Florida State University

fsu accreditation

Degrees Offered at Florida State University

Florida State University appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Affordable Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Online.

Florida State University has an extensive degree selection, offering 301 programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, professional and specialist levels.

At the bachelor’s degree level, FSU has 102 degree options. Some of the more unique options are computational biology, East Asian languages and cultures, biomathematics, applied geosciences and meteorology, cell/molecular neuroscience, computer criminology, studio art, animation and digital arts, jazz, global club management and leadership, visual disabilities education and a Russian and Spanish dual degree.

Florida State also offers 112 master’s level programs and one advanced master’s degree option. Many of the graduate options stem from the undergraduate offerings. However, students can also earn a master’s in fields that include global merchandising and product development, a dual degree in social work and criminology, applied social research, costume design, engineering management in orthotics and prosthetics, sustainable energy, special education, autism spectrum disorders, oceanography and financial mathematics.

In addition, FSU offers 70 doctoral degree programs, including molecular biophysics, learning and cognition, industrial engineering, nutrition and food science, marriage and family therapy, neuroscience and family nurse practitioner. Additionally, Florida State has 11 specialist degree programs and two professional degree options: Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Juris Doctor (JD).

FSU’s global campus has online programs for many of the university’s most popular degree options. Students can also earn an online Juris Master or a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Studies. For those who have already earned a degree, there are online certificate programs through the Colleges of Applied Studies, Communication and Information, Education, Social Sciences and Public Policy, Social Work and Nursing.

For students in all degree programs, FSU offers extensive study abroad options. Florida State has more than 60 study abroad opportunities in countries such as Spain, Republic of Panama, England and Italy. In addition, there are summer-specific study abroad options in 20 locations. Florida State University offers a unique “First Year Abroad” program that allows freshmen to spend their first year of college overseas.

About Florida State University

Florida State University, a public research institution, was founded in 1851 and is the oldest continuous site of higher education in the state of Florida. Currently, the university has nearly 42,000 enrolled students being taught by 2,360 traditional faculty. Six faculty members are Nobel Laureates.

FSU operates three campuses. The main campus is located on 485 acres in Tallahassee, Florida. The Panama City campus is housed on 25.6 acres in Panama City. The third campus is an international campus located in the Republic of Panama. The University also owns over 1,600 acres across five counties in Florida. In addition, Florida State also operates a global campus.

The U.S. News and World Report ranked Florida State University as No. 26 on its list of “Best Colleges.” INSIGHT Into Diversity recognized FSU with the “Higher Education Excellence in Diversity” (HEED) award multiple consecutive years. In 2018, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance listed FSU as a “Best College Value.” Variety named Florida State’s College of Motion Picture Arts as one of the top film schools in the world. NAFSA: Association of International Educators selected Global FSU as one of four to be awarded the 2017 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. FSU also has a Carnegie Commission classification of “Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity.” Finally, the Florida Legislature designated Florida State University as a preeminent research university.

Florida State University Accreditation Details

Florida State University is fully accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The university has also earned several program-specific accreditations, including:

  • Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
  • Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET
  • American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • American Library Association (ALA)
  • American Psychological Association (APA)
  • Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD)
  • Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA)
  • National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST)

Florida State University Application Requirements

In 2018, Florida State University received a record-breaking 57,000 first-year applications prior to the early decision deadline, accepting 19,230 of them. Of the students accepted, the middle 50 percent had a high school GPA range of 4.1–4.5, an average SAT score range of 1270–1390 and an average ACT composite score range of 28–32. An astonishing 23 percent of those accepted for the fall of 2019 were the first member of their family to attend college. Florida State University gives special consideration to applicants from the CARE Summer Bridge Program and for those who demonstrate exceptional talent in visual arts, performing arts and athletics.

Freshman applicants should have at least four units of high school English, five of math, four of national science, five of social science and two of a world language or American Sign Language. They should also self-report their SAT or ACT scores. There is an optional, but highly encouraged, essay that can be submitted as well.

For early acceptance consideration, applications and all supporting materials should be submitted by November 1st. The latest application acceptance date is in early February. Prospective applicants can use the FSU application, the Common Application or the Coalition Application, although the latter two require an additional application fee.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Florida State University has a tuition pricing structure that is dependent on several factors: campus, in-state or out-of-state residency and program type. In-state undergraduate students at the main campus can expect to pay approximately $216 per credit hour while out-of-state undergraduate students at the main campus pay $721 per credit hour.

Graduate in-state students at the main campus are charged $479 per credit hour. Out-of-state graduate students can expect a tuition rate of around $1,111 per credit hour. The Colleges of Law and Medicine both have different tuition rates. Students in the College of Law pay $688 per credit hour for in-state tuition and $1,355 per credit hour for out-of-state tuition. Students in the College of Medicine pay between $8,536 and $12,800 per semester for in-state tuition and between $20,000 and $30,000 per semester for out of state tuition. Students in the physician’s assistant program have a tuition rate of $10,500 per semester for in-state tuition and $14,000 per semester for out-of-state tuition.

Florida State University offers a significant financial aid package with need-based and merit-based scholarships, research grants, teaching assistantships, and work-study programs, in addition to federal grants and student loans.