Future Students

Image: Photos of SF State students and scenes from around campus

Visit SF State - Fast Facts

Academic Calendar

SF State offers two 16-week semesters, late August through December and late January through May, as well as a summer semester, June through August.

Accreditation

SF State is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges as well as many other individual agencies and organizations that accredit specific degrees and programs.

Affiliation

One of 23 campuses of The California State University (CSU), the nations' largest system of higher education granting bachelor's and master's degrees. CSU enrollment overall totals more than 409,000 students.

Athletic Teams

Women: basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, track and field, volleyball.

Men: baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, wrestling.

Colleges

Colors

Purple and gold

Continuing Education/Extension

College of Extended Learning

Degree/Credential/Certificate programs

SF State offers: bachelor's degrees in 78 academic areas with an additional 45 areas of concentration, master's degrees in 62 academic areas with an additional 40 areas of concentration, along with 17 credential programs and 35 undergraduate and graduate certificate programs. In addition, SF State offers a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D) in Educational Leadership, Ph.D. in education, with a concentration in special education jointly with UC Berkeley; and a joint Master of Science in Physical Therapy leading to a clinical doctoral degree (D.P.T.) and a research doctorate for licensed physical therapists (DPTSc) jointly with UC San Francisco.

Degrees Conferred

SF State awarded 7,175 degrees in 2011-2012.

Enrollment

SF State has 30,500 students (fall 2012).

Events

SF State presents hundreds of on-campus activities and events each year, open to the public, free or at low cost. They include seminars, workshops, lectures, conferences, art exhibits, debates, forums, concerts, plays, films, and other performances.

Tuition Fees

SF State's tuition fees are among the lowest in the nation for comparable state-supported institutions.

Financial Aid

About 60 percent of all SF State students supplement their own resources with some form of financial aid.

History

1899: Founded as San Francisco State Normal School, a two-year teacher-training college and the first normal school in the nation to require a high school diploma for admission

1901: First graduating class (36 women)

1923: First bachelor of arts degree awarded

1921: SF Normal School became the SF State Teachers College

1935: Renamed San Francisco State College

1972: Received University status

1974: Renamed San Francisco State University

1999: Celebrated 100th birthday

Housing

SF State provides on campus housing to over 2,300 students in a variety of living options, from traditional residence halls to apartment units. The University Park apartments, located adjacent to campus, offer 180 units of apartment and townhome living.

Location

SF State's main campus is located at 1600 Holloway Avenue (at the corner of 19th Avenue), San Francisco, CA 94132. The approximately 141-acre campus is located in a residential area of the city. You can get there easily by public transportation.

SF State's downtown campus is located at 835 Market St. in the Westfield Centre. This campus houses the College of Business MBA degree program, the Masters in Public Administration, the College of Extended Learning and other SF State classes.

SF State satellite centers

Mascot

The 'Gator (alligator)

Motto

Experientia Docet (Experience Teaches)

Mission

  • To create and maintain an environment for learning that promotes respect for and appreciation of scholarship, freedom, human diversity, and the cultural mosaic of San Francisco and the Bay Area.
  • To promote excellence in instruction and intellectual accomplishment.
  • To provide broadly accessible higher education for residents of the region and state, as well as the nation and world.

Partnerships

SF State is affiliated with many centers, institutes, and other special programs and projects which link the University to the Bay Area community and beyond.

President

Les Wong

Top 10 undergraduate majors

  • Business Administration
  • Biology
  • Kinesioloty
  • Engineering
  • English
  • Communication Studies
  • Psychology
  • Criminal Justice Studies
  • Sociology
  • Cinema

How to Reach Us

By mail: Write to the specific office you wish to reach, followed by:

San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132

For general questions: Consult the SF State Help Web site.

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