Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

Energy Engineering focuses on generating solutions for a great current challenge related to the production, storage, distribution and use of energy and the impacts associated to these processes. In this context, energy should be understood in a broad sense and not only as electrical energy.

We need energy in our homes, schools, hospitals, in industrial processes, cargo and passenger transportation, etc.  Energy is indeed the driving force for the development and promotion of quality of life.

In order to obtain energy at the places and in the amounts necessary, we must first acknowledge the opportunities nature has to offer; thus, we must know and map out our natural resources. Furthermore, we need to know efficient methods to convert these resources into the necessary forms of energy.

Finally, we need to be aware of the impacts generated by the use and exploitation of this energy, so as to guarantee not only economic and social sustainability, but also environmental sustainability. These are a few of the challenges faced by Energy Engineering, making it an extremely attractive degree for those who wish to find strategic solutions and act innovatively in a market whose value continues to rise.

A topic of such importance requires a multidisciplinary approach based on the fundamentals that will promote the next technological revolutions. For such reasons, UFSC’s Energy Engineering program is grounded on Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Control Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Earth Sciences. Therefore, the energy engineer will have to integrate technology derived from all these fields of expertise.

Learn more about the Energy Engineering program by watching this video (in Portuguese):

 UFSC Electronic Engineering program trains professionals with a high technical qualification to work in various market segments, such as information technology (IT), semiconductors, aerospace, automotive, biomedical engineering, telecommunications, electrical/electronic, among others.

In these segments, the Electronic Engineer finds a vast range of working options, such as elaborating or executing technical projects, managing projects, or working as a sales engineer. Alternatively, the Electronic Engineer can continue their studies at the graduate level, in order to work in research, development and innovation.

Electronic Engineering is a dynamic and ever-evolving field that offers numerous challenges and opportunities in cutting-edge technology sectors. In the information technology domain, where internet-connected smartphones dominate, we can envision a future where Electronic Engineering plays a pivotal role. As we advance towards the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm, each object will be uniquely identified and capable of remote access from anywhere in the world. This positions Electronic Engineering at the forefront of technological innovation and transformation.

IoT variants, such as Body Area Networks, will enable network connectivity for devices installed in an individual’s body, enhancing diagnosis or optimizing the administration of substances and the monitoring of individuals. These advances rely on minimizing the size and power consumption of the electronics involved, as well as improving data communication technologies. Therefore, innovation is necessary across all segments: design of new materials, optimization of devices, custom design of circuits and systems, and development of embedded software associated with computational intelligence.

The fundamentals to work in these markets are acquired in the UFSC Electronic Engineering program. The program’s curriculum is divided into two parts: one covering essential concepts with an emphasis on Mathematics and Physics and the other having a professional focus, with an emphasis on Biomedical Engineering, Telecommunications, Electronic Systems (microelectronics) and Digital Systems.

Florianópolis is recognized as an emerging technological hub that has about 600 hardware and software technology services companies, representing one of the main sources of tax revenue in the city. Among these companies, there are well-established and growing microelectronics companies and a significant number of young companies in various stages of incubation installed in local incubators. All this, combined with important research centers and technological innovation parks, stand out as prospective instruments for the future career of the Electronic Engineer graduated from UFSC.

The Electrical Engineering program prepares professionals with high technical skills, whose work ranges from the design of domestic installations to the development of power generation and telecommunication systems.

In the first two years, students take courses in Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering foundations – including Calculus, Physics, Electricity and Technical Drawing, as well as career-oriented courses, such as Microprocessors, Digital Systems and Mechanics.

From the eighth semester, students are apt to choose their areas of concentration, according to their interests and the labor market needs. The program covers six areas, from which students must choose at least four: Power Systems, Electronics, Power Electronics and Drives, Telecommunication, Signal Processing and Control, and Business Management.

A particularity of the Electrical Engineering program is the role of the faculty supervisor, a professor who will assist the student throughout the entire program in issues related to curriculum, areas of concentration, elective courses, and on the ideal time to engage in a project or an internship.

