Departments and Programs
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DEPARTMENTS
ANTHROPOLOGY | CHEMISTRY | COMMUNICATION | ECONOMICS | ENGLISH | GEOSCIENCES | HISTORY | HUMANITIES, ARTS, & FILM | INFORMATION | INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY | INTERDISCIPLINARY GLOBAL STUDIES | JOURNALISM & DIGITAL COMMS | MASS COMMS & ADVERTISING | MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS | MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES | PHILOSOPHY | PHYSICS | PSYCHOLOGY | PUBLIC AFFAIRS | RELIGIOUS STUDIES | SOCIOLOGY & SOCIAL SCIENCES | WOMEN'S, GENDER, & SEXUALITY STUDIES | WORLD LANGUAGES
ANTHROPOLOGY
The Department of Anthropology integrates the principal sub-fields of the discipline, including cultural, biological, archaeological, and linguistic anthropology, through a commitment to applied research that shapes policy and practice. Faculty and students conduct community-based fieldwork throughout the Americas, Europe, and Africa, addressing issues from health disparities and economic development to heritage resource management and environmental remediation. Undergraduate and graduate programs are available, including a nationally recognized Applied Anthropology track.
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CHEMISTRY
The Department of Chemistry is a central part of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, conducting world-class interdisciplinary research ranging from drug discovery and materials science to computational chemistry and chemical education. Programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels prepare students for careers in research, industry, and the health professions, and the department's PhD program maintains strengths in medicinal chemistry, molecular materials, and chemical education.
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COMMUNICATION
The Department of Communication embraces innovative humanistic and social scientific approaches to health, media, organizational, and relational communication, with emphases on culture, performance, and social responsibility. Research is organized around clusters in Health Communication, Organizational Communication, Interpersonal and Relational Communication, and Media Studies. The department offers undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees.
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ECONOMICS
The Department of Economics provides a rigorous academic environment where students explore how economic principles shape the world, from public policy and business strategy to global development. Programs include two bachelor's degrees, a BA in Economics and a BS in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics, as well as master's and PhD degrees, preparing graduates for careers in academia, business, and government.
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ENGLISH
The Department of English educates undergraduate and graduate students in literature, media, rhetoric and composition, and creative writing, grounding its work in evidentiary reasoning, interpretation, and creativity. Faculty and students produce high-impact scholarship while providing strong writing instruction to students across the university. Degree options include the BA, MA, PhD, and MFA in Creative Writing.
GEOSCIENCES
The School of Geosciences integrates the disciplines of geology, environmental science and policy, and geography into a single academic unit focused on complex socioenvironmental problem-solving. Its mission is to deliver high-quality, skills-based programs while generating high-impact scholarship on local, state, national, and global challenges, and to develop community and professional partnerships that advance career opportunities for graduates.
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HISTORY
The Department of History examines the connections between historical events and human experiences, helping students develop chronological perspective, cultural awareness, and critical interpretation of the past. Programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels prepare students for professional careers and advanced study through rigorous training in research, writing, and analytical reasoning. The department also maintains a strong commitment to community engagement through work with local historical organizations and publications.
HUMANITIES, ARTS, & FILM
The Department of Humanities, Arts, & Film is a home for scholars and students who want to understand the complex interconnections between the arts, social structures, and history. Courses are interdisciplinary and global in scope, offering students detailed cultural analysis within broad historical and philosophical contexts. Degree options include an undergraduate major and a Master of Liberal Arts with three tracks: Humanities, American Studies, and Film Studies.
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INFORMATION
The School of Information, known as the iSchool, takes interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the complexities, innovations, and challenges of a global, technologically complex information society. Undergraduate programs include the BS in Information Science and a minor in Intelligence Studies; graduate programs include the MA in Library and Information Science, the MS in Intelligence Studies, and the MS in Cyber Intelligence and Information Security.
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INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY
The Department of Integrative Biology emphasizes learning and research about the interactions, across all scales, among humans and other diverse organisms in a range of environments, with a focus on ecological resilience and environmental sustainability. Active field and laboratory programs span marine biology, evolution, ecology, and biomedical science, giving students hands-on research experience alongside nationally recognized faculty.
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INTERDISCIPLINARY GLOBAL STUDIES
The School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies (SIGS) advances a broadly interdisciplinary vision of global studies that transcends traditional geographical boundaries, drawing on political science, Africana studies, and international affairs. Undergraduate programs include Africana Studies, International Studies, and Political Science; graduate programs include the MA in International Affairs, the MA in Latin America, Caribbean, and Latino Studies, and a PhD in Politics and International Affairs.
