San Francisco State University San Francisco USA 2025

Located in one of the world’s most vibrant and beautiful cities, San Francisco State University is a recognized leader in addressing issues both global and close to home.

The University has been the launchpad for thousands of successful, world-changing alumni, including Black Lives Matter co-creator Alicia Garza, San Francisco’s first African American mayor, Willie Brown, Jr., and tech pioneers who played pivotal roles in the development of the microprocessor and the Internet. At last count, San Francisco State graduates had won 21 Pulitzers, 16 Oscars, 49 Emmys, 10 Grammys, and 12 Tonys. And the University itself has won top honors while encouraging innovations that put it at the forefront of academia. Home to the nation’s first and only College of Ethnic Studies, SF State was #7 for ethnic diversity among national universities in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. Both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter have named SF State’s School of Cinema one of the top film programs in the country, and the University’s Estuary & Ocean Science Center makes it the only institution of higher education with a marine science laboratory on San Francisco Bay.

Academic Life

Ever since it was established in 1899 as a teacher-training school, SF State has been known for its commitment to excellent teaching. Students work closely with senior professors and other instructors from freshman year through graduation. Trained in some of the finest institutions in the world, faculty members include winners of prestigious teaching awards, cutting-edge researchers, and professionals devoted to solving community problems.

SF State awards bachelor’s degrees in 72 academic areas with an additional 39 areas of concentration, master’s degrees in 62 academic areas with an additional 28 areas of concentration and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. The University also offers a clinical doctorate, Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.), jointly with UC San Francisco. In addition, SF State offers 16 credential programs and 41 certificate programs.

SF State’s motto is Experientia Docet — Experience Teaches. Graduates consistently say that hands-on learning was what helped them most when beginning their careers. Students apply their talents and classroom learning to real-world challenges through community-service learning, credit-earning internships, and participation with community-focused centers and institutes that address issues relating to health, education, the environment, business, child care, and underserved communities.