Students also have at their disposal ten teaching laboratories with up-to-date equipment for a high-quality training. UFSC’s Electromagnetism and Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory is one of the few existing in Brazil.

Electrical Engineering graduates can work in the design of domestic, commercial and industrial electrical installations; design and development of electrical machines; electric drives; industrial electronics; telecommunication; electronics (integrated circuit, signal processing); power generation, transmission and distribution; business management and control systems; among other fields.

The Economics program is one of the most traditional undergraduate programs at UFSC. Its creation dates back to 1943, prior to the foundation of the university, and it is the main reference in Economic Studies in the state of Santa Catarina.

Economics graduates can work in a wide range of contexts, offering advice to companies, working for government agencies and development banks, in financial analysis, economic-financial audits and in the analysis of economic conditions.

The program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the national and international economic scenarios, and involves students in the debate and analysis of the main economic issues of today, such as inflation, interest and foreign exchange rates, employment, income distribution and international agreements. In the second half of the program, students take specific courses in their areas of interest, which may include Finance, Business Economics and Investment Analysis, Industrial and Technological Economics, Agribusiness and Regional Economics, Brazilian and International Economics, Political Economics and Evolution of Contemporary Capitalism.

UFSC Economics program is concerned with the new demands of society and the labor market. A series of elective courses allows for new knowledge and the application of economics to new areas such as environmental development, economic and social impacts of technological innovation, and new international relations.

The Economics student must have a good grounding in mathematics, statistics and econometrics (the application of statistical concepts to the analysis of economic data). Treatment, analysis and graphical representation of data are routine tasks across various courses in the program. These tasks equip students with the necessary skills to check the veracity of numerous opinions in the media concerning recent economic themes.

UFSC Performing Arts program was created in 2008. Based on four axes – playwriting, acting, directing and performance art, the program explores theory, experience, technique and artistic creation in an interconnected manner.

The work of the actor, performer, director or playwright is grounded on the diachronic studies of performing arts and related artistic experiences, as well as on theoretical and practical approaches to drama, representation, acting, aesthetics and arts.

In the program, theory is linked to practical experiences across various fields of study, including voice, body, animation theater, improvisation, set design, makeup, performance, acting, playwriting and direction.

The Performing Arts program equips graduates to engage in a critically aware art practice. They will become creative professionals prepared for careers as actors, directors, playwrights, researchers, theater critics, performers, cultural advisors, among other roles in the arts.

UFSC Design program was created in 1999 and is considered today one of the best Design degrees in the country. The program has achieved grade 4 at the ENADE (the national examination of students’ performance) and was also ranked 4 stars by the Editora Abril, a Brazilian publishing house, in 2017.

The program follows an organizational structure that allows flexibility among the different areas of Graphic Design. In this structure, students can plan their own study paths according to their skills and abilities – which are often revealed during the course of their studies. The Design Project modules are responsible for guiding their academic pathway.

For degree completion, students must take: all first-year introductory courses; all general required courses, along with the project modules and their parallel prerequisites; the minimum hours of elective courses (180 class hours); the required internship component; and the inclusive courses, including those of the final project (PCC). The student can seek advice from their supervisor or from the program coordinator on the best path to complete the program. 

The program’s infrastructure includes workshop rooms, computer laboratories, drawing/design rooms, and theoretical classrooms. There are also seven research centers, which allow students to delve deeper into their topics of interest.

-> Get to know the Animation program here.

-> Get to know the Product Design program here. 

The Dentistry program aims to contextualize, investigate and teach the necessary knowledge to prepare dentists or dental surgeons for a contemporary career that promotes health based on the precepts of ethics, morality and science.

In its early stages, the program focuses on the human body and its functioning, including courses in Histology, Physiology, Anatomy and Embryology.

The curriculum also includes subjects in Sociology, Bioethics and Community Interaction, which help to reflect upon the social responsibility of the profession. Since the early stages, students are inserted in the Programa Saúde da Família (Family Health Program), in partnership with the municipality of Florianópolis and the Santa Catarina State Department of Health. In the program, students get involved in multidisciplinary team work.

