Nova Southeastern University (NSU or, informally, Nova) is a
private nonprofit research university
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...
with its main campus in
Davie,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...
. The university consists of 14 total colleges, centers, and schools offering over 150 programs of study. The university offers professional degrees in the social sciences, law, business,
osteopathic medicine, allopathic medicine, allied health,
pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medication, medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it ...
,
dentistry
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions ...
,
optometry
Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care.
In the Un ...
,
physical therapy,
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. ...
,
occupational therapy, and
nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
. As of 2019, 20,576 students were enrolled at Nova Southeastern University,
with more than 170,000 alumni.
With a main campus located on 314 acres in Davie, Florida, NSU operates additional campuses in
Dania Beach
Dania Beach (Dania until 1998) is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 31,723. It is part of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010 census ...
,
North Miami Beach
North Miami Beach (commonly referred to as NMB) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Originally named "Fulford-by-the-Sea" in 1926 after Captain William H. Fulford of the U.S. Coast Guard, the city was renamed "North Miami Be ...
,
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater ...
-
Clearwater and centers throughout the state of
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...
. There is also a center in
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the ju ...
.
The university was founded in 1964 as the Nova University of Advanced Technology on a former
naval outlying landing field built during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
and first offered graduate degrees in the physical and social sciences.
In 1994, the university merged with the Southeastern University of the Health Sciences and assumed its current name.
NSU is
classified
Classified may refer to:
General
*Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive
*Classified advertising or "classifieds"
Music
*Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper
*The Classified, a 1980s American roc ...
among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity"; it also classified as a "community engaged" university by the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
The university is accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...
and also has numerous additional specialized accreditations for its colleges and programs.
Nova Southeastern University's intercollegiate athletic teams are collectively known as the
Nova Southeastern Sharks and compete in
Division II of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athlete, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic sports, ...
. The Sharks have won eight NCAA national championships.
History
1960s
The university, originally named Nova University of Advanced Technology, was chartered by the state of Florida on December 4, 1964. The name comes from the site where the
Nova Education Experiment was conducted, a project funded in part by the
Ford Foundation and the federal government with the goal of creating a series of schools spanning elementary to university-level education.
With an inaugural class of 17 students,
the university opened as a graduate school for the social and physical sciences.
The university was originally located on a campus in downtown
Fort Lauderdale
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
but later moved to its current campus in
Davie, Florida.
A portion of the site of this campus was once a naval training airfield during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, called the "Naval Outlying Landing Field Forman".
The remnants of the taxiway surrounding the airfield are still present in the form of roads used on the campus.
After World War II, the federal government made a commitment to the Forman family, from whom the land was purchased, that the land would only be used for educational purposes.
This led the land to be used for the creation of the South Florida Education Center, which includes Nova Southeastern University,
as well as
Broward College,
McFatter Technical College, and satellite campuses of
Florida Atlantic University and the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
.
1970s
On June 23, 1970, the board of trustees voted to enter into a federation with the
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). The president of NYIT,
Alexander Schure, PhD, became
chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
of Nova University,
and
Abraham S. Fischler
Abraham S. Fischler (January 21, 1928 – April 3, 2017) was an American academic, and was the second president of Nova Southeastern University. Fischler graduated from Columbia University in 1959 with his Ed.D. He went on to serve as assista ...
became the president of the university.
The university charter was amended and "of Advanced Technology" was dropped from its corporate name. In 1971, Nova University received accreditation from the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...
(SACS).
In 1972, the university introduced its first off-campus course of study in education. In 1974, NSU opened a
law school
A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction.
Law degrees Argentina
In Argentina, ...
,
with an inaugural class of 175 students.
The law school was named after one of the university's founders,
Shepard Broad. The same year, the university began offering evening courses on campus for undergraduates, and changed its name to Nova University. The following year, in 1975, the law school received approval from the
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of acad ...
.
