University

The University of San Diego

USD is located on 180 acres overlooking the city of San Diego, Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The campus is renowned for its beauty, and features Spanish Renaissance-inspired architecture.

The University of San Diego is committed to academic excellence, Catholic intellectual and social traditions, and providing a top-notch liberal arts education for scholars of all faiths.

For more than six decades, the University of San Diego has been dedicated to the values originally articulated by its founders, Mother Rosalie Hill of the Society of the Sacred Heart and Bishop Charles Francis Buddy of the Diocese of San Diego.

Our mission and vision statement captures the values that have made USD a prominent Catholic university and a vibrant institution of quality higher education.

Our history begins with two extraordinary leaders who had a vision of a new kind of Catholic university and brought it to life.

Our Catholic identity gives USD a solid foundation in religious faith, ethical conduct, compassionate service and social justice.

Our strategic initiatives build our institutional strengths to chart a course for future excellence and growing societal impact.

Our community involvement enhances the education of our students and serves the needs of our neighbors and partners.

We welcome you to meet our admi nistration , learn interesting facts about USD , check out the latest news and events and discover opportunities for working at USD .

USD Facts

Our Campus

  • Roman Catholic. Private. Coeducational. Residential. Independent.
  • 180 acres perched on a pristine canyon – easily navigable, pedestrian-friendly
  • Beautiful 16th century Spanish Renaissance architectural style
  • Beaches, mountains, downtown and the Mexican border – all within a short drive
  • Carnegie classification of “Doctoral/Research University”
  • Fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges since 1956

Academics

  • Undergraduate Programs: 39 bachelor's degrees with many concentrations; 48 minors
  • Graduate Programs: 33 master's degrees, the JD, five LLM degrees, three doctorates
  • Faculty: 393 full time, 450 part time – 843 head count, 549 FTE
  • Degrees Awarded: 1,156 bachelor's, 627 master's, 318 law, 57 doctoral – 2,158 total

Students

  • Enrollment: Approximately 7,800 FT equivalent undergraduate, paralegal, graduate and law students
  • Fall Entrants: 1,150 freshmen, 417 transfers, 581 graduate students, 331 law students
  • Demographics: 31 percent minority students, 5% international students
  • Alumni: More than 54,000, in all 50 states and 97 countries, with 70 percent living in California

Campus Life

  • Residential campus: 95 percent of freshman and 46 percent of undergraduates live on campus
  • 10 separate living areas, with styles ranging from shared rooms to apartments
  • Member, West Coast Conference and Pioneer Football League
  • 17 NCAA Division I teams, 19 sports clubs, many recreation clubs and fitness classes
  • Five national fraternities and six national sororities
  • Student Life Pavilion offers dining options, student activities, and a full-service market

Administration

The University of San Diego is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by a president. Mary E. Lyons , who was appointed in 2003, is the third chief executive since the modern University of San Diego was established in 1972. Her predecessors were Author E. Hughes, who served as president from 1972 to 1995, and Alice B. Hayes, who was president from 1995 to 2004.

The university is dedicated to providing a values-based education grounded in Catholic social teachings. Today, it has six academic divisions: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Law, the School of Business Administration, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, and the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies. USD offers 39 bachelor's degree programs, 31 master's degrees programs, five law degree programs, and three doctoral degree programs (in nursing and leadership studies).

Strategic Initiatives

USD's strategic initiatives are developed through Strategic Directions, a planning process yielding broad, overarching, visionary goals that support strategic planning at all levels. At the university level, strategic initiatives usually involve inter-division collaboration to devise and implement new programs for the university. Within a division or department, strategic initiatives improve or enhance the unit's work.

University-wide strategic initiatives developed and implemented during the first planning period between 2004 and 2009 included Catholic social thought, inclusion and diversity, integrated learning, internationalization and sustainability. Initiatives undertaken within divisions included the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, enrollment management, technology infrastructure, undergraduate research, program accreditation, endowment development and new branding and marketing standards.

At the annual Fall Convocation held on Sept. 3, 2010, President Lyons announced a new round of strategic planning. She reviewed the university's many achievements between 2004 and 2009, and she challenged the audience to participate in all phases of the next five-year cycle, beginning with information-gathering sessions for the campus community.

Please visit the Strategic Directions website for more detailed information about USD's strategic initiatives, and contact strategicdirections@sandiego.edu with comments or questions.

Community Involvement

Every year, in every part of the region, USD community projects serve people in need with a range of programs, such as:

  • CASA (Center for Awareness, Service and Action) promotes cultural awareness and social consciousness by providing outreach opportunities and making lasting connections between USD and the community.
  • Free specialized legal clinics staffed by USD law students offer legal assistance to lower-income individuals and families.
  • The annual Thanksgiving House Project provides USD business students the opportunity to renovate the home of a deserving family in the nearby Linda Vista neighborhood.
  • The Institute of College Initiatives hosts such college preparation programs as Upward Bound, Expanding Your Horizons, and Global Youth Leadership Connection.

