A Message from the Dean
Welcome to the Graduate School at the University of North Florida!
I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome to all prospective students considering joining our vibrant academic community. Located on a nature preserve in sunny northeast Florida approximately eight miles from the Atlantic Ocean and 13 miles from downtown Jacksonville, our university offers a unique blend of academic excellence, diverse opportunities, and a supportive environment for your graduate studies.
At the University of North Florida, we take pride in our commitment to fostering a community of scholars. With over 80 exceptional graduate programs across various disciplines, we provide a wide array of options to suit your academic and career goals. Our dedicated faculty members are experts in their fields and are passionate about mentoring and guiding students like you to reach their full potential.
Jacksonville serves as an ideal setting for your graduate education. With a population of almost one million, the city offers endless opportunities for exploration and personal growth. From its stunning beaches, miles of waterways, and extensive park system to its lively downtown offering sports, museums, performances, and local restaurants and breweries, Jacksonville provides a backdrop that enhances your academic experience and offers a balanced lifestyle.
As a prospective graduate student, we understand that you have aspirations and dreams to pursue. That is why our Graduate School is committed to providing the resources, support, and opportunities necessary to help you succeed. Whether it's through research collaborations, internships or community engagement, we strive to create an environment that nurtures your intellectual curiosity and prepares you for a fulfilling career.
We invite you to explore our website to learn more about our graduate programs, faculty, and the wealth of resources available to you. Feel free to reach out to our friendly staff, who are dedicated to assisting you with any questions or concerns you may have. We are here to support you on your journey and provide the guidance you need to make informed decisions about your graduate education.
As you consider the University of North Florida for your graduate studies, know that you are not just choosing a university – you are becoming part of a close-knit community that values collaboration, diversity, and academic excellence. We are excited to welcome you and accompany you on this transformative educational journey.
Thank you for considering the Graduate School at the University of North Florida. We look forward to welcoming you to our campus!
Warm regards,
Michele J. Moore, PhDDean of the Graduate School
University of North Florida
Our Mission
Goal 1
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Cultivate a learning environment that supports intellectual curiosity, academic achievement, and personal growth.
Action 1.1
Promote the development of new graduate programs that are appropriate to UNF’s mission, students, faculty, and the region; ensure the relevance of our programs to our students.
Anticipated Outcome
- New promising graduate degree programs.
Action 1.2
Foster the maintenance of graduate programs that are appropriately sophisticated, rigorous, and current in both academic content and pedagogical/andragogical presentation.Anticipated Outcomes
- Enhanced program review and assessment.
- Improved curricula in all programs.
- Accreditation of all programs that have discipline-specific accreditation bodies.
Action 1.3
Cultivate students' advanced knowledge and skills in their chosen fields.
Anticipated Outcomes
- Stronger student educational and scholarly experiences and products in all programs.
- Better Graduate School policies and processes related to the quality of student work, in particular theses and dissertations.
- Editorial support for theses and dissertations; support for statistical analysis.
Action 1.4Foster instructional excellence in our graduate faculty.
Anticipated Outcomes
- New initiatives in the Office of Faculty Excellence focused on graduate level andragogy.
- New initiatives that financially support graduate faculty teaching enhancement.
Action 1.5
Promote the relevance of the Graduate School to graduate students.
Anticipated Outcomes
- Better communication between the Graduate School and graduate students.
- Ombudsman services for graduate students.
- Enhanced career placement services for graduate students.
- New initiatives to assist graduate students seeking admission to still more advanced educational opportunities.
Goal 2
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Recruit and support a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff who will contribute to and benefit from the university's mission.
Action 2.1
Recruit graduate students of high promise, with the evidenced potential to accomplish goals appropriate to graduate study and to succeed in their chosen degree programs.
Anticipated Outcomes
- Refined and streamlined Graduate School admissions policies, processes, and practices.
- Added scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships; development initiatives; better use of available funding for recruiting and retaining students.
- Strengthened recruitment partnerships with colleges and other campus agencies.
- New markets identified.
- Stronger online, print, and radio marketing.
- Stronger marketing through Grad Expos and similar events.
- Better retention and progress toward graduation.
- Greater awareness and visibility of UNF’s graduate educational opportunities.
Action 2.2
Ensure that the graduate student body profile is diverse (with “diversity” broadly interpreted).
Anticipated Outcomes
- Greater recruitment efforts and strategic funding to enhance diversity.
- Strengthened diversity-recruitment partnerships.
Goal 3
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Support and recognize research and creative endeavor as essential university functions.
Action 3.1
Foster scholarly excellence in our graduate students.
Anticipated Outcomes
- Enhanced funding initiatives to support graduate student scholarly activity, particularly self-initiated activity, including support for participation in professional conferences and other research-focused activities.
- Enhanced funding initiatives to support graduate student scholarly events, such as campus presentations, lectures, symposia, colloquia, and conferences.
- An annual doctoral research symposium.
- Research mentor programs.
- An online graduate student scholarly journal.
Action 3.2
Foster scholarly excellence in our graduate faculty.Anticipated Outcomes- Enhanced Graduate School policies and processes concerning graduate faculty status appointment and review.
- New initiatives that financially support the scholarly activity of graduate faculty.
Goal 4
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Affirm the university's public responsibility through civic engagement and community-based learning and research.
Action 4.1
Ensure the relevance of our programs to the communities we serve.
Anticipated Outcomes
- New programs are developed with a focus on regional needs.
- Greater communication between the UNF Graduate School and employers (marketplace and academic), civic leaders, regional stake-holders, and other community members.
- A UNF Graduate School annual community report.
- A community advisory board.
Policies & Regulations
Responsibility of the Student to Stay Informed
It is the student's responsibility to keep informed of all rules, regulations, and procedures required for graduate studies. Graduate program regulations will not be waived or exceptions granted because students plead ignorance of the regulations or claim failure of the adviser to keep them informed.
If you feel that there are extenuating circumstances that warrant a waiver or exception, a Student Petition of Academic Policy may be submitted.