1980s
In the early 1980s, the university received a $16 million gift from the
Leo Goodwin Sr. Trust. In 1985, NSU ended its collaboration with NYIT and began offering its first online classes.
In 1989, enrollment reached 8,000 students, with nearly 25,000 alumni.
In 1981, outside of Nova University, a group of osteopathic physicians, wanting to enhance medical education in the region, established the Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine in
North Miami Beach
North Miami Beach (commonly referred to as NMB) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Originally named "Fulford-by-the-Sea" in 1926 after Captain William H. Fulford of the U.S. Coast Guard, the city was renamed "North Miami Be ...
. This was the first osteopathic medical school established in the
southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern po ...
.
Rapid expansion over the course of the decade also resulted in the addition of several new programs at Southeastern College. Pharmacy and optometry, amongst other programs, were added to the school. The school then renamed itself into the Southeastern University of the Health Sciences.
1990s
During the 1990s, both Nova University and Southeastern University expanded, adding a dentistry program and increasing distance education programs. In 1994, Nova University merged with Southeastern University of the Health Sciences to form Nova Southeastern University (NSU), adding the colleges of
osteopathic medicine,
pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medication, medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it ...
,
optometry
Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care.
In the Un ...
and
allied health to the university.
Following the merger, many of the health programs relocated to their current location on the Davie campus. In 1993, the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pl ...
opened a training center on campus.
2000s
The William and Norma Horvitz Administration Building, a two-story
postmodern
Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of modern ...
structure, was built at a cost of $3 million, which houses the office of the president and numerous other administration departments. In 2001, the Alvin Sherman Library for Research and Information Technology Center was completed and also serves as the largest public library facility in the state of Florida.
In 2004, the Carl DeSantis Building opened at a cost of $33 million, which houses the
H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship. The building is a , five-story facility, and cost about $33 million.
In 2006, the University Center opened, which includes a 5,400-seat arena, a fitness center, a performance theater, art gallery, a food court, and a student lounge. Five residence halls on the main campus serve undergraduate, graduate, health professions, and law students, with a capacity for housing 720 students in approximately of living space. In 2007, a 501-bed residence hall called "The Commons" opened.
The university attracted negative attention in 2006 when it ended a contract with subcontractor UNICCO after more than 350 of its employees, almost all of them minorities, opted to unionize with
SEIU; the university's action contrasted with the reactions of the administrations of other south Florida universities to the organization of their janitorial staff.
In 2008, NSU, in partnership with the National Coral Reef Institute and the International Coral Reef Symposium, held the largest coral reef symposium in the world, which included representation from 75 countries in attendance. In 2008, the
Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale
The NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale is an art museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Originating in 1958 as the ''Fort Lauderdale Art Center'', the museum is now located in an modernist building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes. The current build ...
joined the university. Originally founded in 1986 and located in Fort Lauderdale, the museum focuses on contemporary art work, particularly of the cultures of South Florida and Latin America. The NSU Art Museum is based in a 83,000 square-foot building, with a 256-seat auditorium and permanent collection of more than 7,000 works.
2010s
In 2014, NSU opened a new campus in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
,
with master and doctoral programs. In April 2015, NSU announced a significant restructuring of its schools and colleges, adopting an all-college framework, to take effect the following July.
Two new colleges were established: the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine and the Farquhar Honors College.
The inaugural class of the medical school consisted of 53 students, with courses commencing on July 30, 2018. The college became
South Florida
South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of ...
's fourth traditional (allopathic) medical school.
In January 2018, the university opened the NSU Write from the Start Writing and Communication Center in the Alvin Sherman Library on the main campus in Davie. The center offers writing and communication assistance to all NSU students as part of the university's Quality Enhancement Plan, which is part of reaccreditation through the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Following a $50 million donation from the
Kiran C Patel
Kiran C. Patel (b. 1949) is an Zambian Indian American philanthropist, serial entrepreneur, hotelier and cardiologist.