Service learning reflects USD's emphasis on social justice and ethical conduct. The Center for Community Service-Learning , founded in 1994, offers students a broad spectrum of service and educational opportunities. USD's standing as an innovator of university-community engagement has been recognized widely, including such honors as:

  • One of 76 campuses to receive the Carnegie Foundation's "Community Engagement" classification, and one of 62 recognized by Carnegie for curricular engagement as well as outreach and partnership.
  • Listed on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for Distinction for Community Service.
  • Chosen as one of four California sites for a $120,000, three-year “Learn and Serve” grant from California Campus Compact.
  • Honored in a Princeton Review/Campus Compact book, Colleges with a Conscience: 81 Great Schools with Outstanding Community Involvement.

Offices and Departments

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University of San Diego 5998 Alcalá Park San Diego, CA 92110

Visit Campus

Student–guided tours are offered twice a day, year– round, Monday through Friday, at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Each begins with an hour and a half long campus tour, followed by a 30 minute information session. The information session is led by a member of our admissions staff and is designed to address the admissions application process, financial aid, and highlight various aspects of life at USD.

If you can't fit a campus tour into your schedule, stop by while you are in town to pick up some general information. Families are always welcome on our campus to look around or enjoy a meal in one of our dining facilities and meet some of our students.

Directions

From the North : Use I-5 South, exit Sea World Dr./Tecolote Rd. and proceed left at stoplight toward Morena Blvd. Turn right on Morena, left on Napa, and left on Linda Vista Rd. Travel to the second stoplight to USD's east entrance, turn left and enter campus.

From the South (or the airport) : Use I-5 North, exit Morena Blvd. (signs will say: Morena Blvd. use I-8 East) Stay to the right and follow the signs for Morena Blvd. Take the first right onto Linda Vista Rd. Travel to the third stoplight to USD's east entrance, turn left and enter campus.

From the East : Use I-8 West, exit at Morena Blvd., go right onto Linda Vista Rd. and travel to the third stoplight to USD's east entrance, turn left and enter campus.

From the airport : The campus is a 10-minute cab ride (approximately $15.00).

Once you have entered campus (from all directions) : Please see the Campus Map (viewable and printable versions available) to navigate to the appropriate building or parking area.

San Diego State University

San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the university has grown to become a nationally ranked research university. Each year, SDSU provides more than 35,000 students with the opportunity to participate in an academic curriculum distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis, preparing them for a global future.

Serving the San Diego region has always been a core part of SDSU's mission. Founded March 13, 1897, San Diego State University began as the San Diego Normal School, a training facility for elementary school teachers. Seven faculty and 91 students met in temporary quarters over a downtown drugstore before moving to a newly constructed 17-acre campus on Park Boulevard.

Take a tour of SDSU's historic buildings

The curriculum was limited at first to English, history and mathematics, but course offerings broadened rapidly under the leadership of Samuel T. Black, who left his position as state superintendent of public instruction to become the new school's first president. Black served from 1898 to 1910.

From 1910 to 1935, President Edward L. Hardy headed a vigorous administration that oversaw major changes to the fledgling institution. In 1921, the Normal School became San Diego State Teachers College, a four-year public institution controlled by the state Board of Education. In that same year, the two-year San Diego Junior College, forerunner of today's local community colleges, became a branch of San Diego State, creating a union that lasted until 1946.

By the 1920s, San Diego State was already beginning to outgrow its Park Boulevard location, and San Diegans launched a campaign to build a new campus on the city's eastern border. In February 1931, students, faculty and staff moved into seven Mission-style buildings surrounding a common area still known as the Main Quad.

Four years later, the Legislature authorized expansion of degree programs beyond teacher education, and San Diego State Teachers College became San Diego State College. Also in 1935, Walter R. Hepner took the helm as president, beginning a 17-year tenure. The college continued to grow over time, reaching an enrollment of more than 25,000 students during the administration of Malcolm A. Love, who served as president from 1952 to 1971.

In 1960, San Diego State became part of the newly created California State College system, now known as the California State University system. In the early 1970s, with legislative approval, San Diego State College became San Diego State University. Leading the institution during the 1970s were Acting President Donald E. Walker (1971-1972), President Brage Golding (1972-1977), Acting President Trevor Colbourn (1977-1978) and President Thomas B. Day, whose tenure spanned from 1978 to 1996. In 1996, Stephen L. Weber became the university's seventh president.

Beginning its 112th academic year in fall 2008, San Diego State University can take pride in more than a century of achievement in education, research and service. With an enrollment of more than 34,000 students, SDSU has grown into the largest institution of higher education in the San Diego region and one of the largest in California. SDSU is increasingly becoming a top choice for undergraduates as evidenced by the record 62,000 applications received for fall 2008.

