The University
Graduate Edition
Florida State University Mission Statement
Mission
Florida State University preserves, expands, and disseminates knowledge in the sciences, technology, arts, humanities, and professions, while embracing a philosophy of learning strongly rooted in the traditions of the liberal arts. The University is dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, creative endeavors, and service. The University strives to instill the strength, skill, and character essential for lifelong learning, personal responsibility, and sustained achievement within a community that fosters free inquiry and embraces diversity.
Vision
Florida State University will be among the nation's most entrepreneurial and innovative universities, transforming the lives of our students and shaping the future of our state and society through exceptional teaching, research, creative activity, and service. We will amplify these efforts through our distinctive climate—one that places a premium on interdisciplinary inquiry and draws from the rich intellectual and personal diversity of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. These three forces—entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary, and diversity—deepen FSU's impact and result in a powerful return to our students and the people of Florida for their continued support and trust.
University History
Florida State University, one of the largest and oldest of the twelve institutions of higher learning in the State University System of Florida, had its beginning as early as 1823 when the Territorial Legislature began to plan a higher education system. In 1825 the Federal Government reserved two townships for the purpose of maintaining two such institutions in the territory, and in 1845 the United States Congress, supplemental to the act admitting Florida as a state in the Union, added two more townships. This led to an 1851 act of the Florida Legislature establishing two seminaries, one to be located east and the other west of the Suwannee River.
By 1854 the city of Tallahassee had established a school for boys called the Florida Institute with the hope that the state could be induced to take it over as one of the seminaries. In 1856 the Legislature of Florida chose to accept the offer of the Institute's land and building and designated Tallahassee as the site of one of the state seminaries because of its railway connections, its "salubrious climate," and its "intelligent, refined, and moral community."
Francis Eppes, who spent his formative years on the estate of his grandfather, President Thomas Jefferson, at Monticello, in Virginia, and who shared his grandfather's views of the importance to a democracy of a liberally educated citizenry, was the Mayor of Tallahassee who made the offer. Eppes served as President of the Seminary's Board of Education for eight years and instilled in the institution the Jeffersonian ideals that characterize it today.
In February 1857, the institution began offering postsecondary instruction to male students as the Seminary West of the Suwannee River. The school first became coeducational the following year when it absorbed the Tallahassee Female Academy, begun in 1843 as the Misses Bates School. Thus, the West Florida Seminary, founded in 1851, began operating in 1857, only twelve years after Florida achieved statehood. It was located on the hill where the Westcott Building now stands, which has been the site of an institution of higher education longer than any other site in Florida.
Classes were held at the West Florida Seminary from 1857 until 1863, when the state legislature changed the name to The Florida Military and Collegiate Institute to reflect the addition of a military section that trained cadets. During the Civil War, cadets from the school, ranging in age from 12 to 18, fought in the Battle of Natural Bridge and helped make Tallahassee the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi not captured during the war. As a result of the brave action of the West Florida cadets in this battle, Florida State University's Army ROTC cadet corps is today one of only three in the nation authorized to display a battle streamer with its flag, a streamer which bears the words "Natural Bridge 1865." After the end of the war in 1865, however, Union troops under General McCook descended upon Tallahassee and occupied the city (including campus buildings), remaining for more than a month.
Following the war, the institution entered a period of growth and development. In 1884 the first diplomas, Licentiates of Instruction, were awarded, and by 1891 the Institute had begun to focus clearly on what we would today call postsecondary education; seven Bachelor of Arts degrees were awarded that year. By 1897 the institution had evolved into the first liberal arts college in the state, and in 1901 it became Florida State College, a four-year institution, with the first master's degree offered in 1902. That year the student body numbered 252 men and women, and degrees were available in classical, literary, and scientific studies. In 1903 the first university library was begun. The following quote from the 1903 Florida State College Catalogue adds an interesting footnote to this period:
In 1883 the institution, now long officially known as the West Florida Seminary, was organized by the Board of Education as The Literary College of the University of Florida. Owing to lack of means for the support of this more ambitious project, and also owing to the fact that soon thereafter schools for technical training were established, this association soon dissolved. It remains to be remarked, however, that the legislative act passed in 1885, bestowing upon the institution the title of the University of Florida, has never been repealed. The more pretentious name is not assumed by the college owing to the fact that it does not wish to misrepresent its resources and purposes.
In a 1905 reorganization of Florida's educational system by the legislature, the University of Florida in Gainesville was established and designated a men's school, and the Florida State College became a women's school called the Florida Female College. The male student body moved from Tallahassee to Gainesville, taking with it the fraternity system and the College football team, which had been state champions in 1902, 1903, and 1905. In 1909 the name of the college was changed to Florida State College for Women, an institution that grew to become the third largest women's college in the nation during the 1930s. The College became fully accredited in 1915, and a chapter of the national honor society of Phi Kappa Phi was installed in 1925, the year after the College was placed on the list of standard colleges and universities approved by the Association of American Universities and became a member of the Association of American Colleges. In 1935 the first chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in the state, Alpha Chapter of Florida, was installed at the College, a mark of its status as a true liberal arts college.
The year 1947 saw many changes. Demand by returning World War II veterans had brought men back to the campus in 1946 with the establishment of the Tallahassee Branch of the University of Florida and in 1947 caused the Legislature to return Florida State College for Women to coeducational status and name it Florida State University. A permanent president's residence was acquired. The student body, numbering 4,056, chose a new alma mater and selected the Seminole as its mascot. The Flying High Circus was born, and football was started again when the first home game since 1905 was played in October. Three years later, Campbell Stadium was built. The first Student Union was established and housed in the "O Club" on West Campus, a former Army Air Base which mainly housed male students and provided some classroom space three miles west of the main campus.
The 1950s brought significant development and expansion to the University. To the colleges and schools that had existed since the Florida State College days—Arts and Sciences, Education, Home Economics, and Music—were added Library Science (in 1948), Social Welfare (later split into Social Work and Criminology), Business, and Nursing. A student in the Department of Chemistry was awarded the University's first Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1952. A new building was completed for the Developmental Research School, which in 1905 had evolved from the High School and the College Academy of earlier days as the Observation and Practice School created to provide on-site opportunities for experience and research to students in education. Tully Gymnasium, Strozier Library, and the Business Building were completed to enhance the education of the ever-increasing student population. In 1957 the Panama Canal Branch was opened.