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JOURNALISM AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATION
The Department of Journalism and Digital Communication is dedicated to educating journalists and professional communicators who can report and interpret news and information with skill, responsibility, and social consciousness. Located on the USF St. Petersburg campus, the department offers undergraduate and graduate programs and operates the Neighborhood News Bureau, a community reporting service that provides students with hands-on professional experience.
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MASS COMMUNICATIONS AND ADVERTISING
The Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications is a leader in advertising and mass communications education, offering undergraduate programs in integrated public relations and advertising, multimedia news, and video production. Students train in a state-of-the-art virtual production studio, produce an award-winning broadcast news program, and run a student-operated advertising and public relations agency. At the graduate level, the school offers a Master of Science in Advertising and a Master of Arts in Mass Communications.
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers programs spanning the BA, BS, MA, and PhD in mathematics and statistics, with a curriculum designed to serve students pursuing careers in those fields as well as students in engineering, the physical sciences, the life sciences, and the social sciences. The undergraduate program emphasizes the broad nature of modern mathematics and its real-world applications, while graduate programs develop both theoretical depth and practical research skills. The department also engages the wider community through public lecture series and outreach centers.
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MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
The Department of Molecular Biosciences is a premier biomedical research and teaching unit at USF, home to approximately 35 full-time faculty, more than 70 graduate students, and approximately 1,200 undergraduate students. Research programs focus on Bacterial Pathogenesis, Genome Integrity, Molecular Biophysics and Systems Biology, and Biomedical Science, supported by millions of dollars in external funding and partnerships with leading national and international institutions. Degree offerings include BS degrees in Biology and Microbiology, MS degrees, and a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology.
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PHILOSOPHY
The Department of Philosophy aims to produce teachers and scholars with a deep understanding of philosophy and a broad knowledge of its history, welcoming analytic, continental, historical, literary, and multicultural approaches to the discipline. Undergraduate and graduate programs develop rigorous skills in argumentation, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning that apply across a wide range of professional fields and civic contexts.
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PHYSICS
The Department of Physics offers undergraduate degrees in physics, along with minors in physics, biomedical physics, and astronomy. At the graduate level, the department offers a PhD in Applied Physics, the only program of its kind in the state of Florida, with research emphasis in material physics, biophysics, atomic and molecular optics, and medical physics.
PSYCHOLOGY
The Department of Psychology is home to approximately 2,500 undergraduate and 100 graduate students across three USF campuses, with research spanning clinical psychology, behavioral neuroscience, industrial-organizational psychology, social cognition, and human development. The department's Industrial-Organizational Psychology doctoral program is ranked #3 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Graduate concentrations include Clinical; Industrial-Organizational; and Cognition, Neuroscience, and Social Psychology, as well as a stand-alone MA in Psychological Sciences.
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PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The School of Public Affairs provides education, research, and public service to prepare leaders in public administration, nonprofit management, community development, and planning. Graduate programs include the Master of Public Administration (MPA) and the Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP), along with graduate certificates in areas including public management, coastal resilience planning, data science, and smart city technology. The school also houses the Florida Institute of Government, which provides training and technical assistance to public-sector organizations statewide.
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RELIGIOUS STUDIES
The Department of Religious Studies examines the history and contemporary forms of human activities labeled religious, considering not only widely recognized traditions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism, but also practices that challenge conventional definitions of the category. The department specializes in two focus areas: Religion and Global Conflict, Security, and Peace; and Religion and Health. Programs are available at both the undergraduate and graduate (MA) levels.
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SOCIOLOGY AND INTERDISCIPLINARY SOCIAL SCIENCES
The Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences provides high-quality education, professional development, and research opportunities, with teaching and research that broadly address how individuals, communities, and environments shape and are shaped by one another within cultural, economic, historical, and social contexts. Four degree programs are offered: BA in Sociology, BA in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences (available at all three USF campuses), MA in Sociology, and PhD in Sociology. Key research areas include environmental sociology, global and transnational processes, health and well-being, and inequality and social justice.
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WOMEN'S, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES
The Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is committed to feminist education, research, and practice, promoting social justice by engaging students in knowledge production from feminist perspectives on culture and society. The department offers Women's and Gender Studies as both a primary and secondary major and a minor, as well as a minor in Queer and Sexuality Studies. Graduate offerings include an MA in Women's and Gender Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Women's and Gender Studies.
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WORLD LANGUAGES
The Department of World Languages creates opportunities for students to become informed, engaged global citizens through the study of languages and cultures, with courses and programs available across all three USF campuses. Graduate programs include the PhD in Latin American and Latinx Studies, MA in Applied Linguistics, MA in French, and MA in Spanish, and the department emphasizes study abroad, foreign exchange, and international teaching opportunities as part of the student experience.
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