Early life and education
Patel was born in Zambia in 1949 to a Hindu Gujaratis, Gujarati Indians in Zambia, Indian family. ...
Foundation, NSU's Tampa Bay campus was relocated to
Clearwater.
It now houses the second DO degree program, which accepted its first class in fall 2019, along with several additional allied health programs.
George L. Hanbury II
George L. Hanbury II (born 1943) is an American academic, and the President of Nova Southeastern University. Hanbury graduated with his bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech, a master's degree from Old Dominion University and his doctorate from Flor ...
is the sixth and current president of Nova Southeastern University, and assumed the position of president in January 2010.
2020s
In 2020, NSU announced the establishment of the Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Center of Innovation, scheduled to open in July 2021.
The $20 million center will occupy the on the fifth floor of NSU's Alvin Sherman Library.
In March 2020, NSU received criticism for hosting 150 visitors on campus during the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
, despite known cases of confirmed COVID-19 on campus at the time.
Two weeks prior, six cases were identified in individuals who traveled to
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
as part of a school-affiliated trip.
In July 2020, the
U.S. Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs found more than 80 women were subject to pay disparities compared with male colleagues;
the university agreed to pay $900,000 in back pay.
Campuses
Nova Southeastern University has a main campus located in Davie, Florida, with several branch campuses throughout the state, and one in Puerto Rico.
Fort Lauderdale/Davie campus
The main campus consists of 314 acres and is located in
Davie, Florida. The main campus includes administrative offices, classroom facilities, library facilities (including the
Alvin Sherman Library
The Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center, is one of the largest library buildings in the state of Florida. The Alvin Sherman Library is a unique joint-use facility serving the residents of Broward County as well a ...
), health clinics, mental health clinics,
Don Taft University Center, residence halls, cafeterias, computer labs, the bookstore, athletic facilities, and parking facilities. The Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center is the largest library building in the state of Florida.
The library was opened to the public in December 2001, and offers workshops on a variety of topics each semester online and at NSU campuses. The
Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography
The Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography is a natural science college at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. The college offers programs in subjects like biology and mathematics and conducts oceanographical research.
Degree ...
operates at both the main campus and an additional campus at the entrance to
Port Everglades.
The campus is home to both the College of Osteopathic Medicine, which confers the
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO or D.O., or in Australia DO USA) is a medical degree conferred by the 38 osteopathic medical schools in the United States. DO and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees are equivalent: a DO graduate may become lic ...
(D.O.) degree, and the College of Allopathic Medicine, which confers the
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degre ...
(M.D.) degree. This makes Nova Southeastern the first institution in the Southeast to grant both M.D. and D.O. medical degrees.
In 2016, the Collaborative Research opened in a 215,000 square foot facility. In 2018, construction began on a 500-600 unit undergraduate residence with an additional parkade structure on campus. The
College of Psychology and the
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are based in the Maltz building on the Davie campus.
In 2021, HCA Florida University Hospital, along with a new medical office building and a new parking structure, opened adjacent to the main campus.
NSU University School
The main campus hosts the NSU University School. The University School is a fully accredited, independent, college preparatory school that serves grades pre-kindergarten through grade 12, and is located on the Davie campus. This school, often referred to as just the "University School", is organized into three academic sections: lower, middle, and upper schools.
These represent, respectively, elementary, middle and high school divisions within the school.
Dania Beach Oceanographic campus
The Dania Beach campus is located on 10 acres in the
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park and houses the
Oceanographic Center. The
Dania Beach
Dania Beach (Dania until 1998) is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 31,723. It is part of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010 census ...
campus includes the Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystems Research. Completed in 2012 at a cost of US$50 million, the center is the largest research facility dedicated to studying
coral reefs
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.
Co ...
in the United States.
North Miami Beach campus
The North Miami Beach campus, also known as the Southern campus, is located on and serves as the main location for the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education.