In the 1960s the University acquired the Shaw Poetry Collection, established the Institutes of Molecular Biophysics and Space Biosciences, and constructed nine new buildings, including the Oglesby Union and the Fine Arts Building. During this period the Program in Medical Sciences was established. The first black student enrolled in 1962, and the first black PhD candidates graduated in 1970. Programs in African American Studies and Women's Studies were established. Continuing the liberal arts tradition begun in the 1890s, the Liberal Studies curriculum required of all undergraduates was expanded and strengthened.
In each succeeding decade, Florida State University has added to its academic organization, and is presently composed of eighteen independent colleges. It has expanded from the original few acres and buildings to 394 buildings on 1,716 acres, including the downtown Tallahassee main campus of 486 acres; a farm, which for many decades supplied the Florida State College for Women with food; the Seminole Reservation—a recreational facility; the Marine Laboratory on the Gulf Coast; the FAMU–FSU College of Engineering facility; the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and Division of Research at Innovation Park; and the branch campus in Panama City, Florida. One hundred and seventy-one years after its founding, Florida State University started the 2022-2023 academic year with a student population of over 44,000 and recognition as a major graduate research institution with an established international reputation.
In Fall 2022, Florida State University enrolled students from all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and 129 foreign countries. The enrollment breakdown by class included 498 law (JD) students, 481 medical (MD) students, a total of 32,795 undergraduate students, a total of 10,888 graduate students, and a total of 914 non-degree-seeking students. Out of 44,597 students enrolled at the University that semester, 41.7 percent were men and 58.3 percent were women. The University employed a total of 2,615 faculty members in Fall 2022, 54.1 percent men and 45.9 percent women.
The Panama City Campus is located on beautiful North Bay, one hundred miles west of Tallahassee, near the Gulf of Mexico. The campus, with its modern classrooms and offices, has been designed to utilize the natural landscape of the site, creating an aesthetic and effective educational setting.
University Organization
Florida State University is one of twelve units of the State University System (SUS) of Florida. The State Board of Education (SBOE) established pursuant to Section 1001.01, Florida Statutes, on January 7, 2003, oversees education governance in the state through the Commissioner of Education, who serves as Secretary of the SBOE. The Florida Board of Governors (FBOG) established pursuant to Section 7(d), Article IX of the state constitution, coordinates the State University System. The FBOG oversees the thirteen-member Boards of Trustees for each of Florida's public universities through the Chancellor of the State University System of Florida. Florida State University's Board of Trustees sets the University's policies and goals and serves as its legal owner and final authority responsible for efficient and effective use of its resources.
The main campus of the University is in Tallahassee, the state's capital. FSU International Programs has over sixty years of experience and ranks 12th in the nation in providing students with extraordinary study abroad experiences. Through our more than sixty academic programs, students can choose to study in over twenty locations throughout the world. Program opportunities include spring, summer, and fall semesters at our four study centers, summer terms in additional locations, Spring Break programs, First Year Abroad and First Semester Abroad for incoming freshmen, and international internships. The year-round study centers are in Florence, Italy; London, England; Panama City, The Republic of Panama; and Valencia, Spain. Summer programs are currently being offered in locations including China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Peru, Russia, Switzerland, Tanzania, and Thailand. FSU credits are earned for all courses and are transferable within the US university system in accordance with each student's home university regulations.
The chief executive officer of Florida State University is the President. The President is assisted by the Provost (who is also the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs), the Vice President for Finance and Administration, the Vice President for Faculty Development and Advancement, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Vice President for Research, the Vice President for University Advancement, and the President of the Faculty Senate.
The President's Office also coordinates alumni affairs and the solicitation of external funds to support scholarships and loans for students, capital construction, excellence in academic programs, and intercollegiate athletics, along with coordinating programs to improve understanding and support of University academic programs and activities through its units, including governmental relations.
Additionally, University Communications reports to the Office of the President and coordinates efforts to improve the public's understanding of the University's academic programs and activities through internal and external media, both print and electronic. It includes the Public Broadcast Center (public radio, public television, and public access channel), Publications, and Media Relations.
The Division of Academic Affairs is responsible for the operation of the academic program of the University. It includes the Office of the Vice President for Faculty Development and Advancement, which interprets all faculty personnel policy, including faculty development and welfare, monitors all academic rules and regulations, including those related to academic integrity and grade appeals, and facilitates the operation of the Faculty Governance System of the University; The Graduate School, which is responsible for the graduate enrollment, general advisement, university fellowships, and special programs; and the Division of Undergraduate Studies, which is responsible for undergraduate advisement, retention, and special programs. Further support is given by associate vice presidents and directors, who are responsible for such academic matters as continuing education, international programs, computing and information resources, learning systems, libraries, the Office of the University Registrar, the Office of Financial Aid, and the Office of Admissions.
The Division of Finance and Administration maintains the physical plant, administers the personnel program, and receives and disburses nearly all University funds.
The Division of Student Affairs offers and coordinates programs that provide housing, career guidance, health care, recreation, childcare, self-governance, and enhancement of academic skills to students. It is also responsible for programs and services for international students, disabled students, and student activities and organizations.
The Division of Research coordinates all research programs and mediates between extramural sponsors and faculty conducting research, development, and training under such sponsorship.
The Division of University Advancement works to increase Florida State University's capacity for generating private philanthropy and volunteer support. It oversees the FSU Alumni Association, FSU Foundation, and Seminole Boosters.
The Faculty Senate is an elected representative body of faculty that establishes academic policy regarding admission and graduation of students, curricula, and academic standards, and advises and recommends about all matters affecting the academic program of the University.
Panama City Campus
In 1982 the Florida Legislature established a campus of Florida State University at Panama City. Located one hundred miles west of Tallahassee on beautiful North Bay, the Panama City campus provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate study in eighteen programs leading to the bachelor's degree, seven programs leading to the master's degree, and one program leading to a doctoral degree. Undergraduates may complete their entire bachelor's degree at the Panama City campus in the programs offered or may transfer to the main campus with an Associate of Arts degree. The Panama City campus houses the College of Applied Studies and offers three baccalaureate degrees, three master's degrees, and one doctoral degree in Nurse Anesthesia independent of the main campus.
The Panama City campus strives to offer a personalized university experience. Classes are relatively small, thereby permitting an individualized approach to instruction and facilitating interaction between students and faculty.
