Florida's oldest private college, home to the world's largest Frank Lloyd Wright architecture collection.
Florida Southern offers over 70 undergraduate majors across three schools: the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise, the School of Arts and Sciences, and specialized programs in nursing, architecture, and education. The college emphasizes engaged learning with hands-on experiences, collaborative research, and internship opportunities integrated into all curricula. Notable strengths include the nation's only citrus bachelor's degree program, marine biology, fine arts, and business administration. Graduate and doctoral programs are also available, including an MBA and Doctor of Physical Therapy.
The 113-acre campus in Lakeland features 70 buildings, including 12 Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structures collectively known as 'Child of the Sun.' Key Wright buildings include Annie Pfeiffer Chapel (1941), Polk County Science Building (1958), and the Water Dome. The campus is a National Historic Landmark and was selected as the most beautiful in America by Princeton Review in 2011–2012. Recent expansions by architect Robert A.M. Stern include the Barnett Residential Life Center (2009) and Becker Business Building, designed to complement Wright's original vision.
Florida Southern receives over 11,000 undergraduate applications annually and admits approximately 51% of applicants using a holistic approach. For 2022 first-year students, the middle 50% SAT range was 1170–1310 and ACT was 25–30, with an average high school GPA of 3.8. The college accepts both its own application and the Common Application. Transfer, adult bachelor's, graduate, and international pathways are also available.
The college enrolls over 3,300 students from nearly every state and 50 countries. Student life includes over 150 campus organizations, required quarterly Convocations featuring notable speakers, Greek life, and robust arts programming through the Festival of Fine Arts. Athletic teams, the Moccasins, compete in NCAA Division II within the Sunshine State Conference, offering 13 men's and 14 women's sports plus club teams in esports, ice hockey, and water skiing.