September 11, 2010

Florida State University

Florida State University is a flagship public research university in the State University System of Florida located in Tallahassee, Florida.  It is both a sea-grant and a space-grant university.  Sea-grant schools are part of a program, established in 1966, that involves scientific research, education, training, and extension projects geared toward the conservation and practical use of U.S. coasts, the Great Lakes and other marine areas.  Space-grant schools are engaged in research and training involving the U.S. space program (the University of Central Florida is also a space-grant university).  Nearly 40,000 students attend FSU.  Florida State has a satellite campus in Panama City, Florida.  In 2009, Florida State University was rated the fifth Best Value College of public universities in the United States by USA Today and The Princeton Review.  Florida State University was ranked 15th nationally in the February 2008 edition of Kiplinger's Best Values in Public Colleges. FSU is the second least-expensive flagship university in the United States, according to USA Today.
Florida State became the first state university in Florida when it was chartered as Florida University in 1883.  The school was previously a seminary school and operated as a military school during the Civil War.  Between 1905 and 1947, Florida State was the Florida State College For Women, serving white female students.  In 1947, under the strain exerted by the G.I. Bill, it became Florida State University, a co-educational university.  During the 1960s and 70s, FSU would gain the nickname, “the Berkeley of the South,” due to various socially progressive organizing and protest efforts by students, particularly centered around anti-Vietnam War and anti-racist and anti-sexist commitments.

Florida State University consists of 15 separate colleges and over 300 degree programs.  It is well known for its programs in such areas as the sciences, social policy, film, engineering, the arts, business, political science, social work, medicine, and law.  Florida State is home to Florida's only National Laboratory--the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.   The "Mag Lab," as its known, develops and operates high magnetic field facilities that scientists use for research in physics, biology, bioengineering, chemistry, geochemistry, biochemistry, materials science, and engineering. It is the only facility of its kind in the United States and one of only nine in the world. Eleven world records have been set at the “Mag Lab” to date.  The Magnetic Field Laboratory is a 330,000 sq. ft (30,658 square meter) complex employing 300 faculty, staff, graduate, and postdoctoral students. This facility is the largest and highest powered laboratory of its kind in the world and produces the highest continuous magnetic fields.


Florida State University’s colleges and programs can be found here: http://www.fsu.edu/academics/departments.html  

Many of FSU's academic programs rank among the nation's top twenty-five public universities, including programs in Business (Accounting, Real Estate, Management Information Systems, Risk Management/Insurance, Entrepreneurial Studies), Chemistry, Creative Writing, Criminology, Dance, Education, Film, Human Sciences, Hospitality, Information Technology, Law, Meteorology, Music, Oceanography, Physics, Political Science, Public Administration and Policy, Social Work, Spanish, Theatre, Urban Planning, and Visual Art.  The university maintains 19 graduate level interdisciplinary degree programs in subjects like chemistry, physics and engineering to social sciences, where students work between fields and collaborate on common tasks through different departments.   

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