The professional part of the program provides students with a comprehensive set of knowledge based on scientific evidence. Dentistry graduates are able to carry out a number of technical procedures, such as dental restoration, root canal treatment, surgery and prosthetics, while focusing on a humanized health care which is attentive to the reality of the Brazilian population. Students develop practical activities at pre-clinical laboratories and clinics and must complete a one-year internship component. In their practice, students serve infants, children, adolescents, adults and older people.

While  the  job  market  in  major cities,  where  most  professionals are  concentrated,  may be  competitive and  limited,  there  are  promising opportunities for graduates in non-metropolitan areas. One emerging field is the provision of dental care in companies, labor  unions, government agencies, and schools.

UFSC Computer Science program has nearly 30 years of existence. Its curriculum is constantly evaluated to prepare specialized and up-to-date professionals of different profiles. Computer Science graduates can either develop projects in research centers and universities or work with the design and development of software in areas related to other sciences, such as Telecommunication and Bioinformatics.

Students can opt for a conventional professional profile or for a more specific one, defined in the second stage of the program. The conventional profile focuses on innovation, modernization, and the development of new technologies. Studies in this profile provide a solid foundation in the fundamental concepts of computer science.

If a more specific profile is chosen, besides the solid theoretical base, studies will focus on the design and development of systems through the application of new computer technologies.

Therefore, the program curriculum is divided into two stages. The first stage is composed of required core courses in theory and programming. The second stage consists of required and elective courses in the field of technology, and includes an internship component and a final project.

The Civil Engineering program enables students to provide technical, advisory and planning services in Civil Construction, Structures, Geodetic Sciences, Geotechnics and Transportation. The Civil Engineer works in a wide range of activities, from the development of projects to the construction of buildings, roads, dams, bridges, airports, urban infrastructure, slope stability, hydraulic engineering and sanitation.

The program offers students practical laboratory classes and opportunities for the development of projects, besides scholarships offered through the Tutorial Education Program (PET) and the provision of technical services for the community through the Pilot Office of Civil Engineering.

The Department of Civil Engineering has eleven well-equipped laboratories for specific studies, besides access to Physics and Chemistry laboratories belonging to other departments. These include: the Geotechnical Mapping Laboratory, where soil samples are analyzed to identify their properties and verify the site’s feasibility for construction projects; the Structural Analysis Laboratory; and the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Geoprocessing Laboratory.

In the first two years, students take foundation courses in Engineering, such as Calculus, Chemistry, Computer Science and Technical Drawing. After this period, they take specialized courses in Structural Calculation (for steel, concrete and wood), Geotechnics (including Soil Mechanics and Pavement), Transportation (Geometric Design and Implementation of Roads),  and Geodetic Science (Topography and Photogrammetry).

Students also take elective courses throughout the program and in the last semester they do a professional training, usually in a company that has partnership with UFSC. In the last year, students must develop a final project in an area of their choice, under a professor’s supervision.

 UFSC Film Studies program was created in 2005 – the first in the field of Arts to be offered at UFSC. It aims to prepare professionals qualified to carry out various activities in the audiovisual field and related areas, as well as to contribute to the students’ insertion in academic research.

The program offers a broad training that allows students to choose their own academic paths among a wide and diverse set of elective courses. It also provides contact with a number of technical specialties, introducing the student to the handling of equipment and software and to group practices.

Covering a diverse set of knowledge involved in the audiovisual production chain, the program stimulates the creative process and the contact with contemporary forms of artistic expression, in addition to offering a solid background in film theories and critical reflection.

The areas of work in the field of film studies are very broad, and include film production, distribution and exhibition, criticism, implementation of cultural policies, development of audiovisual projects, and film pedagogy. Therefore, the practical activities developed in the program contribute effectively for the graduates’ entry into the job market.

Graduates can work in audiovisual production companies, TV networks, communication and marketing departments of companies, government agencies, advertisement films, and distribution and exhibition chains.