Josh Duhamel is to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of North Dakota.

The Transformers actor was born in Minot, North Dakota and later attended Minot State University, but dropped out one-and-a-half credits shy of his undergraduate degree in biology. However, he later completed the course and received his degree in 2005.

Now, Josh is to be feted with another academic award, with The Associated Press reporting that he is to receive an honorary doctorate from University of North Dakota officials after his nomination was approved earlier this week (begins25Sep17).

The 44-year-old is receiving the honor from the University of North Dakota as Minot State doesn't grant doctorate degrees.

Proud of his North Dakota roots, Josh has previously been the face of the state's tourism board, having appeared in a number of commercials promoting the region as a holiday hotspot.

A date for when Josh will be presented with the honorary doctorate is yet to be announced, but the star will undoubtedly be looking forward to the event following a turbulent couple of months in his personal life.

Earlier in September, Josh and his singer wife Fergie announced that they had split up, and revealed that they had kept their separation secret for months.

"With absolute love and respect we decided to separate as a couple earlier this year," the estranged couple wrote in a statement issued to People.com. "To give our family the best opportunity to adjust, we wanted to keep this a private matter before sharing it with the public. We are and will always be united in our support of each other and our family."

Fergie, real name Stacy Ann Ferguson, started dating Josh in 2004, after she met him when she and the Black Eyed Peas filmed a cameo for an episode of his TV show Las Vegas.

The pair married in 2009, and welcomed their son Axl Jack Duhamel in 2013.