


Fayetteville State University (FSU) traces its origins to the Howard School, established in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1867 to educate Black children after the Civil War. That history remains central to FSU's identity as a historically Black university.
The school became a state-supported teacher-training institution in 1877. Its later names reflected an expanding academic mission: Fayetteville State Teachers College, Fayetteville State College, and, in 1969, Fayetteville State University. FSU joined the University of North Carolina system in 1972. Today it offers programs well beyond teacher preparation, including business, health professions, sciences, and the humanities.
Fayetteville State University organizes its academic programs through the Broadwell College of Business and Economics, the College of Education, the College of Health, Science, and Technology, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students can pursue undergraduate and graduate study; the credential and delivery format available depend on the program.
Representative fields include business administration, criminal justice, computer science, education, nursing, psychology, and social work. FSU's mix of professional and liberal arts programs gives applicants room to compare career-specific preparation with broader academic study. Requirements can differ substantially by major: admission to the university does not necessarily mean admission to a selective program, such as nursing or teacher preparation. Applicants should check the current academic catalog for prerequisites, clinical or fieldwork requirements, and whether their intended program is offered online or on campus.
Fayetteville State University is a public university in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Its campus serves students who live in university housing as well as a substantial commuting population.
Fayetteville is also home to Fort Liberty, making military connections and education benefits particularly relevant to some prospective students. Fayetteville Regional Airport is the closest commercial airport. Students planning to commute should consider travel time and parking rules before choosing classes; published housing information indicates that first-year students generally cannot register or park a car on campus. Anyone whose circumstances may qualify for an exception should verify the current parking policy.
FSU describes its mission in terms of accessible higher education, student development, and service to southeastern North Carolina and beyond. Its stated priorities include teaching, scholarship, and engagement with the communities it serves.
Its identity as a public historically Black university is part of that purpose, not an enrollment restriction: students of different backgrounds attend FSU. Applicants evaluating the mission in practice can look at their prospective department's curriculum, advising arrangements, and opportunities for community-based learning rather than treating an institutional statement as a measure of individual outcomes.
Name of the institution
Fayetteville State UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PublicSetting type
City: MidsizeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
5,000 - 9,999School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1867Fayetteville State University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - research/scholarshipData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.