San Francisco State University Review

San Francisco State University Overview

San Francisco State University, founded in 1899, celebrated its first graduating class in 1901. The school currently enrolls 30,014 students, including 25,055 undergraduates, in bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

The school is best known for its Cinema Department, which is hosted within the College of Creative Arts. It was named one of the nation's 'Top Film Schools' by Entertainment Weekly in 2000. Alumni of the program have worked on several high-grossing films, including Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Titanic.

U.S. News & World Report ranks San Francisco State University 45th out of all master's-degree-granting universities in the Western United States. The same publication ranks the school's physical therapy program among the nation's top 20.

Admissions and Enrollment Overview

Potential students can apply to San Francisco State University through the school's website interface, CSUMentor. Most candidates must submit an application, application fee, official test scores and a high school transcript. Depending on program pursuits, applicants may be required to include additional test scores or materials. Graduate students are required to append materials based on their potential field of study. San Francisco State University accepts several forms of financial aid, including federal, state, local and special grants. Federal loans, scholarships and work-study programs are also accepted.

Campus Learning Environment and Facilities

San Francisco State University's library is open 81 hours a week. In addition to offering books and resource materials, the library provides audio and video services. Students can also instant message questions to librarians and utilize free access to wireless Internet. The library comprises 200 computer workstations and more than 1.5 million books and government documents. The library's website includes several avenues to help students explore library documents, find books and obtain research assistance.

San Francisco State University has quite a history of social activism. Throughout the mid-to-late 1960s, there were several student strikes to gain new academic programs. One such protest led to the establishment of the College of Ethnic Studies.

Schools and Colleges at San Francisco State University

• Behavioral and Social Sciences
• Business
• Creative Arts
• Education
• Ethnic Studies
• Extended Learning
• Health and Human Sciences
• Humanities
• Science and Engineering

School Contact Information

• Address: 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA 94132
• Phone Number: (415) 338-1111