• Year Established: 1851
• Location: Tallahassee, Florida
• Number of Campuses: 1 395-acre urban campus
• Classification: Public university
• Total Number of Enrollees: 39,146*

*Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2005 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System IPEDS, Spring 2006

As an Introduction to Florida State University

The Latin “Vires, artes, mores” translates to “Strength, skill, character” in English. These are words used to describe the principles used in educating the youth as implemented by the Florida State University.

If you are looking for an educational institution to play an integral part in pursuing a higher level of education, then Florida State University should be at the top of your list.

Florida State University was placed in the first tier of research universities by the Florida Legislature, a dubious honor.

This university is also home to nationally-qualified programs in several academic fields, including, social policy, social work, film, the sciences, the arts, political science, engineering, business, medicine, and law.

In achieving great strides in the scientific and medical fields, Florida State University is proud to be the home of Florida's only National Laboratory - the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and is the research school responsible for the invention of the anti-cancer drug Taxol.

A Brief Look into the History of Florida State University

Florida State University traces its roots as an all-male academy called the Florida Institute in Tallahassee, back to 1851 and is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the state of Florida.

The name was changed to the Florida Military and Collegiate Institute during the Civil War. Cadets from the school defeated Union forces at the Battle of Natural Bridge in 1865. In 1885 the name was officially changed to Florida State University.

Today, Florida State University is the second largest university in the state. It is a high-ranking and multi-awarded university and there’s no doubt that it will continue to be so over the next several decades.

How the Educational System Works

To have an idea about how the educational system of Florida State University works, here’s a complete list of the colleges making up the university system:

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business
• College of Communication
• College of Criminology and Criminal Justice
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Human Sciences
• College of Information
• College of Law
• College of Medicine
• College of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts
• College of Music
• College of Nursing
• College of Social Sciences
• College of Social Work
• College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance

With a diverse student population, the top majors include Finance, Political Science, Pre-law, Psychology, and Biological Science, Pre-med and International Affairs.

Program Listings

The Florida State University main campus is actually a Carnegie Doctoral/Research Extensive public university which awards more than 2,000 graduate and professional degrees on a yearly basis. Below you’ll find some of the courses offered at this university.

• College of Arts & Sciences

o Actuarial Science
o American and Florida Studies
o Anthropology
o Biochemistry
o Biological Sciences
o Chemical Science
o Chemistry
o Classics
o Computational Biology
o Computer Criminology
o Computer Science
o East Asian Language & Cultures
o English
o French
o History
o Humanities
o Meteorology
o Middle Eastern Studies
o Philosophy
o Physics
o Psychology
o Religion
o Russian
o Secondary Science/Mathematics Teaching

• College of Business

o Accounting
o Business Administration
o Finance
o Hospitality Administration
o Management
o Management Information Systems
o Marketing
o Real Estate
o Risk Management – Insurance

• Colleges of Communication

o Advertising
o Media/Communication Studies
o Public Relations
o Communication Sciences and Disorders

• College of Criminology & Criminal Justice

o Computer Criminology

• College of Education

o Early Childhood Education
o Elementary Education
o Emotional Disturbances/Learning Disabilities
o English Education
o Mathematics Education
o Mathematics Education
o Physical Education
o Physical Education
o Sports Management
o Recreation and Leisure Services Administration
o Rehabilitation Counseling
o Social Science Education
o Visual Disabilities
o Visual Disabilities Education
o Visual Disabilities Studies

• College of Engineering

o Chemical Engineering
o Civil Engineering
o Environmental Engineering - Civil
o Computer Engineering
o Electrical Engineering
o Industrial Engineering
o Mechanical Engineering

Visit the university's official website to get a complete list of the courses offered by this institution.

Advantages of Enrolling at Florida State University

The good thing about getting your tertiary education at the Florida State University is that it’s the second largest university in the state, and also one of the oldest educational institutions in the nation. More often than not, the size of the university you attent is an important factor because it generally means there is more money available with a larger, more diverse body of professors and that the administration can manage the sheer number of students.

Below are some additional advantages to attending this university.

• The Florida State University is a graduate research university with an international reputation in the sciences and humanities.
• According to Student's Review, the overall rating of Florida State University is a B+, with 74% of the students saying that they would choose to return there.
• Based on the US News & World Report, Florida State University ranks 102nd among the best colleges in the nation. They also have one of the best graduate schools, business schools, law schools and medical schools in the nation.

A Glimpse at the Weather when Studying at the Florida State University

You’ll find the weather at Florida to be sub-tropic in nature. If you enjoy going to Hawaii you’ll like the weather at Tallahassee. Here you’ll get to enjoy the best sunny Florida has to offer. Because of Florida’s extreme southern geographic position, winter is a far gone notion in this state where you get to enjoy great weather year round.

Although the rainfall is heavy in this sub-tropic zone, averaging 63 inches a year, the low temperatures usually will never get anywhere near freezing, even in the coldest of winter months. Typical winter highs are in the high 60s to mid 70s and the lows remaining above the mid 40s to low 50s at night. In the hottest of summer months you are looking at temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s. As in much of the Southern U.S., northern Florida summers can be very humid.

Is There Any Downside to Enrolling at the Florida State University?

Perhaps one disadvantage to enrolling at Florida State University is the fact that the school has a more selective admission process – with only a 59% acceptance rate. This in part is due to the elevated research status as Florida State was placed on the first tier of research universities by the Florida Legislature, and the desirable university status.

A Final Word about the Quality of Education Offered by Florida State University

If you need any additional reasons to attend Florida State University, then how about this? The faculty consists of Nobel Laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and holders of titles under the Fellows of the American Academy Arts and Sciences.

With its high-tech research status, being the second largest public university in the state, its excellent 200-degree academic program that is highly ranked in national surveys, the year-round warm, tropical weather – plus the fact its student population is as diverse as it can get, there’s no other reason for any aspiring student from any ethnic background not to consider getting a fantastic college education at Florida State University.