Inside Swoop: What’s new for 2026-27 academic year as UNF prepares for record enrollment

The University of North Florida is preparing for its largest enrollment to date for fall 2026, welcoming new and returning students who begin moving onto campus this Friday before the start of fall semester on Monday.

While total numbers won't be available until the first few weeks of classes are underway, UNF is expecting enrollment to top 18,500 students this year - up from approximately 17,600 students in fall 2025.

Faculty and staff celebrated fall's return this week by participating in fun "Feathering the Nest" activities to energize, connect and uplift the community. Employees enjoyed a cookout, osprey karaoke, volleyball game and esports GeoGuessr tournament. Almost 1,000 faculty and staff also formed the letters SWOOP for an annual aerial photo captured by a drone.

As UNF soars into the fall semester, students and visitors will spot notable upgrades across campus, including major building renovation projects, new academic programs, fresh dining options and exciting events. There will be opportunities for campus engagement and academic and personal growth for all Ospreys joining The Nest this academic year.

Here is a closer look at what's new and upcoming at UNF:

• Campus Upgrades
• Parking and Transportation
• Academic Updates
• New Faculty
• Fresh Dining Choices
• Carpenter Library
• Athletics
• Arts & Culture
• Upcoming Events

Campus upgrades

• Coggin College of Business - Phase 2 Renovation and New Construction: This building project will begin to open to students in August 2026. It includes several academic classrooms, CCB-specific classrooms, student lounges and research spaces. The project involved renovations in both Building 42 and Building 10, as well as new construction to connect both buildings. A grand opening of the space will occur in January 2027.
• Brooks College of Health: Construction finished up on two research labs, the nutrition lab and anatomy lab over the summer. A renovation to the main lobby will be completed over Winter Break.
• Student Success Building: The Student Success Center has transformed from site work in early December to a full-blown, three-story building as of this summer. Construction will continue over the next year, concluding in the summer of 2027.
• Soccer Training Facility: Construction is now underway for the new training facility that will provide two and a half new soccer training fields for the athletic department. The project is projected to be completed in early 2027.
• Honors Academic Building: The Honors Academic Building is in the design development phase and is projected to start construction in late spring 2027. The new building will provide several classrooms, event space and administrative offices for the honors program.
• Hodges Stadium: The renovations to the stadium will begin this fall and will provide needed updates to the locker rooms, restrooms and seating for the stadium.
• Osprey Ridge Honors Housing West Walking Path: This project will provide a landscaped walking path along the west side of Osprey Ridge Housing. The new path will include sitting areas and lighting.
• UNF Drive Shared Use Path: The north side shared-use walking and bicycle path has been completed on UNF Drive. The south side construction has just begun and will be completed this fall.
• 30 North Apartment Complex: This project will provide over 700 new beds on the south end of campus. Construction is well underway and is scheduled to be completed spring 2027.
• Hicks Hall Second Floor IT Expansion and Renovation: This project will renovate a large portion of the second floor of Hicks Hall for the IT and Budget offices. Construction will begin in early fall 2026.
• Campus-wide Wayfinding and Branding: This project will update all signage and wayfinding on campus. The project has several phases that will be implemented over several years. The first phase will begin this fall.

Parking and Transportation

As part of the Student Success Center construction project, Lot 1 was temporarily assigned to faculty/staff permit holders to support construction-related operations and staging needs. This assignment allowed project teams and contractors to efficiently manage equipment, materials and vehicle access during the construction period while minimizing disruptions to campus activities. Upon completion of the Student Success Center project and the conclusion of construction activities, the use and management of Lot 1 could be reassessed to align with the University's parking and transportation needs.

For more information, visit Parking for Visitors or Event and Validation Code Requests.

Academic updates for this semester

• Degree name changes: With a Florida Board of Governors-approved CIP code change, the BA in Spanish degree has been changed to the BA in languages, literature, and cultures, and the BA in philosophy (and concentrations) has been changed to the BA in philosophy and religious studies. Also, the social media minor changed name to AI and social media.
• New majors: This year, new majors in sporting analytics have been added under the MS in business analytics, Spanish and French majors have been introduced to the BA in languages, literature, and cultures, and philosophy has been added to the BA in philosophy and religious studies.
• New minors: New minors will include nutrtion, exceptional student education, coaching education, sports nutrition, special education and related services, interdisciplinary AI and communication sciences & disorders.
• New concentrations: Newly added offerings include a nutrition for healthcare professionals concentration for the MS in nutrition & dietetics; lifestyle management concentration for the BHM in healthcare management; BSN to DNP psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner concentration for the DNP in nursing; and Artificial Intelligence (Non-Thesis and Thesis) concentration for the MS in computing & info sciences.
• New accelerated pathways: New accelerated pathways will connect the BS in kinesiology to MSH in kinesiology and lifestyle medicine, BBA in finance to MS in fintech, BSH in public health to Master's in public health in epidemiology, BBA in transportation & logistics to MS in logistics and supply chain management, BSH in public health to Masters in public health, and BS in nutrition & dietetics: Didactic Program in Dietetics to MS in nutrition and dietetics.

