FAMU is reshaping its academic future with a sharply focused enrollment plan that prioritizes high-demand fields and graduate education. University officials unveiled the strategic shift at last month's Board of Trustees meeting. The plan is designed to boost FAMU's research stature and responsiveness to Florida’s economic needs.
The plan calls for admitting 2,100 undergraduate students each fall — 880 in Programs of Strategic Emphasis (PSE), 720 in non-strategic degree programs and 500 transfer students. The plan also calls for admitting 1,760 graduate students, a figure that underscores FAMU’s ambition to grow its research profile and scholarly impact.
Administrators say the strategy is a direct response to the Florida Board of Governors’ rigid Performance-Based Funding metrics requirements, which ties state support to metrics like graduation rates, employment outcomes and program alignment with workforce needs.
“Our strategy is no longer just about growing headcount—it’s about intentional, outcomes-focused growth,” said VP for Student Affairs William Hudson. “We’re investing in programs that drive licensure, elevate graduate earnings and support our trajectory toward R1 status.”
University leaders describe the approach as a direct alignment with the Florida Board of Governors’ Performance-Based Funding (PBF) model, which rewards universities for outcomes like graduation rates, postgraduate employment and program relevance rather than enrollment size alone.
Central to the effort is the pursuit of R1 status — the Carnegie Classification’s highest tier for research institutions — which would place FAMU among the nation’s most active doctoral universities. As part of that effort, the university aims to increase its Ph.D. population by 500 students and has already begun laying the groundwork for expanded faculty hiring and a revised graduate assistant framework ahead of the 2027–2030 academic years.
FAMU's refined enrollment plan further emphasizes data-informed decisions to produce workforce-ready graduates. The strategy also supports “long-term success in workforce relevance, economic impact and national competitiveness,” Hudson said.
By integrating admissions, academic programs, student support and financial aid into a cohesive pipeline, the university hopes to improve retention and graduation rates while strengthening its contribution to Florida’s talent economy.
The university will monitor and adjusted the new approach annually as the university further positions itself as a research powerhouse.