Cal State Fullerton is a major regional university in a vital, flourishing area that includes Orange County, metropolitan Los Angeles and the expanding Inland Empire. The beautiful, 236-acre campus is set in a quiet urban community in north Orange County, about 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles and about 21 miles from nearby beaches.The university offers an affordable, high quality education with an exceptional learning environment. Students flourish in close mentoring relationships with outstanding professors and have numerous opportunities for undergraduate research, professional internships, and prestigious competitions. Students experience the dynamic environment of a metropolitan university, but can enjoy a comfortable atmosphere that feels like a small college campus. It's a place where they can easily find networks of friends, interact with faculty on a personal level, and find the support and encouragement they need to be successful.
With full accreditation for its overall program, many of Cal State Fullerton's academic programs have achieved national prominence because of a distinguished faculty and the achievements of alumni. Students can choose from 105 degree programs, including 50 at the graduate level, offered by eight colleges: the Arts, Business and Economics, Communications, Education, Engineering and Computer Science, Health and Human Development, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Credential and certificate programs also are offered.
A vibrant university community, which includes more than 35,000 students and nearly 2,000 full- and part-time faculty members, reflects the rich multicultural diversity of Southern California. In fact, Cal State Fullerton is ranked sixth in the nation in terms of bachelor's degrees awarded to minority students, and more than half of the students are people of color.
The main campus consists of 21 permanent buildings, plus a picturesque 26-acre Arboretum and student residence halls. In January 2006, a new Performing Arts Center opened. The $48 million complex provides state-of-the-art facilities for audiences and performers alike, as well as instructional facilities for students. Opening of the $87.5 million Steven G. Mihaylo Hall, new home to the College of Business and Economics, is anticipated in fall 2008. Construction was completed in April on a second multi-story parking structure along State College Blvd.
The university's El Toro Campus offers upper-division and graduate-level courses and provides a convenient location for students who live and work in south Orange County. Other campus satellites include the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, CSUF Garden Grove Center and facilities at the Irvine Spectrum.
An extended education program, which includes open enrollment, expands the university's resources to the surrounding communities. These include academic credit courses, certificate programs for professional development, English classes for non-native speakers of English, a learning-in-retirement program, classes for children and teens, summer camps, international programs and distance education classes.
One of 23 campuses in the California State University System, Cal State Fullerton has shaped a vital role in the growth and prosperity of Southern California. In less than 50 years, the university has awarded degrees to more than 153,000 graduates. Many are leaders in business, government, education and the arts. In addition, the university has an enormous economic impact on the Los Angeles region. As noted in the CSU 2004 study "Working for California: The Impact of the California State University," Cal State Fullerton generates $851 million in economic activity annually, which sustains more than 12,500 jobs in the region and generates more than $45 million per year in state tax revenue.
