Urban and Community Design

The Urban and Community Design major at USF is a rigorous "design-based" course of study (i.e. post professional degree for design students) leading to the Master of Urban and Community Design (M.U.C.D.) degree. The major focuses on the myriad physical, functional, visual, social and sustainable circumstances in contemporary urban contexts and stresses the amassing of knowledge, and the acquisition of design, research, analytical and other practical skills. The instructional scope of the MUCD major is both broad and diverse. The major builds on previous studies in architecture or landscape architecture as the foundation for involving students in crafting design interventions across the varied spectrum of scales of urbanism – from the urban street and block, up to the metropolitan region. Support courses in the program's curriculum infuse an understanding of the fundamentals of urban and community design, the historical and theoretical foundations of the discipline, the methods of research and analysis used in urban and community design, the major determinants of urban form, the evolution of urban contexts, and the different modes of contemporary urban design practice. The major invites applications from prospective students who are interested in expanding their understanding of the physical dimensions of urbanism and the morphology of urban places, and amassing the skills necessary in crafting compelling design interventions that address the human experience and physical conditions of cities, towns and communities.

Each applicant to a graduate degree program at the University of South Florida is required to meet the following minimum requirements. Applicants should check with their program of interest to see if there are any additional application requirements (e.g. test scores, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose and resume).

• The equivalent bachelor’s and/or graduate degrees from a foreign institution. Bachelor’s degrees from institutions in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) are considered equivalent based on the Bologna Accord. For applicants with a 3-year bachelor’s degree with less than 120 hours, from non-Bologna Accord institutions, a transcript evaluation from a NACES member is required to confirm equivalency.

• Minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in one of the following ways:
  • All completed undergraduate coursework
  • All completed graduate coursework

1. Submit Your Application

Complete the USF online application or the Common App application.

2. Pay Your Application Fee

Pay the nonrefundable, $30 application fee.

3. Submit Official Transcripts

Send original or certified copies of academic transcripts, mark sheets, grade reports, diplomas or certificates, national standardized examination results, or other academic course work to USF.

• Include a certified English translation for all documents not written in English. If you need assistance translating your documents into English, we recommend using the American Translators Association to find a certified translator.

• We can accept digital copies of these secondary and post-secondary school records emailed directly from an appropriate official at your school to [email protected]. Alternatively, mail your transcripts via post to:

University of South Florida
Office of Admissions
4202 E. Fowler Avenue, SVC 1036
Tampa, FL 33620
United States 

If you have completed all 4 years of high school in the U.S., you will need to submit your coursework and grades via the Student Self-Reported Academic Record (SSAR) website. If you have attended any overseas high school, you will need to submit your official transcripts.

4. Submit Official SAT or ACT Scores

If you are submitting ACT scores, you are required to submit scores for the Writing section, per Florida Board of Governors requirements. 

• SAT Code for USF: 5828
• ACT Code for USF: 0761