The College of Education is named after
Abraham S. Fischler
Abraham S. Fischler (January 21, 1928 – April 3, 2017) was an American academic, and was the second president of Nova Southeastern University. Fischler graduated from Columbia University in 1959 with his Ed.D. He went on to serve as assista ...
, who served as the second president of Nova University (prior to merging with Southeastern University). The Special Needs Dentistry Clinic moved to the North Miami Beach campus in 2013.
Tampa Bay regional campus
The Tampa Bay regional campus is a newly constructed 27-acre, 325,000 square foot campus located in
Clearwater, Florida. Construction began in March 2018 and was completed in August 2019. The Drs. Kiran and Pallavi Patel Family Foundation committed to a $200 million donation to support the development of the campus.
The former Tampa Bay regional campus was previously located in
Brandon, Florida
Brandon is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 114,626 at the 2020 ...
. Approximately 1,200 students will be registered for classes during the Fall 2019 semester. The university expressed plans to offer additional programs at the Tampa Bay campus, including osteopathic medicine, anesthesiologist assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and nursing.
Student education centers
Nova Southeastern operates student education centers and satellite campuses in
Fort Myers,
Jacksonville,
Miramar Miramar is a place name of Spanish and Portuguese origin. It means "sea-view" or "sea sight" from ''mirar'' ("to look at, to watch") and ''mar'' ("sea"). It may refer to:
Places Africa
* Miramar, Port Elizabeth, see St Dominic's Priory School
...
,
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at th ...
-
Kendall Orlando,
Palm Beach-
Palm Beach Gardens,
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater ...
-
Clearwater, and
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to:
Places Argentina
* San Juan Province, Argentina
* San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province
* San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province
* San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
,
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
.
These centers provide computer labs,
videoconferencing
Videotelephony, also known as videoconferencing and video teleconferencing, is the two-way or multipoint reception and transmission of audio and video signals by people in different locations for real time communication.McGraw-Hill Concise Encyc ...
equipment, and other resources for distance students, who are not located near the main campus.
Academics
Through its 15 colleges,
the university awards
associate,
bachelor's
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
,
master's
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. ,
doctoral, and professional degrees.
The university offers 33 degrees at the doctoral level and master's degrees are offered in 52 subjects. About 175 programs of study are offered, with more than 250 majors.
Additional programs of study include
engineering and computing,
arts, humanities and social sciences. Several degrees are offered online (
distance education
Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually in ...
).
NSU maintains a Health Professions Division, currently composed of eight colleges, including two accredited medical schools. The College of Osteopathic Medicine operates the Center for Bioterrorism and All-Hazards Preparedness (CBAP), which is one of six training centers in the US funded by the
Health Resources and Services Administration
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services located in North Bethesda, Maryland. It is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for peop ...
. Through the respective colleges, residency training is offered in medicine, dentistry and optometry.
Institutes and centers
In addition to its colleges, NSU has various other centers and institutes. NSU offers programs for families on
parenting
Parenting or child rearing promotes and supports the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. Parenting refers to the intricacies of raising a child and not exclusively for a b ...
,
preschool
A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary scho ...
,
primary education, and
secondary education
Secondary education or post-primary education covers two phases on the International Standard Classification of Education scale. Level 2 or lower secondary education (less commonly junior secondary education) is considered the second and final ph ...
, which are provided through the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies. The Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine is located on both the main campus in Ft. Lauderdale and on the Kendall campus. This center aims to advance the science of treatment for individuals with neuro-inflammatory diseases via integration of education, research, and patient care.
Accreditation
The university is accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...
and also has numerous additional specialized accreditations for its colleges and programs.
The Center for Psychological Studies is accredited by the
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States, with over 133,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. It has ...
and recognized by the
Florida Department of Education.
The NSU University School is accredited by AdvancED and recognized by the Florida Kindergarten Council and the Florida Council of Independent Schools. The College of Allopathic Medicine received Preliminary Accreditation by the
Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) on October 10, 2017, becoming the eighth M.D. degree granting medical school in Florida. The business school is accredited by the
International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.