Academic updates coming spring 2027

• New accelerated pathways: The bachelor in health management to MS in health informatics will be offered as an accelerated pathway.
• New minors: New minors in astronomy, kinesiology and human movement sciences will be added.
• New concentrations: Several new concentrations will be introduced including non-licensure in elementary education for elementary education, Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAE), and jazz studies concentration for the bachelor of music in music performances.
• New certificate programs: New certificates include environmental studies and exceptional student education.

New faculty

UNF welcomes more than 30 new faculty members this fall. The group expands UNF's academic excellence in fields including AI, cybersecurity, bioinformatics, coastal resilience, advanced manufacturing, public policy and neuroscience, joining the University's over 750 esteemed faculty members. Read more about some of the new additions to UNF's faculty.

Fresh dining choices

Dining Services is expanding their interactive campus events with tastings, brand activations, themed dining experiences, trivia, raffles and giveaways. During residence hall move-in and Welcome Week, students can expect dining information tables, along with opportunities to learn more about meal memberships, Dining Dollars, campus dining locations and win prizes.

Other things to look forward to include:

• Expanded Menu at Osprey Café: Dining Services is introducing rotating culinary stations at Innovate, featuring a changing lineup of globally inspired and trending menu concepts throughout the semester.
• CaterTrax Catering Services: UNF's catering program continues to expand with the addition of national brand offerings through CaterTrax, providing campus partners with even more menu variety and convenient options when planning events, meetings and campus gatherings.
• Grubhub is Here: Students can now order from participating dining locations through the Grubhub app for convenient campus pickup. UNF students receive Grubhub+ Student benefits, which waives the standard $9.99/month membership fee, making it easier than ever to order ahead and skip the line.
• Ozzie Bucks Off-Campus Dining Program: Beginning in late fall, Business Services will partner with Grubhub to allow students, faculty and staff to use their Ozzie Bucks at more than 450 Grubhub merchants nationwide.
• Enhanced Residential Dining Experience: Students will continue to enjoy unlimited access meal memberships with expanded menu offerings, seasonal specials and chef-inspired events throughout the year.
• Retail Promotions: Throughout the year, students can look forward to limited-time menu features, value promotions, seasonal beverages and exclusive giveaways with national brand partners.
• Digital Engagement: Dining Services will continue expanding social media presence with contests, student spotlights, behind-the-scenes content and other opportunities to connect with students online.

Carpenter Library

Updates at the Carpenter Library include a newly renovated fourth-floor space near the balcony, featuring additional electrical outlets, flexible and reconfigurable furniture and a dedicated relaxation area to accommodate a variety of study, collaboration and learning needs. Students can also take advantage of five new Group Collaboration Hubs on the second floor, which allow users to share content from phones, tablets and laptops, work together on assignments and projects and use a built-in digital whiteboard.

Beginning this fall, students, faculty and staff will be able to use Digital Osprey 1Card entry when a physical card in unavailable. In addition, audiovisual equipment previously circulated through the Center for Instruction and Research Technology is now available for reservation through the library.

The library's operating hours have also been updated for the fall and spring semesters. The Carpenter Library is now open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday; and noon to midnight on Sunday.

Don't miss upcoming events, including:

• Campus Canines Library Visit - Every other Tuesday beginning Aug. 25, 3 to 5 p.m.
• Tommy G's Haunted Open House - Oct. 29, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Athletics

All UNF home games are free for students. Schedules for cross country and swimming will be released soon. Here are some upcoming chances to cheer on the Ospreys:

• Women's Soccer vs Saint Leo (Home Opener) - Aug. 18, 6 p.m. at Hodges Stadium
• Men's Soccer vs South Carolina (Home Opener) - Aug. 20, 6 p.m. at Hodges Stadium
• Volleyball vs FIU (Home Opener) - Sept. 3, 6 p.m. at UNF Arena
• Men's Soccer vs Trinity College of Jacksonville (Senior Night) - Sept. 22, 7 p.m. at Hodges Stadium
• Women's Soccer vs FGCU (Senior Day) - Oct. 25, 1 p.m. at Hodges Stadium
• Volleyball vs JU (River City Rumble & Senior Night) - Nov. 13, 6 p.m. at UNF Arena

View scheduled game dates for all Osprey sports and stay informed about gameday protocols.

Arts & Culture

The UNF Department of Art, Art History and Design and Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Jacksonville, a cultural institute of UNF, has a full season of programs and exhibitions lined up for the upcoming year. UNF students, faculty and staff get free admission to MOCA. Find details and a full list of programs by visiting MOCA's website.

Upcoming events

Participate in market days, musical performances, wellness programs, public policy events, Distinguished Voices Lecture Series and other events happening throughout the semester. Be mindful that some dates, times and locations may change. Here are some highlighted events for students:

• SG Jacksonville Jaguars Sale - Aug. 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at UNF Field House
• Oktoberfest - Oct. 8, 6 p.m. at the Amphitheater
• Convocation - Sept. 18, 10 a.m.
• 17th Annual Roar and Soar Tailgate - Dec. 14, 5 p.m. at Everbank Stadium
• Homecoming - Nov. 9 to Nov. 14
• Fall Commencement Ceremonies - Dec. 11 at the UNF Arena
• Swoop the Loop 5K - Jan. 9, 2027, 8 a.m. at the Amphitheater
• Spring Commencement Ceremonies - April 30, 2027, at the UNF Arena