March 31, 2025 | Brittney J. Miller
Last fall, USF’s Muma College of Business began partnering with the USF College of Marine Science to offer an online MBA concentration in the blue economy.
The blue economy is defined as the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth. Direct and indirect use of ocean and coastal resources contributed $73.9 billion to Florida’s economy in 2018, according to the Fort Lauderdale-based nonpartisan organization Florida Ocean Alliance.
The new USF concentration is focused on preparing students to be leaders in maritime-related industries including port sustainability, ocean-related energy, coastal tourism and aquaculture, says Eric Douthirt, USF director of MBA progarms.
“There aren’t a lot of players in this space ... so we’re really filling a very niche need,” he says. “That sector is faster-growing than the economy at large. There are a lot of resources going into this, and we do feel like this is going to be an area that’s creating jobs for quite a while.