Rankings
NSU is ranked by the
Washington Monthly as the 391st best national university. In 2015, NSU was ranked by ''
The Economist
''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econ ...
'' at 290 of 1,275 colleges based on income of graduate, compared to expected income. In 2015, NSU was ranked 9th for diversity by ''U.S. News & World Report''. In 2016, NSU was selected as one of 20 global universities by the
''Times Higher Education and World University'' that could challenge the elite and become a world renowned university by 2030. In 2019, NSU ranked 22nd in number of professional doctoral degrees awarded to minorities in the US. In 2000 and in 2014, Nova Southeastern University was ranked 3rd for highest total debt burden amongst its students.
Student life
In Fall 2019, 20,576 students were attending Nova Southeastern University, including
undergraduates
Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-le ...
,
graduate students, and professional programs.
About 71% of undergraduate students are female, and 29% are male. The average student age is 22 years, and 25% are from out-of-state, while the remaining 75% of students are from Florida.
About 36% of students are Hispanic/Latino, 27% are White/non-Hispanic, 14% are black/African American, 11% are Asian, 3% identify as two or more races/ethnicities, and 4% of students are of unknown ethnicity.
About 49% of students attend classes at the
Davie Campus, whereas 30% attend class at other campuses and 21% take courses online. The
North Miami Beach Campus accounts for about 5% of the student population.
The university is a designated
Hispanic-serving institution, a federal grant program for institutions whose student body is at least 25% Hispanic/Latino.
Organizations
There are over 100 clubs and organizations on campus for students.
There are a total of 20 student government associations that form PanSGA with the addition of the College of Allopathic Medicine. The Nova Southeastern's Undergraduate Student Government Association is the primary organization for the government of the undergraduate student body. About 9-10% of students participate in the
Greek Life system through a fraternity or sorority.
There are a total of five fraternities on the campus and six sororities on the campus.
The school's student-run newspaper,
''The Current'', is published weekly. There is also a school-sponsored, student-run radio station called "WNSU Radio X", which broadcasts in the evenings and weekends on 88.5 FM
WKPX
WKPX 88.5 FM is the non-commercial, educational radio station owned and operated by the Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), broadcasting at 3000 watts and reaching all of Broward County. In mid-2020, production studios were relocated from Piper ...
, a station owned by
Broward County Public Schools. Radio X is a student-run radio station which was established in 1990 and began broadcasting over WKPX in 1998. Sharks United Television (SUTV) is a student-run media outlet at NSU.
Housing
About 26% of students at NSU live in university owned or operated housing.
The newest residence hall is the Rolling Hills Apartments, which opened in 2008.
Rolling Hills Apartments is a renovated residence hall that was originally the "Best Western Rolling Hills Resort." This residence hall is for graduate and doctoral students. The oldest dorms, Farquhar, Founders, and Vettel, each house 55 students and were named in 1975 for founders of Nova University. In August 2019, Mako Hall opened that holds apartment style living accommodations with individual kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom on campus.
Student series
Several projects have been established that allow students to voluntarily listen to speakers brought in from outside the campus. The Farquhar Honors College hosts the ''Distinguished Speakers Series'', which brings experts and notable persons from diverse fields to the campus.
Past speakers have included
Salman Rushdie, Prime Minister
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak ( he-a, אֵהוּד בָּרָק, Ehud_barak.ogg, link=yes, born Ehud Brog; 12 February 1942) is an Israeli general and politician who served as the tenth prime minister from 1999 to 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until Ja ...
,
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...
,
Maziar Bahari,
Bob Woodward,
Elie Wiesel
Elie Wiesel (, born Eliezer Wiesel ''Eliezer Vizel''; September 30, 1928 – July 2, 2016) was a Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He authored 57 books, written mostly in Fr ...
,
Paul Bremer
Lewis Paul Bremer III (born September 30, 1941) is an American diplomat. He led the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) following the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States, from May 2003 until June 2004.