Colleges
The academic organization of the University comprises eighteen colleges. One of these, the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, is a joint program of the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) and Florida State University. In addition to the Associate of Arts (AA) degree, the University offers 105 authorized baccalaureate degree programs, 123 authorized master's degree programs, 25 authorized advanced master's and specialist degree programs, 3 authorized professional degree programs, and 78 authorized doctoral degree programs. The following outlines the academic divisions:
College of Applied Studies
- Programs: Corporate and Public Communication; Nurse Anesthesia; Professional Communication; Public Safety and Security; Financial Planning
College of Arts and Sciences
- Departments: Aerospace Studies; Anthropology; Biological Science; Chemistry and Biochemistry; Classics; Computer Science; Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science; English; History; Mathematics; Military Science; Modern Languages and Linguistics; Philosophy; Physics; Psychology; Religion; Scientific Computing; Statistics
- Interdisciplinary Programs: FSU-Teach; Interdisciplinary Data Science; Interdisciplinary Humanities; Middle Eastern Studies; Molecular Biophysics; Neuroscience; Women's Studies
College of Business
- Departments: Accounting; Business Analytics, Information Systems, and Supply Chain; Finance; Management; Marketing; Risk Management/Insurance, Real Estate, and Legal Studies
- Interdisciplinary Programs: Business Administration and Law; Business Administration and Social Work
College of Communication and Information
- Schools: School of Communication; School of Communication Science and Disorders; School of Information
College of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Interdisciplinary Programs: Criminology and Public Administration; Criminology and Social Work; Cyber Criminology
Dedman College of Hospitality
- Departments: Hospitality and Tourism Management; Global Club Management and Leadership; Recreation and Tourism
College of Education
- School: School of Teacher Education
- Departments: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies; Educational Psychology and Learning Systems; Sport Management
- Interdisciplinary Programs: FSU-Teach
FAMU–FSU College of Engineering
- Departments: Chemical and Biomedical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
College of Fine Arts
- Schools: School of Dance; School of Theatre
- Departments: Art; Art Education; Art History; Interior Architecture & Design
Interdisciplinary Program: Arts Administration
College of Health and Human Sciences
- Departments: Human Development and Family Science; Nutrition and Integrative Physiology
Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
- Programs: Retail Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurship
- Interdisciplinary Programs: Hospitality Entrepreneurship
College of Law
- Interdisciplinary Programs: Law and Aquatic Environmental Science, Law and Business Administration; Law and Information Studies; Law and Information Technology; Law and International Affairs; Law and Public Administration; Law and Social Work; Law and Sport Management; Law and Urban and Regional Planning
College of Medicine
- School: School of Physician Assistant Practice
- Departments: Biomedical Sciences; Clinical Sciences; Family Medicine and Rural Health; Geriatrics; Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine
Interdisciplinary Programs: Neuroscience and Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences
College of Motion Picture Arts
College of Music
College of Nursing
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
- School: Reubin O'D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy
- Departments: Economics; Geography; Political Science; Sociology; Urban and Regional Planning
- Interdisciplinary Programs: African American Studies; Asian Studies; Demography and Population Health; Environment and Society; International Affairs; International Affairs and Law; Latin American and Caribbean Studies; Public Administration and Criminology; Public Administration and Law; Public Administration and Social Work; Public Health; Russian and East European Studies; Social Science; Urban and Regional Planning and Demography; Urban and Regional Planning and International Affairs; Urban and Regional Planning and Law; Urban and Regional Planning and Public Administration
College of Social Work
- Interdisciplinary Programs: Law and Social Work; Social Work and Business Administration; Social Work and Criminology; Social Work and Public Administration
Institutes and Research Centers
The work of the colleges is facilitated by institutes and centers in which faculty and students from throughout the University work as interdisciplinary teams on research and service projects. The centers and institutes are heavily supported by external funds. They serve as actual and potential sites for cooperative projects staffed by faculty and students, and personnel from business and industry, and are significantly involved in supporting state agencies through research, development, and training.
The following are the Florida Board of Governors approved institutes and research centers:
Professional Development and Public Service
- Center for Academic and Professional Development
- The Frederick L. Jenks Center for Intensive English Studies
Learning Systems Institute
Institute of Science and Public Affairs
- Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis
- Center for Information Management and Educational Services (CIMES)
- Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy
- Center for the Advancement of Human Rights
- Florida Conflict Resolution Consortium and FCRC Consensus Center
- Florida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center (FREAC)
- Florida State Climate Center
- Institute for Academic Leadership
- Institute of Science and Public Affairs (ISPA)
- John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government
- The Florida Center for Prevention Research
College of Applied Studies
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Institute
College of Arts and Sciences
- Center for Anchored Phylogenomics
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine (joint with the College of Medicine)
- Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS)
- Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Institute (GFDI)
- Institute for Cognitive Sciences
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics (IMB)
- Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution
- Institute on World War II and the Human Experience
- Karst Environmental Center (KEC)
- Middle East Center
- Statistical Consulting Center
- Winthrop-King Institute for Contemporary French and Francophone Studies
College of Business
- Carl DeSantis Center for Executive Management Education
- Center for Risk Management Education and Research
- Human Resource Management Center
- Institute for Applied Business Research
- Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship
- Real Estate Research Center
College of Communication and Information
- Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication
- Communication and Early Childhood Research and Practice Center
- Communication Research Center
- Information Use Management and Policy Institute (Information Institute)
- Institute for Digital Information and Scientific Communication (iDigInfo)
- Institute for Intercultural Communication and Research (joint with Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs)
- L.L. Schendel Speech and Hearing Clinic
- Project Management Center
College of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Center for Criminology and Public Policy Research
College of Education
- Center for Education Research in Mathematics, Engineering and Science (CERMES)
- Center for Postsecondary Success (CPS)
- Center for Sport, Health and Equitable Development
- Center for the Study of Technology in Counseling and Career Development
- FSU COACH: Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching
- Hardee Center for Leadership and Values
FAMU–FSU College of Engineering
- Aero-propulsion, Mechatronics and Energy Center (AME)
- Applied Superconductivity Center (ASC)
- Center for Accessibility and Safety for an Aging Population (ASAP)
- Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS)
- Center for Intelligent Systems, Control, and Robotics (CISCOR)
- Center for Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response (RIDER)
