Graduate Education

Mission of Graduate Studies

The mission of Graduate Studies at San Francisco State University is to offer students from diverse backgrounds access to quality graduate education and professional studies. San Francisco State has a long history as a leader in graduate education within the CSU, offering students more than 90 master's programs, an Ed.D. program, 14 credential programs, and two joint doctoral programs with the University of California.

The focus of graduate-level preparation is threefold:

  • To prepare students for the transition to research-focused doctoral programs with a strong grasp of the language and methodologies of the discipline;
  • To develop scholarly practitioners in professional health, education, public service, and business fields; and
  • To graduate students able to integrate ideas from the arts and humanities that will guide ethical interactions within our communities. 

Graduate Studies Vision

The Division of Graduate Studies aspires to become the premier urban, nationally-recognized graduate school in the CSU. San Francisco State is a destination campus for all graduate disciplines that enables students to achieve their full potential as scholars and practitioners. Ethical thinking and social justice values are woven throughout the curriculum, and students meet the highest expectations of critical thinking, intellectual engagement, creativity, scholarly work, and service associated with their fields of study or disciplines.

At San Francisco State, we commit to graduate education for the public good.  We support the individual graduate student’s academic pursuits, but our focus is on preparing our graduates to see beyond the self and to engage in research and evidence-based practice that is civic-minded, and in service to organizations and people throughout the community and region. 

Faculty and administrators are charged with upholding standards that lead to excellence in the disciplines. The performance of our graduates reflects directly on the University, the faculty, and the quality of our programs; therefore, faculty advising and mentoring support are essential to ensure that our students move successfully through coursework and culminating experience.

The  Division of Graduate Studies provides faculty and students with resources and services that help graduate students navigate the journey from admission to graduation.

Graduate Studies at SF State

There are more than 3,000 students enrolled in one of San Francisco State University's master's, credential, second baccalaureate, certificate, and joint doctoral programs. Our students, many of whom are working full or part-time, are fully engaged in scholarly endeavors, including basic and applied research, creative projects, and community service. General information about graduate study and how to begin and complete a post-baccalaureate program can be found in the following pages of the Bulletin at Graduate Education, Graduate Studies website, or by contacting the Division of Graduate Studies. A handbook for graduate students, the GradGuide, is available on the Graduate Studies website.

For information about a specific program, the student should view the academic department website or contact the program graduate coordinator to obtain program-specific admission and degree requirements. Graduate coordinator contact information and department information can be accessed from the Graduate Studies website.

Faculty Teaching in Graduate Programs

Faculty members teaching in graduate programs hold doctoral or other terminal degrees in their field. These tenured and tenure-track faculty members serve as advisors on theses, dissertations, creative works, field projects, and graduate comprehensive examinations committees based on the faculty member’s expertise and area of research or scholarly work. In some cases, non-tenure track faculty members with exceptional backgrounds in specific areas of study may be assigned to teach graduate-level courses. You can review faculty backgrounds in our Bulletin faculty directory or by visiting each department's website.