Early life and education
Born o ...
,
Dr. Jack Kevorkian
Murad Jacob "Jack" Kevorkian (May 26, 1928 – June 3, 2011) was an American pathologist and euthanasia proponent. He publicly championed a terminal patient's right to die by physician-assisted suicide, embodied in his quote, "Dying is not ...
,
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu (7 October 193126 December 2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbish ...
, and
Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama.
The ''Life 101 series'' brings leaders from business, entertainment, politics and athletics to Nova Southeastern University to share their life accomplishments and "life lessons" learned. Past speakers have included
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the develop ...
,
Wayne Huizenga,
Vanessa L. Williams,
Dan Abrams
Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966) is an American media entrepreneur, television host, legal commentator, and author. He is currently the host of the prime-time show ''Dan Abrams Live'' on NewsNation, ''On Patrol: Live'' on Reelz and ''The Dan Ab ...
,
Jason Taylor,
Michael Phelps,
James Earl Jones, and
Alyssa Milano.
Athletics
The Nova Southeastern (NSU) athletic teams are called the Sharks. The university is a member of the
NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the
Sunshine State Conference
The Sunshine State Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. All of its member institutions are located in the state of Florida, which is popularly kn ...
(SSC) since the 2002–03 academic year.
The Sharks previously competed in the
Florida Sun Conference
The Sun Conference (TSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Seven of the ten full member institutions are located in Florida, with three in Georgia. The Sun Conferen ...
(FSC; now currently known as the Sun Conference since the 2008–09 school year) of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stud ...
(NAIA) from 1990–91 to 2001–02.
NSU competes in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding ...
,
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming & diving and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country,
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...
,
soccer,
softball
Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
, swimming & diving,
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball c ...
, track & field and
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
. Former sports included
women's rowing until after the 2019–20 school year.
Accomplishments
Since joining the NCAA in 2002,
the NSU Sharks have produced several NCAA All-Region selections and NCAA All-Americans, and have been nationally ranked in numerous sports. The NSU Sharks have won four straight championships in women's golf from 2009 to 2012. In 2016, for the first time in school history, the NSU baseball team won the
Division II National Championship.
Nickname
Many athletic events at NSU take place at
University Center Arena. In 2005, students voted for a new school mascot, and the student body selected the Sharks. NSU's athletic teams had previously been known as the Knights.
Notable alumni
NSU has produced over 170,000 alumni,
who live in all 50 US states and over 116 countries worldwide. Alumni work in various fields, including academia, government, research, and professional sports. Prominent alumni include
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...
player
J.D. Martinez
Julio Daniel Martinez (born August 21, 1987) is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, an ...
of the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eig ...
,
Isabel Saint Malo
Isabel de Saint Malo García de Alvarado (born 27 June 1968) is a Panamanian politician and diplomat. She formerly was the Vice President of Panama and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1 July 2014, to 30 June 2019. De Saint Malo ran with electe ...
, the former
Vice President of Panama,
Marilyn Mailman Segal, prominent
child psychologist,
Ivy Dumont
Dame Ivy Leona Dumont ( Turnquest; born 2 October 1930), was the seventh governor-general of the Bahamas. She was the first woman in the Bahamas to hold this office, from 1 January 2002 (on an acting basis since 13 November 2001) until 30 Novem ...
, first female
Governor-General of the Bahamas,
Tyler Cymet,
internist,
Cathy Areu, author and journalist,
Somy Ali, former
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
actress and
activist
Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fr ...
,
Geisha Williams, former CEO of
PG&E,
Kristine Lefebvre
Kristine Leigh Lefebvre is a lawyer, and was a contestant on NBC's reality show ''The Apprentice'' who made it into the final group of six contestants before being fired. The credentials which garnered Lefebvre a spot on the show include her educ ...
, lawyer and contestant on ''
The Apprentice'',
Scott W. Rothstein, lawyer,
Syra Madad,
epidemiologist
Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population.