- Energy and Sustainability Center (ESC)
- Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion (FCAAP)
- High Performance Materials Institute (HPMI)/Center of Excellence in Advanced Materials
Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
- The Retail Center
- The InNOLEvation™ Center for Student Engagement
College of Fine Arts
- Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography
College of Health and Human Sciences
- Center for Advancing Exercise and Nutrition Research on Aging
- Center for Couple and Family Therapy
- Center on Better Health and Life for Underserved Populations
- Florida State University Family Institute
- Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine (joint with the College of Medicine)
College of Law
- Center for Environment, Energy and Land Use Law
- Center for Innovative Collaboration in Medicine and Law (joint with the College of Medicine)
College of Medicine
- Autism Institute
- Center for Behavioral Health Integration
- Center for Brain Repair
- Center for Child Stress and Health
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine (joint with the College of Arts and Sciences)
- Center for Innovative Collaboration in Medicine and Law (joint with the College of Law)
- Center for Translational Behavioral Science
- Center on Medicine and Public Health
- Florida Blue Center for Rural Health Research and Policy
- Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine (joint with the College of Health and Human Sciences)
College of Motion Picture Arts
- Torchlight Center for Motion Picture Innovation and Entrepreneurship
College of Music
- Center for Music of the Americas
- Center for Music Research
- Institute for Infant and Child Medical Music Therapy
College of Nursing
- Center for Population Sciences and Health Equity
- Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Center for Research and Evidence Based Practice
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
- Center for Civic and Nonprofit Leadership
- Center for Demography and Population Health
- Center for Disaster Risk Policy
- Center for the Study of Democratic Performance
- Claude Pepper Center
- DeVoe L. Moore Center for the Study of Critical Issues in Economic Policy and Government
- Florida Center for Public Management
- Gus A. Stavros Center for the Advancement of Free Enterprise and Economic Education
- Institute of Politics at Florida State University (IOP@FSU)
- L. Charles Hilton Center for the Study of Economic Prosperity and Individual Opportunity
- LeRoy Collins Institute
- Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy
College of Social Work
- Center for the Study and Promotion of Communities, Families and Children
- Florida Institute for Child Welfare
- Florida State University Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Consulting Center
- Institute for Family Violence Studies
- Institute for Justice Research and Development
- Trinity Institute for the Addictions
Office of the Provost
- Institute for Successful Longevity
Office of the Vice President for Research
- Florida Health Equity Research Institute
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
- Florida Center for Interactive Media (FCIM)
- Institute for Intercultural Communication and Research (joint with the College of Communication and Information)
Other Research and Instructional Units
Center for Academic and Professional Development
Director: William H. Lindner; Associate Director: Kerry McElroy
The Florida State University Center for Academic and Professional Development (CAPD) is the continuing education and academic program outreach entity for the campus, the community, and students of all ages everywhere. Housed in the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center, the experienced staff of CAPD support a variety of learning opportunities as they provide services to colleges, departments, and students on campus and online. CAPD can be reached online at https://learningforlife.fsu.edu/.
CAPD promotes lifelong learning and personal productivity enhancement. For example:
- Professional Development/Personal Enrichment. CAPD offers self-paced Professional Certification in Trauma and Resilience, Professional Certification in Human Trafficking Prevention and Intervention, College Student Wellbeing, Trauma and Resilience, and the Certificate in Financial Planning. These courses are instructor-led and offer an online interactive experience.
- Test Prep Classes. CAPD also offers online and face-to-face courses in Test Prep for the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, and SAT.
- Academic Credit. CAPD provides academic credit courses, including part-time degree and certificate programs for the non-traditional student. Courses are offered on campus and at a distance. Special courses and teacher institutes are held each summer. CAPD also coordinates returning student scholarships for students twenty-three years of age or older.
CAPD continues to identify and develop new course offerings to support lifelong learners in their quest for personal enrichment and sustain successful careers.
CAPD's team can assist you with your training needs, web-capturing your lessons, creating a custom web page with a unique URL to link to your training and/or convert your web-captured materials to short videos with specific learning objectives.
The Center's professional staff of meeting planners is readily available to put their expertise to work helping you organize events. For more information, please visit https://learningforlife.fsu.edu/fsu-conference-center-2/.
The Florida State Conference Center
The Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center, located at 555 West Pensacola St., is adjacent to FSU's five-story St. Augustine parking garage. The Conference Center is approximately 47,000 square feet, featuring a gothic brick exterior and three floors to house a large auditorium, a 336-seat dining room, eight breakout rooms, an executive boardroom, food preparation facilities, and administrative offices. It employs the latest technology, including three video walls, LCD screens and live Webcasting in its conferencing rooms, and is capable of hosting anything from small meetings to large regional conferences. The Conference Center has a full-service studio outfitted with industry standard equipment and capability, including teleprompting and Webcasting.
Campus Reimagined Initiative
Director: William H. Lindner
As FSU prepares for the next generation of students, the Campus Reimagined Initiative (CRI) is dedicated to creating a living and learning environment, built on a data-rich, technology-centric platform, where students can seek and acquire the knowledge they need to discover, develop, and fulfill their personal passion.
Center for Global Engagement
See the "International Education" chapter in this Graduate Bulletin.
Center for Intensive English Studies
See the "International Education" chapter in this Graduate Bulletin.
FSU International Programs
See the "International Education" chapter in this Graduate Bulletin.
Florida Center for Reading Research
Director: Nicole Patton Terry
The Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) is a multidisciplinary research center at Florida State University that was established in 2002 by the Governor's office and the Florida Legislature. FCRR explores all aspects of reading research—basic research into literacy-related skills for typically developing readers and those who struggle, studies of effective prevention and intervention, and psychometric work on formative and summative assessments.
For more information on the Florida Center for Reading research visit http://fcrr.org/.
The Florida Center for Public Management
Director: Linda Jimenez-Lopez
The Florida Center for Public Management (FCPM) was established in 1978 to provide assistance to elected leaders and public managers in state and local governments in Florida. Its staff of full-time, experienced management consultants is available to help these officials improve their operations through a variety of services, including executive development seminars, organizational improvement diagnoses, leadership and staff team-building workshops, and various problem-solving techniques. FCPM efforts include the Florida Certified Public Manager Program, a nationally recognized comprehensive training and development program for public sector managers. FCPM is a part of the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy.
To obtain further information about FCPM and its services, visit https://www.fcpm.fsu.edu/ or call (850) 644-6460.
Florida State University – Republic of Panama
Rector: Carlos R. Langoni
Florida State University's Office of International Programs administers a permanent campus of approximately four hundred full-time students in the Republic of Panama. FSU-Panama offers a full program of courses at the lower-division level leading to the associate degree, undergraduate courses leading to the baccalaureate degree in selected majors, and graduate courses leading to the master's degree in International Affairs. The campus serves U.S. citizens and residents in Panama, Panamanian citizens, and visiting scholars from throughout the world. Courses are taught by regular and adjunct faculty as well as rotating faculty from the Tallahassee campus; students from the Tallahassee campus also study at FSU-Panama, taking advantage of the resources of Panama and the ease of receiving full academic credit from the University. Internships are arranged for Tallahassee students majoring in fields ranging from biology to international business. A full range of facilities is offered at the FSU-Panama campus, including housing, an athletic complex, a library, technology-enhanced classrooms, laboratories, administrative offices, and student center. The campus is located in Clayton – the City of Knowledge – across from the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal and a few miles from the center of Panama City, the nation's capital.
FSU-Panama also offers additional courses and cultural activities of special interest to U.S. students who seek study-abroad opportunities, either for one semester or for a full year. It also offers continuing education opportunities as well as English as a Second Language instruction through the Professional Development Program and the FSU Panama English Program, respectively. For further information, please consult the campus' Website, https://panama.fsu.edu/, write to the International Programs office at A5500 University Center, call (850) 644-3272, or visit https://www.international.fsu.edu/.
Institute for Cognitive Sciences
The institute was founded in 1984 for the encouragement of interdisciplinary research, communication, and graduate study in the cognitive sciences. Its members include faculty and graduate students from the fields of computer science, psychology, philosophy, linguistics, education, business, and physics. Research has involved computer modeling of memory and problem solving, artificial and computational intelligence, knowledge-based computer systems, fuzzy logic and soft computing (e.g., genetic algorithms and neural networks), computer diagnosis of novice difficulties in problem solving, similarities and differences between human and lower-animal cognition, cultural aspects of cognition and language, linguistics and cognition, formal and natural languages, philosophy of knowledge and cognition, philosophy of artificial intelligence, study of the brain, robotics, education, and vision. Recently, research into cognitive aspects of the management of technology and of the perception of its affordability/cost has been included. A specialized studies program is offered for graduate study in cognitive sciences.
Learning Systems Institute
Director: Rabieh Razzouk; Associate Director for Research: Stephanie Zuilkowski
The Learning Systems Institute (LSI) is at the forefront of developing innovative solutions in education and human performance that bridge theory and practice. For 53 years, LSI has been providing innovative work in 38 countries while delivering systems that measurably improve the learning and performance of organizations and individuals. A leader in multidimensional-education projects and capacity building for reforming and strengthening educational systems, LSI faculty and staff have extensive experience successfully implementing educational programs in Florida, the United States, and worldwide. LSI has also built a strong record of managing multi-million-dollar research and service projects generating more than $700 million in externally funded research over its five-decade history.
Internationally, LSI has overseen dozens of projects. Many of these international projects aim to improve primary, secondary, and tertiary education and support educational reforms that call for pre- and in-service teacher education, curriculum, and materials development for all these levels, including technical and vocational training for workforce development. Organizations such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of State, UNICEF, CARE International, and various non-governmental organizations have entrusted LSI with research and development work, as have government agencies in Indonesia, Ethiopia, the Philippines, India, Ukraine, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Pakistan, Tuvalu, nations in Latin America, and elsewhere.
Another focus at LSI is the Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (FCR–STEM) which was awarded to Florida State University in 2007, and it is operated by LSI faculty and staff. The mission of FCR-STEM is to help the State of Florida improve STEM teaching and learning in grades K-12 and prepare students for higher education and STEM careers in the 21st century. Among FCR-STEM's significant accomplishments are the impacts of professional development on teacher and student outcomes, the design and delivery of intensive professional development for over 30,000 K-12 math and science teachers in Florida, and the development of CPALMS. The website CPALMS.org contains over 10,000 lessons and other instructional resources plus online tools to support teachers' planning and instruction. More than 200,000 Florida educators have an active account on CPALMS, and the platform has served more than 700,000,000 resource downloads.
LSI's expertise in STEM education, teacher training, policy and standards, literacy, instructional design and curriculum development, education technology, higher education capacity building, inclusive education, and research, monitoring, and evaluation is driven by top researchers from multiple departments at FSU and leading institutions globally.
To obtain further information about LSI, contact the Learning Systems Institute, 4600 UCC, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2540; or call (850) 644-2570. The Institute's website may be accessed at https://lsi.fsu.edu/.
Libraries
Dean of the University Libraries: Gale Etschmaier
The University Libraries provide print and electronic collections and a wide range of services to enhance the learning, teaching, research, and service activities of Florida State University. In support of this mission, the libraries' collection is approaching 3.5 million volumes, including access from anywhere in the world to hundreds of databases and more than 400,000 e-journals. Materials not available online or at the libraries may be requested through interlibrary loan or through the statewide UBorrow system, allowing FSU faculty and students to request delivery of books from over fifteen million volumes available at all state university libraries. Library faculty also offer classes and consultations to teach critical research and thinking skills. For those researchers unable to visit the libraries, online research services are available 24/7 and library employees offer outreach to dormitories and buildings across campus.
The Florida State University Libraries include seven libraries on campus: Strozier Library, Dirac Science Library, Claude Pepper Library, College of Music Allen Music Library, College of Law Research Center, College of Medicine Maguire Medical Library, and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Library.
Library materials and services are also available at the FSU Panama City, Florida campus, at the Ringling campus in Sarasota, Florida, as well as at FSU International Programs study centers in London, England; Florence, Italy; Valencia, Spain; and Panama City, Republic of Panama. The entire FSU community can search the University Libraries catalog via its website at https://www.lib.fsu.edu/.
The Robert Manning Strozier Library, the University's main library, is located in the center of the main campus and occupies seven floors. Strozier Library is open one hundred and thirty-four hours each week during the Fall and Spring semesters, providing around-the-clock research assistance and study spaces. Pre-pandemic, Strozier and Dirac had over 1.8 million visitors per year. Its main floor is an undergraduate-focused Learning Commons, while its lower level is a graduate- and faculty-focused Scholars Commons. Strozier offers free late-night STEM tutoring and a robust range of academic support services and programming. Its collection includes a wide variety of research materials, primarily in the humanities and social sciences. The library serves as a regional depository for federal and Florida government documents as well as United Nations documents. In its technology labs, Strozier provides equipment, software, and facilities for listening to, viewing, creating, and editing multimedia materials. Internet-accessible computers with scanners, printers, and photocopiers are available throughout the library. Laptops, cameras, and other equipment are available for checkout. The Assistive Technology Lab provides adaptive equipment and software for students with disabilities.
University Libraries Special Collections and Archives materials are accessed in the Special Collections Research Center on the first floor of the Strozier Library, a nearby Exhibit Room, and in the Mary Lou Norwood Reading Room on Strozier's second floor. Its collections comprise more than half a million items. Manuscript collections include Florida political collections, Southern business history, literary manuscripts, and local and regional Florida history. Diginole, FSU's digital repository, provides online access to thousands of unique manuscripts, photographs, pamphlets, rare books, historic maps, and other materials from across the FSU campus libraries and beyond. The rare books of Special Collections support a wide variety of disciplines and research interests. The collection includes books from small and private presses, first editions, limited edition works, cuneiform, and other items. Notable book collections include Napoleon and the French Revolution, Shaw Childhood in Poetry, William Morris Kelmscott Press, and Carothers Memorial Rare Bibles. Special Collections and Archives, which includes University Archives, Heritage Protocol, and the Claude Pepper Library, welcomes class visits and provides a hands-on learning environment for students. Heritage Protocol maintains the Norwood Reading Room on the second floor of Strozier Library, where rotating exhibits of FSU memorabilia are displayed.
The Claude Pepper Library, housed on-campus in the Pepper Center, was established in 1985 as the official repository for the Pepper Collection, a unique and multi-faceted collection of over a million items by and about U.S. Congressman Claude Pepper (1900-1989) and other prominent Florida political figures, including manuscripts, photographs, audio/video recordings, and memorabilia. For more information, visit https://www.lib.fsu.edu/special-collections/claude-pepper .
The Paul A. M. Dirac Science Library, located on the west side of campus in the heart of the Science Center complex, serves students, faculty, and researchers in STEM fields from its central location. For more information, visit https://www.lib.fsu.edu/visit/visiting.
The Warren D. Allen Music Library, one of the Southeast's major music libraries, is located in the College of Music and contains a collection of over 200,000 recordings, scores, books, and periodicals. The library also maintains extensive online music subscriptions and databases that support the College's curriculum. Housed in 18,000 square feet of space with comfortable furnishings, listening and viewing stations, and a technology-enhanced seminar room, the Music Library provides students with impressive resources and surroundings. For more information, visit https://music.fsu.edu/library.
The College of Law Research Center has a collection of over 300,000 volumes and offers an active program of legal research instruction, an experienced and helpful staff, and extensive collections of law and law-related information. Legal research is facilitated via an array of electronic databases, including the LexisNexis, WESTLAW, and Bloomberg Law legal research databases. For more information, visit https://www.law.fsu.edu/research-center/.
The College of Medicine Charlotte Edwards Maguire Medical Library cultivates physicians who are expert learners, problem solvers, and agents of change by providing a supportive environment with access to high quality, relevant, and current information from 21st century information resources. The library houses a collection of books and journals and provides access to a number of electronic medical databases. For more information, visit https://med.fsu.edu/library.
The Florida State University-Panama City Library and Learning Center is located in Panama City, Florida and provides computers, e-books, e-journals, and research help. Students and faculty at this location may borrow materials housed at the Tallahassee campus libraries and may access all of the electronic resources the libraries offer. The 6,000 items in its collection of printed books and journals are available at the library of the neighboring campus of Gulf Coast State College. For more information, visit https://pc.fsu.edu/students/library-and-learning-center.
The FSU Republic of Panama Branch Library offers services and a collection of over 45,000 items to students at the FSU branch campus in Panama City, Republic of Panama. Students and faculty at this location may borrow materials housed at the Tallahassee campus libraries and may access all of the electronic resources the libraries offer. For more information, visit https://fsupanamabranch.library.site.
FSU Early Childhood Autism Program – Panama City Campus
Program Director: Emily (Nikki) Dickens
Unique to the Panama City Campus, the FSU Early Childhood Autism Program (ECAP) is a non-profit, community outreach program that provides home, school, and clinic-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for clients diagnosed with developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder. The primary mission of ECAP is to provide effective, evidence-based behavioral treatment for clients and the secondary mission is to provide supervised clinical training to Florida State University graduate students as part of their practicum with the ABA Master's Program at FSU Panama City. Service provided by ECAP include but are not limited to:
- Individualized skill and behavioral assessments
- Development and implementation of behavior treatment plans focusing on increasing important behaviors (e.g. language, social, and communicative skills) and decreasing problematic behaviors
- Parent consultation and training
- Direct 1:1 therapy and teaching with clients
ECAP graduate students conduct services under the supervision of doctorate and master's level board certified behavior analysts who hold national certification with the behavior analyst certification board. For more information about ECAP visit https://pc.fsu.edu/ecap or call (850) 770-2241.
L.L. Schendel Speech and Hearing Clinic
Director of Clinical Education: Tricia Montgomery
The dual mission of the speech and hearing clinic is to provide effective community service to improve the communication abilities of clients, and to provide a teaching and clinical research laboratory to develop exemplary assessment and treatment procedures for use by Florida State University students in speech-language pathology. Specific services include but are not limited to:
- Comprehensive speech-language assessment and intervention
- Hearing assessment, hearing aid dispensing, and other clinical services related to hearing impairment
- Assistive communication lab
- Dialect/Accent evaluation and reduction
Services are provided by graduate students under the direct supervision of faculty members. All professional staff members are licensed by the Florida Board of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology and certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association.
Fees vary according to the nature of services. Students, faculty, and staff receive a reduced rate. Further information is available by calling: (850) 644-2238 (Voice and TDD).
Museum of Fine Arts
Curator: Meredith Lynn
Located in Tallahassee, MoFA has a history of exciting projects – from lush painting to dynamic sculpture exhibitions, from challenging installations to provocative photography shows. Every season begins with an international competitive exhibition that embraces all media and every semester closes with the youth and exuberance of the graduating artist exhibitions.
The Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts is a member of Florida Association of Museums, Florida Art Museum Directors' Association, Florida Cultural Action Alliance, Southeastern Museums' Conference and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
Naval Science
The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) is open to both men and women of Florida State University through the FAMU–FSU Cooperative Program. The NROTC Program at FAMU is administered by the NROTC staff. This program affords the opportunity for selected men and women to receive instruction in naval science courses, which, in conjunction with a baccalaureate degree, will qualify them for a commission in the United States Navy or the United States Marine Corps. Students enrolled in the University who are physically qualified, and who are United States citizens, are eligible to apply for the NROTC program.
The FAMU NROTC Unit offers five programs: (1) the Navy–Marine Corps College Program (non-scholarship); (2) the four-year Navy–Marine Corps Scholarship Program; (3) the two-year NROTC College Program; and (4) the two-year Scholarship Program. Navy-Marine Corps College Program students are eligible to compete for available Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) scholarships any time after one semester of participation in the program. Selection is based on academic achievement, physical fitness, and military aptitude. Scholarships include full tuition, lab fees, and a textbook allowance of $375.00 per semester. Additionally, a stipend of $250.00 (freshmen), $300.00 (sophomores), $350.00 (juniors), or $400.00 (seniors) is paid per month to help defray the cost of living expenses. Navy–Marine Corps College Program students, if selected for advanced standing in their junior or senior year, receive a $350.00 and $400.00 per month stipend, respectively.
The NROTC Unit is located in the Perry-Paige Building on the FAMU campus. For additional information, visit http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?navyrotc.
Written requests for information should be addressed to: Recruiting Officer, NROTC Unit, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, P.O. Box 6508, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6508; or call either (850) 599-8412 or (850) 599-3980; or e-mail nrotc@famu.edu.
Office of Distance Learning
Director: Robert J. Fuselier
The Office of Distance Learning (ODL) serves as a steward of distance education at FSU, providing leadership, policy guidance, faculty support and development, and other resources. ODL's services to students, faculty, and staff promote and implement university initiatives to support student academic achievement in technology-mediated learning environments. For information on online course design, online program development, teaching and learning technologies, and assessment and testing, visit https://odl.fsu.edu. For information on online programs, admission and tuition, student support, and proctored testing visit https://distance.fsu.edu.
Administration
ODL's administrative team oversees the daily operations of the office and provides leadership and strategic planning for the distance learning services offered. Human resources staff support colleges and departments with distance learning appointments, and fiscal staff provide account management for distance learning accounts. For information on the development process, budget requests, account management, regulatory support, and data and reporting, visit https://odl.fsu.edu/online-programs. For fiscal assistance, call (850) 645-9917 and for human resources assistance, call (850) 644-7531.
Communications & Creative Services
The communications and creative services team develops and implements strategies that advance key ODL initiatives, manages the department's communications and creative services, and provides a full suite of video production services for faculty developing and teaching online courses. For information on media production services, visit https://odl.fsu.edu/media.
Instructional Development
Instructional development faculty at ODL provide instructional support for the development of quality online programs and courses. In addition to project management, the team provides instructional design consultations and reviews courses for alignment with online design standards They also offer training on instructional technology, universal design and accessibility, online course design standards, and online pedagogy. For training opportunities, visit https://odl.fsu.edu/training. For information on quality course development, visit https://odl.fsu.edu/online-instruction/quality-course-design, email odl-faculty@campus.fsu.edu, or call (850) 644-4635 and ask for an instructional development faculty member.
Program Support
Online Programs
FSU offers nationally ranked online programs, distinguished faculty, and a renowned strength in the arts, humanities, and sciences. Program specialists support online learners from the perspective student's first inquiry through the final semester. For more information, visit the student-facing website at https://distance.fsu.edu; call (850) 644-4635 and ask for a program specialist; or submit an inquiry at https://distance.fsu.edu/contact.
Online graduate offerings include the following, which can also be accessed at https://distance.fsu.edu/programs:
- Graduate Programs
- Art Education
- Athletic Coaching
- Business Administration
- Business Law
- Civil Engineering
- Communication Science & Disorders
- Counseling & Human Systems
- Criminology
- Curriculum & Instruction
- Educational Leadership & Policy
- Educational Psychology
- Entrepreneurship
- Information
- Information Technology
- Instructional Systems & Learning Technologies
- Juris Master
- Law Enforcement Intelligence
- Management Information Systems
- Measurement & Statistics
- Professional Communication
- Public Administration
- Risk Management & Insurance
- Social Work
- Systems Engineering
- Graduate Certificates
- Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Aerospace Engineering - Aerodynamics
- Athletic Coaching
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Biomedical Entrepreneurship
- College Teaching
- Communication Science & Disorders
- Educational Leadership
- Emergency Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Health Informatics
- Human Performance Technology
- Information Architecture
- Information Leadership & Management
- Institutional Research
- Instructional Design & Technology
- Law Enforcement Intelligence
- LEAD in Social Work
- Lifestyle Medicine for Advanced Healthcare
- Multicultural Marketing Communication
- Online Teaching & Learning
- Program Evaluation
- Project Management
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- School Librarian Leadership
- U.S. National Intelligence Studies
- User Services
- Youth Services
- Specialist Degrees
- Counseling & Human Systems
- Educational Leadership & Policy
- Information
- Doctorate
- Educational Leadership & Policy
- Instructional Systems & Learning Technologies
- Nursing Practice, DNP
- Nursing, PhD
Assessment and Testing
The FSU Testing Center at University Center C-1100 provides secure, on-site proctored testing for specialty exams such as CLEP, Modern Language Placement, TEAS, and Certiport professional certification exams. Scantron (bubble-sheet) form scanning services are offered, including online form viewing, item analysis, and reports. The Assessment and Testing team facilitates online proctoring for FSU's distance learning students and administers course evaluations on behalf of the university. For more information, visit https://odl.fsu.edu/testing, email testing@campus.fsu.edu, or call (850) 644-3017.
Technology Services
ODL's technology services team helps students and instructors make the best use of FSU's academic technologies, including the Canvas learning management system, which can be accessed at https://canvas.fsu.edu/. Developers and data engineers create web applications that support ODL services, manage student and course data in Canvas, and integrate academic technologies within Canvas. The systems team ensures that servers and workstations are secure and regularly updated, and support specialists research and respond to technical support requests. For technical assistance, call ODL technical support at (850) 644-8004, email canvas@fsu.edu, or submit a ticket at https://support.canvas.fsu.edu/new. Visit the FSU Canvas Support Center at https://support.canvas.fsu.edu/ to access an extensive knowledge base.
