Division ID
Skip links
 
 
Print this pageAdd this page to your favoritesSelect a font sizeSmall fontMedium fontLarge font
 

Is CSULB the Right University for Me?

Selecting the right university for you is one of the most important decisions you can make for your future. Making this choice can somGo to The Beach logoetimes be a difficult and confusing process. How do you know it will be the right "fit" for you? We suggest that you spend some time finding out about CSULB by visiting some places on our web site, talking with our students and alumni/ae, interviewing faculty in majors you might be considering, and, most importantly, visiting our campus to get a feeling for who we are.


Start here

Undergraduate Programs
 

We are a large, urban, comprehensive university in the 23-campus California State University system. Our mission is to offer a high-quality education leading to a broad range of bachelor's degree programs. We offer 71 different bachelor's degrees--some you may already be familiar with and others may be new to you. (To find out more about our majors see Choosing A Major.)

CSULB promotes intellectual and personal development and prepares students for lifelong learning as well as preparing them to succeed in a variety of professional endeavors and to function as informed, contributing members of the community.

 
The Academic Environment

"CSULB is a university that cares about students.  Our core purpose is to graduate students with highly valued degrees.  By that, we mean that we want our students’ diplomas to be appreciated by employers and professional and graduate schools as representing high-quality academic achievement and strong preparation.

 

But we mean more: we also want our students to graduate with a set of values that will serve them well in our diverse society. This is a teaching-intensive, research-driven university. CSULB faculty care, above all, about working with their students. At the same time, faculty are continuously involved in research and creative activities—often side-by-side with their students--and they integrate the results of these activities into their teaching.

 

Our university provides each student with rich opportunities to gain a love of ideas; an appreciation of artistic expression, science, and technology; and an understanding of varied cultures.  If you choose “The Beach,” you will not be disappointed." (Gary W. Reichard, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs)

 

CSULB Distinctions

  • CSULB was named one of “America’s Best Colleges and Universities” by U.S. News and World Report.
  • A National Science Foundation study recently ranked CSULB first overall (among master's degree granting universities) in producing bachelor's degree graduates who later earn doctoral degrees in the sciences.
  • The College of Health and Human Services offers one of the largest Nurse Practitioner programs in the United States.
  • CSULB's interdisciplinary degree program in International Studies is the only major of its kind in the CSU system.
  • CSULB's College of the Arts is California's largest publicly funded school for the arts.
  • The College of Business Administration is among the 10 largest undergraduate business programs in the country.
  • The College of Engineering ranks first among CSU engineering colleges in receiving grants and contracts which involve hands-on research by undergraduates as well as graduates and receives more support from industry than any other engineering college in the CSU system.
  • CSULB has educated many distinguished alumni/ae including Steven Spielberg, Chris Carter, creator of the X-files, and Linda Woolverton, screenwriter for Disney's The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast.