This list of Florida State University honorary degree recipients includes notable persons who have been recognized by Florida State University for outstanding achievements in their fields that reflect the ideals and uphold the purposes of the university, and to whom the university faculty has voted to award honorary degrees in recognition of such attainments. Often, but not always, the honorary degree recipients have been alumni of the university, or have had ties to either the university or the state of Florida.^[1]

Florida State University awarded its first honorary degree in 1912 to Rowena Longmire, founder and president of the Florida State College for Women (FSCW) Alumni Association. The first man to whom the university awarded an honorary degree was French diplomat and ambassador to the United States Henri Bonnet in 1950.^[2]

Policy

According to the Faculty Handbook, the goal of honorary degrees is to honor persons of outstanding achievement who have gained national and/or international recognition and made a significant contribution to the United States, Florida or Florida State University through scholarly, creative, public, business, or humane endeavors. Consideration of current FSU employees or board members is only given under exceptional circumstances.^[1]

Anyone connected to the university may nominate an individual to the committee, but the nominations must be accompanied by supportive documentation including: a resume, Curriculum vitae or biographical sketch; an explanation as to why an award should be given; and names and addresses of three distinguished persons willing and able to provide an objective evaluation of the nomination. Letters of recommendation from three distinguished persons may be submitted instead of the explanation and names & addresses.^[1]

Committee

The University Honorary Degree Committee members and a chair are appointed by the university president to represent the educational community. As an advisory committee, they review each candidate's information and the committee votes up or down. A majority of committee members must be present. If the committee approves, the candidate becomes a nomination and is submitted to the president. If not approved, the candidate's information is removed from consideration. The president selects the recipients from a group of nominees for an honorary degree. Nominees not selected the first year are resubmitted the following year along with new nominations. If the nomination is not selected the second year, the nomination is removed from consideration and must be resubmitted to the committee.^[1]

Honorary degree recipients

Key to degree abbreviations

Honorary degrees

• D.C.L. – Doctor of Civil Law
• D.D. – Doctor of Divinity
• D.E.Sc. – Doctor of Engineering Science
• D.F.A. – Doctor of Fine Arts
• D.H.L. – Doctor of Humane Letters
• D.Litt. – Doctor of Letters or Literature
• D.P.A. – Doctor of Public Administration
• D.P.S. – Doctor of Public Service
• D.Sc. – Doctor of Science
• D.H. – Doctor of Humanities
• LL.D. – Doctor of Laws
• Mus.D. – Doctor of Music

Earned degrees

• B.A. – Bachelor of Arts
• B.S. – Bachelor of Science
• J.D. – Juris Doctor (professional law degree; replaced LL.B.)
• LL.B. – Bachelor of Laws (former law degree; superseded by J.D.)
• M.A. – Master of Arts
• M.B.A. – Master of Business Administration
• M.S. – Master of Science
• Ph.D. – Doctor of Philosophy (terminal graduate research degree in most disciplines)