FAU opened in 1964 as the first public university in the Miami metro area, offering only upper-division and graduate level courses.

[14] On July 15, 1961, to meet the burgeoning educational demands of South Florida, the state legislature passed an act authorizing the establishment of a new university in the city of Boca Raton.

During World War II, the airfield served as the Army Air Corps' sole radar training facility.

The land was seized through eminent domain, leaving many Japanese-Americans little recourse in the early days of World War II.

[15] The airbase was used for radar training, anti-submarine patrols along the coast, and as a stop-over point for planes being ferried to Africa and Europe via South America.

By early 1947, the military decided to transfer future radar training operations to Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi.

Florida Atlantic later purchased 50 acres (20 ha) of land in Port St. Lucie in 1994 to establish a campus on the Treasure Coast.

[19][20][21][22] The Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (HBOI) also joined the university in 2007, creating Florida Atlantic's seventh campus.

Past university presidents also included Anthony J. Catanese, Helen Popovich, Glenwood Creech, and Kenneth Rast Williams.

This program generated music that landed a Top 10 spot on the Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales Chart during its first week of release.

As a result, both centers have engaged in academic and industry partnerships, combining expertise in ocean engineering, marine biotechnology, functional genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics.

Researchers, scientists, and students at the centers are designing technologies to explore the sea, harvest renewable energy, discover new medicines, and develop new therapeutics to combat agents of bioterrorism.

[58][59] As a result of this research, in 2007 the university and Lockheed Martin announced an exclusive licensing agreement to develop and produce a rapidly deployable and autonomous mooring buoy system for military and scientific uses.

Located in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the centers specialize in digital imaging research and development for use in both government and commercial applications in the areas of medical technology, surveillance, communications, education, inspection, scientific observation, manufacturing, visual recognition and identification, and motion picture and digital video.

[59] FAU is affiliated to the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University, with properties in Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton.

Florida Atlantic University's geographical distribution is located on six campuses spread across Palm Beach, Broward, and St. Lucie counties.

[66] FAU is a signatory of the American College & University presidents Climate Commitment Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

This commits the institution to ensuring all new construction projects meet the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards.

FAU's main campus in Boca Raton was established on the remnants of a World War II American Army airbase in 1964.

[24][76][77] Treasure Coast Campus of Florida Atlantic University operated through a partnership with Indian River State College (IRSC).

[79] Since then, the university has worked to expand the quality of its intercollegiate program by attracting coaches such as Howard Schnellenberger, Carl Pelini, Matt Doherty, Rex Walters, Lane Kiffin, Mike Jarvis, Dusty May, Willie Taggart, Tom Herman and women's softball and golf coach Joan Joyce.

[5] On October 21, 2021, Florida Atlantic accepted the invitation to join the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and became a full-member on July 1, 2023.

[68] For basketball, Florida Atlantic celebrates the "Red Hot Madness and Stroll Off" pep rally that introduces fans to the team and coaches, host a number of basketball-related contests such as 3-point shoot-outs and slam dunk competitions, and features step performances by the school's National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities.

The group began in February 2002 to support the men's basketball program during the team's run for the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship.

[85] The prOWLers are joined by the Owl Rangers,[86] a fan group that paints their bodies in the Florida Atlantic school colors.

[87] Since 2002, Florida Atlantic students have been using Owl Fingers (the "OK" hand sign) to show school pride and wish the athletic teams luck during football point after attempts (PATs) and basketball free throws.

It offers amenities that one would find in a high-rise apartment complex: lounges, retail dining, fitness centers, a pool/cabana, a volleyball court, common areas, and more.

[99] Within its existing residential life programs, FAU offers a number of Learning Communities for freshmen and students with similar interests and concentrations.

This program, called the "Weeks of Welcome", spans 11 days and all campuses, and works to acclimate students with university life and to build a good on-campus community.

In the past, homecoming has had kickoff parties, costumed dances, bonfires, comedy shows, alumni events and dinners, a golf cart parade, and tailgating.