Located 30 miles east of Tampa and 40 miles west of Orlando just off the newly developed Polk Parkway, the University of South Florida Lakeland campus is located at the heart of the emerging Florida High Tech Corridor (FHTC). FHTC is attracting high tech industry in five sectors to include Information Technology, Medical Technologies, Microelectronics, Modeling, Simulation and Training, and Optics and Photonics. USF Lakeland leads the entire University in the field of Information Technology and brings to the FHTC and you benefits including business partnerships, internships, research endeavors, and growth in economic development by providing an educated workforce attracting new companies to the area.

Beyond the FHTC initiative, USF Lakeland leads Central Florida as an innovator in education. With a focus on the needs of the community and its citizens, USF Lakeland has embraced opportunities to develop new academic and certificate programs responsive to the needs of local hospitals, businesses, and agencies. Additionally, fast track programs have been designed to fit the needs of the students and employers and new full degree programs are continuously offered from the Lakeland campus for the convenience of the student. Furthermore, USF Lakeland goes beyond the walls of the primary campus and provides many full degree programs at various off campus sites.

According to the recent publication, “Top American Research Universities,” the University of South Florida is ranked one of the top 100 Universities in the entire nation. As a Doctoral/Research extensive institution, the highest educational ranking available, USF Lakeland is dedicated to serving the citizens of Polk, Highlands, Hardee and eastern Hillsborough counties, in a regional setting. The Lakeland campus is a distinctive, locally available University with premier research and instructional status.

Established in 1988, USF Lakeland serves over 2,000 students offering over 20 complete undergraduate and graduate degrees through the areas of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, and Information Technology. The campus also supports a number of individual classes, electives, web-based courses, certificate programs and program partnerships with the main campus in Tampa.

USF Lakeland partners with Florida public community colleges including Polk Community College, South Florida Community College and Hillsborough Community College-Plant City to provide a 2+2 education. Specifically, this partnership allows students to obtain their first two years (Associate of Arts-A.A. or Associate of Science-A.S.) from the local community college then complete their baccalaureate and/or graduate degree through USF Lakeland. This collaboration allows students to obtain a 4-year degree, as well as a graduate degree, without leaving their community.