Florida A&M

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is the nation’s largest historically black university by enrollment,^[3] is located in Tallahassee, the Florida state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida. FAMU is also one of Florida’s land grant universities.

Overview

Founded on October 3, 1887, Florida A&M University (FAMU) is part of the State University System of Florida and is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Distinguished by lush foliage and massive oaks, FAMU’s main campus comprises 156 buildings spread over 422 acres atop the highest of Tallahassee’s seven hills.

The university also has several satellite campuses including a site in Orlando where the College of Law is located and sites in Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa for its pharmacy program.

Enrollment

Florida A&M University enrolls nearly 12,000 students from the United States and more than 70 countries such as India, Egypt, Trinidad, Netherlands, China, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Brazil.

Academic Programs

Florida A&M University offers 62 bachelor’s degrees and 39 master’s degrees. The university has 13 schools and colleges and one institute.  The university also offers a juris doctor at its College of Law in Orlando.  FAMU has 11 doctoral programs which includes 10 Ph.D. programs: chemical engineering; civil engineering; electrical engineering; mechanical engineering; industrial engineering; biomedical engineering; physics; pharmaceutical sciences; educational leadership; and environmental sciences.

Popular Majors

Marching band

Main article: Marching 100

The FAMU Marching “100” under the direction of Dr. William P. Foster, was invited by the French government to participate in the Bastille Day Parade as the official representation from the United States. This event was held in celebration of the bicentennial of the French Revolution.

The Marching “100” was named the “Best Marching Band in the Nation” by Sports Illustrated (August 1992). The band received national recognition in January 1993 when it performed in the 42nd Presidential Inauguration Parade by invitation of Bill Clinton. The band has also performed in the Super Bowl and in the 44th Presidential Inauguration Parade.

In 2011, a band member was beaten to death in a hazing incident. Since the 2011 death, a series of reports of abuse and hazing within the band have been documented. In May of 2012, 2 faculty members resigned in connection with a hazing investigation and 13 people were charged with felony or misdemeanor hazing crimes.

Top undergraduate programs are architecture; journalism; computer information sciences and psychology.  FAMU’s top graduate programs include pharmaceutical sciences along with public health; physical therapy; engineering; physics; master’s of applied social sciences (especially history and public administration); business and sociology.

Admission Fees

Fees Per Credit Hour

Undergraduate residents: $124.01
Undergraduate nonresidents: $522.03
Graduate resident: $268.23
Graduate non-resident: $884.75
Law resident: $288.75
Law nonresident: $943.43

Other Fees

Rattler Card ID: $5
Athletic Fee: $11.30
Technology Fee: $4.43
Health Fee: $55
Transportation Fee: $59

Housing

Room rent (average): $2,025.47 per semester

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Grants, scholarships, loans and employment opportunities are available to help families meet the cost of investing in a FAMU education.  For information, visit www.FAMU.edu/UniversityScholarships.

Demographics

(2008-2009)

Florida A&M University Mission Statement

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) is an 1890 land-grant institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, resolution of complex issues and the empowerment of citizens and communities.  The University provides a student-centered environment consistent with its core values.  The faculty is committed to educating students at the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional levels, preparing graduates to apply their knowledge, critical thinking skills and creativity in their service to society.  FAMU’s distinction as a doctoral/research institution will continue to provide mechanisms to address emerging issues through local and global partnerships.  Expanding upon the University’s land-grant status, it will enhance the lives of constituents through innovative research, engaging cooperative extension, and public service.  While the University continues its historic mission of educating African Americans, FAMU embraces persons of all races, ethnic origins and nationalities as life-long members of the university community.

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University holds the following values essential to the achievement of the university’s mission:

• Scholarship
• Excellence
• Openness
• Fiscal Responsibility
• Accountability
• Collaboration
• Diversity
• Service
• Fairness
• Courage
• Integrity
• Respect
• Collegiality
• Freedom
• Ethics
• Shared Governance