With Record High Applications, SDSU is Expanding Degree and Certificate Access
The university is adding new degree and certificate programs, including those that are fully online, as well as launching additional SDSU microsites with community college partners.
“We are very pleased that SDSU continues to be an important choice, and often a first choice, for our local students and students from around the globe.”
While some colleges and universities across the nation are seeing application and enrollment declines during the COVID-19 pandemic, San Diego State University is seeing record application growth.
To date, SDSU has surpassed 103,000 individual applications for fall 2021, including undergraduate and graduate student levels. This growth is happening as the university has introduced new programs and pathways for students to study at SDSU, and in alignment with expanded degree access through the strategic plan.
“Our strategic plan is both a commitment and a promise,” said SDSU President Adela de la Torre. “It identifies our strengths: that we provide a world-class education and experience, that we have one of the highest graduation performance rates in the country, and that our diversity is core to who we are. But it also commits us to grow, and to drive the creation of new academic programs our global workforce demands.”
“High-touch experiences with clear workforce outcomes is a clear priority for us, and is one of the primary reasons why so many students take interest in SDSU.”
Expanding Access to SDSU
A major component of the university’s strategic plan is to expand both global impact and access. This is true for both in-person opportunities and online.
This academic year, SDSU’s Global Campus added more than a half dozen new bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, including those in economics, child development, civil engineering, and American Indian studies.
The university also recently introduced a new graduate program in teacher leadership, and launched a new online bachelor’s degree in communication. A hybrid bachelor’s degree completion program in child development will be available via a microsite partnership with local community colleges starting this Fall.
Earlier this year, SDSU announced as part of a new policy that community college students participating in targeted retention programs will begin to receive special admissions consideration when applying to SDSU. Students involved in Umoja, Puente, Calworks and Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) programs are now eligible.
The new SDSU degree completion programs through microsites applies to students in certain area community colleges, to include San Diego City College, San Diego Mesa College and Southwestern College. SDSU plans to continue adding campuses to the program. This fall, degrees will be offered to microsite students at partner colleges including bachelor of science degrees in criminal justice, business administration and communication.
Enhanced Student Diversity
As the university expands access, it is also seeing notable success in increasing student diversity.
Between fall 2016 and fall 2020, the percentage of students from underrepresented groups — Native American, African American and Latinx — in the first-year class increased to 34.8% from 30.8%. For transfer students, that figure increased to 44.7% from 41.6%.
“We were not entirely certain, this time last year, how the pandemic would impact our applications or students’ intent to enroll, and many across the state and nation were projecting declines overall,” said Stefan Hyman, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services.
“But we are seeing something different at SDSU,” Hyman said. “We are very pleased that SDSU continues to be an important choice, and often a first choice, for our local students and students from around the globe.”
Hyman explained that the Enrollment Services team has “worked incredibly hard” to provide prospective students meaningful virtual experiences over the last year. Student Affairs and Campus Diversity team members also launched additional student retention and engagement efforts in the last year in support of student retention and success.
One event was SDSU’s Virtual Explore SDSU open house, which was held April 17. With a theme of “Beyond the Classroom,” admitted students learned about housing options, student government, recreation, athletics, cultural centers, student services and more. Admitted students must declare their intent to enroll at SDSU by May 1.
Choosing SDSU
Ryan Magsino chose SDSU because of the university’s “dynamic and friendly atmosphere” and the program offerings in the School of Nursing.
“I knew the program would be able to help me develop into a great nurse,” said Magsino, who is finishing his freshman year this semester. “I want a career that is interesting, provides a challenge, and makes a difference in someone’s life. Nursing accomplishes all of that as a career and makes me excited to pursue a career that I would find extreme satisfaction in.”
Immediately after enrolling at SDSU, Magsino became actively involved in his field and in other service-oriented roles. He joined the National Student Nurses Association and is serving as a volunteer member of the Weber Honors College Student Society and Merit Scholars Student Society.
“I found it important to set a strong academic foundation in order to succeed the following four years of undergraduate,” said Magsino, who plans to work as a registered nurse before pursuing a masters degree in nursing. “Being involved in academic based organizations helps connect me to other strong academic-based students likely to push me to become a better scholar and person.”