Reserve Officers Training Corps
The University includes among its offerings both an Air Force and an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program; students of Florida State University may apply for admission to the Navy ROTC Program offered through Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). Interested male or female freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to enroll and apply for a Navy or Marine Corps scholarship. Naval Science classes are listed in the FAMU General Catalog under "Division of Naval Sciences." The Air Force ROTC program is offered to students at FSU, FAMU, TCC, and the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University extension campus at TCC. The classes are listed in this General Bulletin under "Aerospace Studies." For additional information, visit https://airforcerotc.fsu.edu/, call (850) 644-3461, or stop by 212 Harpe-Johnson Hall. The Army ROTC Program is offered to FSU and TCC students. The classes are listed in this General Bulletin under "Military Science." For additional information, visit https://armyrotc.fsu.edu/, call (850) 644-8806, or visit in person at 201 Harpe-Johnson Hall.
Seminole Productions
FSU's professional video production unit, Seminole Productions, housed in the College of Communication and Information, provides a variety of services to University departments. One major partner is the Florida State Athletics department. Seminole Productions produces over 120 live events and over seventy-five television shows every year for Athletics alone. In addition, Seminole Productions has partnered with ESPN and Fox Sports to produce numerous live events and special television programming for their networks. Seminole Productions is also a leader in Stereoscopic (3D) production and programming. Mark Rodin and his team of professionals have been working in stereoscopic technology for over ten years, outpacing universities across the nation in this medium. FSU students have the opportunity to learn from industry professionals, working with state-of-the-art equipment on real world projects, as part of their coursework. Everything Seminole Productions staff does is on a professional level for real paying clients. This ensures students are ready to meet the challenges of real world production after graduation. So whether it is working on live events, television shows, in pre- or post-production, graphics and animation, or even 3D stereoscopic production, students have numerous opportunities to become involved in Seminole Productions.
Graduate Education
Dean of The Graduate School: Mark Riley
Graduate studies at Florida State University emphasize advanced degree programs that entail extensive research activities and preparation for careers in science, the arts, the humanities, the professions, and technological fields. The University's diverse curriculum leads to graduate degrees with flexible options that allow students to form the program most suited to their academic and career goals. Talented faculty ensure a steady exchange of ideas, information, and technical skills. Research and teaching assistantships and fellowships give graduate students the opportunity to work with these leaders in their fields while furthering their education.
The Dean of The Graduate School has University-wide responsibility for the quality of graduate education. The Graduate Policy Committee, a faculty committee appointed by the Faculty Senate of the University, is responsible for the determination of University-wide policies for the governance of graduate education. Within these policies and standards, deans of the various colleges administer their individual graduate programs.
The mission of The Graduate School is to advance the quality and integrity of graduate education.
The Graduate School:
- Assists Florida State University graduate students by providing advice on general academic matters, University-wide degree requirements, and information on the availability of financial assistance, including assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships; by granting approval for theses, treatises, and dissertations; and by fostering the development of their skills and knowledge to succeed as leaders in a global community
- Interacts with the Office of the Vice President for Faculty Development and Advancement and the Graduate Policy Committee to establish and provide oversight of policies affecting graduate education at the University
- Collaborates with Florida State University units, including all academic programs, departments, and colleges, as well as the Career Center, Center for Global Engagement, Health and Wellness Center, and University Libraries to address graduate student needs
- Works with national organizations such as the Council of Graduate Schools, the Association of the Public and Land-Grant Universities, and the National Research Council to promote the importance of graduate education
- There are approximately 8,000 graduate and professional students enrolled at Florida State University. These students come from approximately one hundred and twenty-nine foreign countries and all fifty states.
- The Graduate School administers the interdisciplinary master's and PhD programs in Materials Science and Engineering; University-wide graduate fellowship, grants, and awards programs; and several professional development programs for graduate students. For more information see "The Graduate School" chapter of the Graduate Bulletin.
- Researchers in many disciplines take advantage of the University's location in Florida's seat of government. More than one hundred state and federal agencies provide students with opportunities for internships, research, and part-time jobs that match almost all areas of academic interest. Graduate students in such diverse fields as environmental science, urban and regional planning, social work, business, governmental affairs, population studies, public administration, and law are often funded by federal grants, supported by international organizations, and have ready access to state government information.
Faculty Distinction
It is the official policy of Florida State University to recruit the most talented faculty from leading centers of learning throughout the world. The University faculty has consistently included Nobel laureates, members of National and Foreign Academies, Pulitzer Prize winners, Guggenheim Fellows, and Fulbright Scholars. Many of its members have received national and international recognition, and the University enjoys national ranking in a number of disciplines. The Provost rewards faculty members who receive awards recognized by the National Research Council as "Highly Prestigious" and "Prestigious" with permanent salary increases. The diversity and quality of the educational backgrounds of the faculty are reflected in the institutions that have granted their graduate degrees. A listing of distinguished faculty appears in this Graduate Bulletin.
Affiliations
The University participates in the Traveling Scholar Program (for graduate students), Academic Common Market, and Cooperative Programs within the State of Florida, Board of Governors. Florida State University is a member of the University Research Association; the Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc.; The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; The Southeastern Universities Research Association; EDUCOM: The Interuniversity Communications Council; the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science; ALA: the American Library Association; the State University System's Institute for Oceanography; the University Space Research Association; CAUSE: The Association for the Management of Information Technology in Higher Education and is a founding member of the iSchools movement.
Accreditation
Florida State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees. Florida State University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels.
Questions about the accreditation of Florida State University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling 404-679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC's website (www.sacscoc.org).
For departmental/field accreditations, refer to the respective college or school's chapter in this General Bulletin.
Carnegie Foundation Classification
In its 2021 update, The Carnegie Foundation classified Florida State University in the "Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity" category, its highest category for a graduate-research university. Florida State University is one of 146 American universities (107 public) to have earned this designation. In addition, a 2020 report selected Florida State University for the Community Engagement Classification. This competitive designation recognizes Florida State's commitment to exemplary institutional practices of engagement within its local, state, and global community.