It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...
and infectious disease control expert and, and Dr.
Will Kirby, a
dermatologist and
television personality.
File:Secretary of State Pompeo shakes hands Panamanian Vice President and Foreign Minister Isabel Saint Malo (46073053435).jpg, Isabel Saint Malo
Isabel de Saint Malo García de Alvarado (born 27 June 1968) is a Panamanian politician and diplomat. She formerly was the Vice President of Panama and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1 July 2014, to 30 June 2019. De Saint Malo ran with electe ...
, former vice president
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is o ...
of Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...
File:Will Kirby 2020 (cropped).jpg, Will Kirby, dermatologist, winner '' Big Brother 2''
File:J. D. Martinez Boston Red Sox August 2018 (crop).png, J.D. Martinez
Julio Daniel Martinez (born August 21, 1987) is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, an ...
, baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding ...
player
File:Gopradi Geovanni.JPG, Geovanni Gopradi, actor
File:Louie L. Wainwright.jpg, Louie L. Wainwright
Louie Lee Wainwright (September 11, 1923 – December 23, 2021) was an American corrections administrator who served as Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections from 1962 to 1987. He is known for having been the named respondent in two ...
, former Secretary of the Florida Division of Corrections, known for being the named respondent in 2 seminal U.S. Supreme Court cases
File:Carole Ward Allen.jpg, Carole Ward Allen
Carole Ward Allen is an American politician, professor, and political consultant. She is a member of the Democratic Party, and serves as the chief executive officer of CWA Partners, LLC. As a mass transportation executive in the State of Califor ...
, politician and professor
Research
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is
classified
Classified may refer to:
General
*Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive
*Classified advertising or "classifieds"
Music
*Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper
*The Classified, a 1980s American roc ...
among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". One notable area of NSU's research looks at the impact of sharks on the health of the ocean.
NSU also has its research on other various fields such as biotechnology, life sciences, environment and social sciences. NSU faculty are funded by extramural grants of over $107 million for various projects to advance research works, academics. Their projects include basic, applied and clinical research projects on drug discoveries, mental health disorders oceanic studies.
[
]
Gallery
File:Nova Library West.JPG, The Alvin Sherman Library
File:NSU Physical Sciences Building.JPG, Parker Physical Sciences Building
File:HPDatnsu.jpg, Terry Building - Administration for all of the Health Professions Division
File:NSU Health Care Center.JPG, Sanford Ziff
File:NSU College of Dental Medicine.JPG, College of Dental Medicine building
File:NSU Student and Media Arts Center.jpg, Performing and Visual Arts in the Don Taft University Center
File:NSU DeSantis Building.JPG, Carl DeSantis Building
File:Nova Southeastern University Psychology Building.jpg, Maxwell Maltz Building
File:Huizinga BSchool Back.JPG, The Dr. William Spears Atrium
File:NSU Student Center.JPG, Rosenthal Student Center
File:NSU Physical Plant.JPG, Physical plant facilities
File:The Commons - NSU.jpg, The Commons undergraduate housing
File:NSU Rolling Hills Graduate Housing.JPG, Rolling Hills - graduate housing
File:Dolphins training camp.jpg, Former Miami Dolphins Training Facility on NSU's main campus.
File:Miniaci.jpg, Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center
File:Jimandjanmorancenter.jpg, Jim & Jan Moran Family Center.
See also
*
Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
The Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida (ICUF) is an association of 30 private, educational institutions in the state of Florida. Like the 12 public universities in Florida, all ICUF schools are accredited by the Southern Associatio ...
*
Workers Unionization Strike & Controversy
References
External links
*
Nova Southeastern athletics website
{{authority control
Universities and colleges in Broward County, Florida
Private universities and colleges in Florida
Educational institutions established in 1964
Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Schools of public health in the United States
North Miami Beach, Florida
World War II airfields in the United States
1964 establishments in Florida
Universities and colleges formed by merger in the United States