Renowned for its academic excellence, the university is home to top-ranking programs in education, international business, social work, speech-language pathology, biology and public administration. Overall, San Diego State students can choose from 85 undergraduate majors, 75 master's programs and 14 joint doctoral degree programs and two independent doctoral degree programs.

SDSU produces thousands of graduates each year, 60 percent of whom stay in San Diego to pursue their careers, making San Diego State a primary educator of the region's work force, as well as a leader in expanding access to higher education. Committed to serving the richly diverse San Diego region, SDSU ranks among the top universities nationwide in terms of ethnic and racial diversity among its student body, as well as the number of bachelor's degrees conferred upon students of color.

Increasingly recognized for innovative research, San Diego State has achieved the prestigious designation of “Research University” with high research activity granted by the Carnegie Foundation. For the past two years, SDSU has ranked the No. 1 Research University for those with 14 or fewer Ph.D. programs according to Academic Analytic's faculty-scholarly productivity index. Since 2000, SDSU faculty and staff have attracted more than $1 billion in grants and contracts for research and program administration. SDSU ranks among the top 150 public universities nationwide in research expenditures, and SDSU's research funding has more than doubled from a decade ago.

Founded in service, SDSU continues to be a leader in analyzing and resolving complex community problems. One example is the City Heights Educational Collaborative, an ongoing partnership with San Diego City Schools, the San Diego Education Association, teachers and parents. Funded with an $18 million grant from Price Charities, the Collaborative is improving instruction for students and professional development for teachers in three inner-city schools managed by the university.

Another initiative to improve education in the San Diego region and beyond is the QUALCOMM Institute for Innovation and Educational Success, launched in 2004 with a record $14.5 million corporate gift from QUALCOMM. The Institute supports programs that aim to enhance math and engineering education across the K-12 spectrum, and supports efforts to revitalize performance in urban school districts nationwide.

Yet another example of San Diego State's innovative community engagement is SDSU Nurses Now, a program that over the years has partnered with more than 10 local hospitals and health organizations in an effort to alleviate the region's nursing shortage. With more than $3 million in funding commitment from these health care partners secured so far, SDSU has increased its clinical nursing faculty, enabling the university to educate more future nurses. To date the program has helped SDSU produce an additional 375 nurses.

Perhaps the most visible evidence of SDSU's growth is in the physical additions to campus and its continued commitment to providing a modern learning environment for students, faculty and staff. Over the past decade, the university has completed facilities totaling more than $430 million in value. Most recently, construction has begun on the new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center. The center will be a gateway for the community to access SDSU's rich assets. Not only will it serve as the first point of contact for alumni and friends visiting SDSU, but it will also be a place where academic and business leaders can collaborate on ventures to benefit our community and impact our future.

Future campus improvements set to take place include the renovation of Nasitir and Storm Halls, expansion of the International Student Center and construction of a new student union building. SDSU's Campus Master Plan will also include the addition of several facilities, including on-campus housing for approximately 3,000 additional students.

Beyond accolades and campus expansion, San Diego State University remains, as always, most proud of its alumni family, more than 200,000 strong. Among those who call SDSU their alma mater are former Federal Trade Commission Chairman Timothy Muris, former Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Merrill A. "Tony" McPeak, San Diego County supervisors Greg Cox, Dianne Jacob, Pam Slater, Ron Roberts and Bill Horn; San Diego city council member Kevin Faulconer, National Teachers of the Year Janis Gabay (1990) and Sandra McBrayer (1994), restaurant executives Ralph Rubio, CEO of Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill and Linda A. Lang, CEO of Jack In the Box restaurants; astronaut Ellen Ochoa and Costco CEO and co-founder Jim Sinegal.

Aztec alumni also include entertainers Gregory Peck, Art Linkletter, Marion Ross, Julie Kavner and Kathy Najimy; Hollywood producer Kathleen Kennedy; golfers Lon Hinkle and Gene Littler; baseball players Tony Gwynn, Mark Grace, Travis Lee and Graig Nettles; football players Marshall Faulk, Brian Sipe, Fred Dryer, Kyle Turley and Kirk Morrison; America's Cup skipper Dennis Conner; and basketball player Michael Cage.

The success of these individuals and thousands of other SDSU alumni attest eloquently to the success of their alma mater. From modest beginnings, San Diego State University has evolved into a premier center of learning, research and service.

Estimated Costs of Attendance for 2011-12

Undergraduates

Undergraduate Nonresidents (Out-of-State and Foreign)

Graduates

Graduate Nonresidents (Out-of-State and Foreign)

The CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum. Tuition and fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate. Therefore, CSU must reserve the right, even after initial tuition and fee payments are made, to increase or modify any listed fees, without notice, until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun. All CSU listed fees should be regarded as estimates that are subject to change upon approval by The Board of Trustees.

For updated information regarding tuition and fees refer to the Student Account Services Web site .

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