to applicants with a bachelor’s degree in any field, it is an excellent opportunity for enhancing your educational background, professional qualifications or teaching credentials through individualized, in-depth and interdisciplinary research in specific areas under the guidance of faculty specialists.

The program draws upon the diverse strengths of the College of Design, Construction and Planning (DCP) in architecture, building construction, historic preservation, interior design, landscape architecture and urban and regional planning. The program includes a minimum of 36 credits of course work, with eight credits applied toward a Thesis or Masters Research Project (MRP).

Tuition and Fees

The cost of the degree is about US $27,306.00 for the 36-credit program (or $718/credit hour for tuition + $40.50/credit hour in university fees. Please note that the university fees may vary slightly from year to year). Special rates are available for Florida Residents.

Three short residency requirements (one per semester: two to the Gainesville Campus and one international study tour): Instructional costs, venues, cultural entries, and professional visits are included in the tuition. Roundtrip transportation to the designated locations and accommodation for the three short residency requirements are the responsibility of the student. For the international study tour, the cost will be announced in the Fall semester. Please contact Albertus S. Wang at aslwang@ufl.edu for more information.

Why Choose a Low Residency-Distance Learning Program?

The Low Residency-Distance Learning format is ideal for students who have work or personal obligations that make relocating for further education impractical. Combining interactive online tools with intensive face-to-face workshops allows you to interact with students and instructors from around the globe. You have the added confidence that many studies in the last ten years have demonstrated that there is no significant difference in the learning outcomes experienced by students in a traditional classroom versus those in a distance-learning context. In fact a 12 year study by the US Department of Education’s Report (2009) and also by Boston University concluded that on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.

In addition, the asynchronous on-line content delivery (an open, flexible delivery) adapts to the challenges of your schedule. The MSAS|SD program is one of the few degrees in its class that blends online learning with a face-to-face interaction program between students and faculty. The cohort gathers in the fall and summer semesters at our Gainesville campus and at an international location for workshops in the spring semester built around the design studio project.

When you enroll in the MSAS|SD program, you have the same rights and privileges as any other UF graduate student such as access to our excellent digital library database, and academic advising.

[page updated 11/06/2023]