Francis Marion University

Francis Marion University is one of South Carolina's 13 public, coeducational universities. As one of the state's six comprehensive institutions, FMU prides itself on providing a strong liberal arts education. The University offers a broad range of undergraduate degrees and a select number of graduate programs in serving the needs of communities, businesses and industries of the Pee Dee region. Francis Marion is the only state university located in the Pee Dee region, and many of its students are the first in their families to go to college. FMU offers an excellent learning environment, small enough to afford students personalized attention from faculty and staff, and large enough to let students expand their horizons. All faculty members have advanced degrees, and 81 percent of the full-time faculty hold doctoral or terminal degrees.

Academics come first, but it’s not all work at Francis Marion. Students can join the campus community through array of organizations ranging from faith-based groups like Baptist College Ministry (BCM) and the Young, Gifted and Blessed Choir, to special interest groups, academic honor societies, social fraternities and sororities and much more.

Students at Francis Marion University are a hard-working bunch. They’re in college, first and foremost, to earn a degree. Many of them – a significantly higher percentage that at most universities – also work before, between and after classes, both on campus and off. Their “student” life starts with being a student.

But they like to have a little fun, too. To that end, FMU provides students with a robust assortment of organizations and activities built around student interests and designed to put the “life” into student life.

Leadership FMU is offered as a co-curricular hybrid (classroom and online) leadership program. Each student in the program agrees to meet with other students in a classroom setting to learn the basic concepts of leadership through case studies and engaging with other students, faculty, staff and community leaders. Graduates from the program have used their experiences in student government, honor societies and various student organizations on campus. The program was featured in the University’s Patriot Viewbook and described as a “movers and shakers” program. Graduates reported that their experiences have been beneficial as they pursue graduate school, embark on the job market or apply for other leadership opportunities on campus.

Whether you are a college senior, recent graduate, or mid-career professional, we encourage you to explore the advantages of earning a master’s degree from Francis Marion University. All our Graduate Programs are accredited by their respective discipline-specific accrediting bodies. Financial assistance is available for qualified students.

The liberal arts remain the foundation of a great education for all FMU students, but we’ve developed an array of professional programs to meet the 21st century needs of both our students and our community. The University keeps class sizes small because that’s the environment that best facilitates learning. A 15:1 student-professor ratio, and a student enrollment of 4,000 provides the perfect balance to enhance learning and still promote a diverse selection of programs. Students can walk our lovely, tree-lined campus in about 30-45 minutes, but most take longer because in a place this beautiful, you want to stop and enjoy nature’s beauty.

The FMU Board of Trustees created the Trustees’ Research Scholars program more than a decade ago to reward and recognize top researchers, but teaching remains at the forefront of the Francis Marion faculty experience. The University’s most experienced faculty all lead classes at all levels. Because of this, nearly all classes at FMU are taught by full-time faculty members, not teaching assistants or graduate students.There’s even a good chance you’ll see undergraduate students (including underclassmen) participating in research with our faculty.

FMU’s fast-growing Honors Program offers students a challenging curriculum, built on fascinating multidisciplinary courses; and service and travel opportunities designed to broaden the individual. Top students who complete 21 hours of course work in Honors courses, with a satisfactory GPA, receive special recognition, including a medal, upon graduation.A special Honors trip each spring – usually to a European destination – rewards select students in the program with a life-changing travel experience.

Francis Marion's 468-acre main campus is rightly known for its beauty and serenity. The campus includes acres of mixed pine-hardwood and bottomland forests accessed by a series of trails.The “woodsy” feel is a fit with the surrounding countryside, but the campus trees were carefully cultivated during the early years. Thousands were planted, on what was, at inception, largely farmland. Combined with an equal number of complementary ornamental shrubs and small trees, an oasis of beauty was created.As the flora matures, the natural palette is constantly changing, a delight for those who work and study at FMU. Indeed, the campus is something of a laboratory. Several forested acres have been set aside as an Arboretum, and a common sight on campus is a Biology class collecting specimens around the three-fingered pond behind the Lee Nursing Building.

Francis Marion University was founded on July 1, 1970 through a special piece of legislation signed by Governor Robert McNair. The bill creating the then college, was in response to an overwhelming need for a public education institution in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina.The university can actually trace its history to 1957 when, at the behest of local Florence citizens, the University of South Carolina established a “freshman center” at the Florence County Library. In 1961, a permanent campus for what was then known as USC-Florence was established seven miles east of Florence on land donated by the Wallace family. That campus is the current location of FMU. Enrollment at USC-F grew steadily, reaching 350 by the mid-1960s. Around that time, community leaders began a movement to establish a four-year institution in Florence.