N
ova Southeastern University (NSU) is a not-for-
profit, fully accredited, coeducational, Carnegie-
classified “high research activity” university. It
was founded in 1964 as Nova University of Advanced
Technology. In 1974, the board of trustees changed the
university’s name to Nova University. In 1994, Nova
University merged with Southeastern University of the
Health Sciences to form Nova Southeastern University.
NSU is well known for innovation and quality in both
traditional and distance education. The university
serves large numbers of adult students and a growing
population of traditional undergraduates. To date, the
institution has produced more than 143,000 alumni.
Using 2010 fall-term enrollment as a measure,
Nova Southeastern University is the largest private
institution of higher education in the Southeast and
the eighth largest not-for-profit, private institution
nationally. However, NSU is the sixth largest four-year,
not-for-profit, private Carnegie research university in
the United States. NSU is one of 207 colleges and
universities statewide, and one of 114 independent
four-year institutions in Florida.
The university awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s,
specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a
wide range of fields, including the humanities, biological
and environmental science, business, counseling,
computer and information sciences, conflict resolution,
education, family therapy, medicine, dentistry, various
health professions, law, marine sciences, performing
and visual arts, psychology, and other social sciences.
Nova Southeastern University has the only college of
optometry in Florida, and one of only two colleges of
pharmacy in South Florida. The institution also enjoys
an excellent reputation for its programs for families
offered through the Mailman Segal Center for Human
Development and the University School. These include
innovative parenting, preschool, primary, and secondary
education programs, and programs across the life span
for people with autism.
The university’s programs are administered through
colleges and schools that offer courses at the Fort
Lauderdale campuses as well as at locations throughout
Florida, across the nation, and in 12 countries. Despite
the geographic diversity of sites where classes are offered,
90
percent of the student body attends classes in Florida.
Eighty-three percent of all students enrolled attend classes
in the tricounty area (i.e., Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm
Beach counties). Nova SoutheasternUniversity is a major
provider of educational programs for Florida residents.
Through its undergraduate, graduate, and professional
degree programs, NSU educated approximately
25,000
Florida students in calendar year 2011. With
annual expenditures of approximately $539 million,
Nova Southeastern University also has a significant
economic impact on the surrounding community. A
recent NSU study revealed that the university and its
students and employees contributed more than $1.4
billion to the Florida economy during fiscal year 2008.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
The university library system is composed of the
Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information
Technology Center, Health Professions Division Library,
Law Library, the William S. Richardson Ocean Sciences
Library, and four school libraries. The 325,000-square-
foot Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information
Technology Center is a joint-use facility with the
Broward County Board of County Commissioners. It
serves students and faculty and staff members of NSU,
as well as residents of Broward County. The five-story
structure is a high-tech facility using both wireline and
wireless technology. Electronic classrooms and group-
study rooms are popular areas in the facility. Using
compact shelving, it has a book capacity of 1.4 million
volumes. Within the facility is the 500-seat Rose and
Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center, enhancing
university curricular support and the improvement of
the quality of life in South Florida. Overall, the current
university’s libraries house almost 1.3 million items.
Agreements have been signed with several libraries to
provide library support for NSU programs offered in
specific geographical areas. The online resources of all
libraries are accessible to local users, distance education
students, and faculty members wherever they may
be located. Databases complement the paper-based
holdings and provide full-text resources. Interlibrary
agreements through organizations such as the Online
Computer Library Center (OCLC), the Southeast
Florida Library Information Network (SEFLIN), the
Consortium of Southeastern Law Libraries (COSELL),
and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) provide
broad access to a wide range of materials.
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Institutional Description