Degrees at San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University appears in our ranking of 100 Affordable Public Schools With High 40-Year ROIs.
San Francisco State University offers students a wide range of degree programs in areas like art, molecular biology, digital media production, gerontology, and interior design. Degrees are offered within the College of Business, the Graduate College of Education, the College of Ethnic Studies, the College of Extended Learning, and the College of Health & Social Sciences.
Additional degrees are offered by the College of Liberal & Creative Arts and the College of Science & Engineering. Popular programs at San Francisco State University include those in business, communication, social sciences, visual arts, and biology. The student-faculty ratio at SFSU is 23:1, and almost a quarter of its classes are offered with fewer than 20 students enrolled. The freshman retention rate is 80 percent.
Many of the degree programs at San Francisco State University are offered in multiple formats and degree levels. For example, the accounting program is offered as a graduate certificate, an undergraduate minor, and a bachelor’s degree. The university also has a master’s degree in accountancy. The university also offers several programs in ethnic studies with programs in Asian American studies, American Indian studies, and Arab & Muslim ethnicities & diasporas studies.
There are also multiple concentrations and degrees within various ethnic studies programs. For example, students can major in Africana studies and earn a bachelor’s degree or a minor, a well as pursue African studies, which is offered as a minor. There are also multiple program options on Asia with available programs in South Asian studies, Asian American studies, and Pacific Asian studies.
San Francisco State University offers concurrent enrollment for college students who want to enroll at SFSU and another collegiate institution at the same time, but high school students must wait until they graduate and are approved for entry into college before they can take classes at the university. Students who want to enroll in online programs at San Francisco State University will choose programs from the College of Extended Learning.
Online programs include 13 different certificates and a handful of classes in areas like English, human resources, paralegal studies, and marketing. Some of the online certificates students may earn entirely online include those in project management, medical administrative assistant, construction professional, big data, and dental assistant. There are also professional certificates in areas like nonprofit management, American Sign Language, hospitality & tourism management, and international business.
About San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University was founded in 1899 as a training facility for future teachers. The institution’s first graduating class was in 1901, and the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 would force the school to relocate to a new campus. The school would become a college in the early 1920s and transform into a university by the early 1970s. The campus is located just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean and covers just over 141 acres.
Nearly 29,000 students attend the university, with the majority of those students enrolled in undergraduate classes. Students are nicknamed the Gators in their NCAA Division II games with the university belonging to the California Collegiate Athletic Conference. The university’s official colors are gold and purple, and the official motto is “Experience Teaches.” The campus has a large population of Filipino American and Asian American students.
San Francisco State University Accreditation Details
San Francisco State University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities. Accreditation from the WASC extends to the overall university and is a process undertaken every ten years. The association is recognized by the United States Department of Education. Some programs are also accredited by various agencies.
Some of the additional accreditations come from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), which has accredited the School of Business and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), which has accredited the School of Engineering. Other approvals come from the American Physical Therapy Association, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
San Francisco State University Application Requirements
Application requirements for San Francisco State University are published by the California State University system and require a $55 application fee and a minimum grade of “C” in all classes required within the recommended curriculum. To enroll in an undergraduate program, students must have a high school diploma or a GED. Applications are graded on secondary school reports and standardized test scores.
The university doesn’t require that students submit standardized test scores, but the admissions team does consider SAT subject tests when they are submitted. The university may use test scores for counseling purposes and for placement in classes. Recommended classes students should take while still in high school include four years of English, two years of a foreign language, and three years of math, as well as other classes on various subjects.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Students will pay undergraduate tuition of $7,254.00 for two semesters and an estimated $2,002 for books and supplies. Students who live on campus are estimated to pay $15,151 for food and housing, and students who live off-campus with their parents are estimated to pay $5,418. Personal expenses are estimated to cost $1,480, and transportation is estimated at $1,588. In all, on-campus students and those who live in their own lodgings off campus will pay an estimated $27,474 per year.
For graduate students attending San Francisco State University on a full-time basis, the cost of tuition for California residents is $8,704. The university expects that students will pay $2,002 for books and supplies, $1,704 for personal expenses, and around $850 for transportation. Out-of-state students who attend San Francisco State University will need to add $396.00 per unit.
Students will work with the Office of Financial Aid at San Francisco State University for financial aid like loans, scholarships, and grants. The priority deadline for submitting a FAFSA application and qualifying for aid at San Francisco State University is March 2, and the housing priority application deadline is March 31.
The university offers students access to more than 700 scholarships that come from external and institutional sources. The university suggests that students apply for as many scholarships as possible. Scholarships come with unique criteria that students must meet, as well as application deadlines. Local students are encouraged to look into scholarships available for graduates of the San Francisco Unified School District who plan on attending San Francisco State University.