San Diego State University

Since 1897, San Diego State University has been providing undergraduate and graduate students with a well-balanced, high quality education. With an enrollment of approximately 31,000 students, SDSU is the largest institution of higher education in the San Diego region and one of the largest in California. It has also become one of the most popular among new undergraduates, receiving more than 69,000 applications for the fall 2012 academic year.
Renowned for its academic excellence, the university is home to top-ranking programs in education, international business, social work, biology and many more. SDSU students can choose from 85 undergraduate majors, 76 master's and 21 doctoral degree programs in areas ranging from construction engineering to microbiology to journalism and media studies.
Located just miles from the Pacific Ocean and less than an hour from the U.S.-Mexico border, SDSU students are extending their educational experiences well beyond the borders of the campus. In fact, SDSU ranks No. 1 in California and No. 2 in the nation (among universities of its type) for sending students abroad as part of their college experience. More than 1,800 students studied abroad last year, traveling to places like China, India and Japan. SDSU is a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program. A record 11 students and recent alumni were selected as Fulbright Scholars in 2011, which ties the university with UCLA for 3rd in California.
Increasingly recognized for innovative research, SDSU has achieved the prestigious designation of Research University with high research activity granted by the Carnegie Foundation. Since 2000, SDSU faculty and staff have attracted more than $1.5 billion in grants and contracts for research and program administration.
Private giving to SDSU has also risen sharply in recent years, $70 million in the 2010-11 fiscal year. SDSU is currently conducting its first university-wide fundraising campaign and has raised more than $300 million toward its $500 goal to attract and retain top faculty, support innovation and research and provide more student scholarships.
SDSU faculty are committed to the teacher-scholar model, contributing unique and model research that benefits the world-at-large while giving students the opportunity to have hands-on research experience. Students participate in an academic curriculum distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future.
SDSU is among the most diverse public universities in the country, with more than half of its student body coming from traditionally underrepresented ethnic groups. And SDSU currently ranks No. 13 in the nation for bachelor's degrees conferred to ethnic minorities.
SDSU students and alumni serve as a key engine for the San Diego regional economy, producing thousands of graduates each year, 60 percent of whom stay in San Diego to pursue their careers. More community leaders within the San Diego region received their education at SDSU than at any other institution.
A strong community partner, SDSU is committed to serving the richly diverse San Diego region. The university leads programs focused on advancing urban education, improving local water quality and enriching cross-border relationships with Mexico.
SDSU's beautiful and historic campus serves to enrich the student experience, providing leading-edge laboratories and high-tech classrooms within its Spanish-style architecture. Thousands of students live on campus and many more participate in campus life through the hundreds of academic, athletic and Greek organizations. The Division I Athletics program is among the strongest in Southern California with major sports consistently achieving national rankings and post-season play, including men's basketball which has been to the NCAA Tournament for three consecutive seasons.