Originally established as Königliche Seedampf-Maschinistenschule (Royal School for Naval Steam Machinists) the university was founded in 1886. Until 1975 the FUAS mainly educated marine engineers and officers. The expansion of the study program over the past 30 years has added all major engineering and information technology disciplines and a school for business administration.
There are four faculties (Fachbereiche) offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs:
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering and Maritime Technologies
Faculty of Energy and Biotechnology
Faculty of Information and Communication
School of Business
Flensburg Campus
The FHF shares its green campus with the Europa-Universität Flensburg. The infrastructure includes the Auditorium Maximum (called Audimax) lecture hall, the central library, a wide park area, student residences, a kindergarten, a sports and fitness center and the canteen (Mensa), also several small cafeterias and a student's pub. In early 2010, the construction for a water sports center and a campus chapel were completed, in 2011 the "Maritime Center" was completed. The main railway station is less than 2km from the campus, and the beach at Solitüde is about 8km.