Located in California's premier wine country one hour north of San Francisco, Sonoma State is a small campus with big ideas. With a tradition of promoting intellectual and personal growth, leadership opportunities, and technological proficiency, SSU offers its students a friendly, safe, and informal atmosphere in a beautiful campus setting.
Currently, campus housing accommodates students in both apartment and residential suite-style facilities. While SSU generally accepts all qualified students who apply from high schools in its service area, 80 percent of the freshmen and 55 percent of the junior transfer students come from outside the North Bay region. With 34 percent of the student body living on campus, it is one of the most residential campuses within the California State University system.
The SSU educational experience fosters intellectual, cognitive, social, and personal growth. The faculty and staff provide collaborative relationships with students and an education that fosters ethical exploration, civic engagement, social responsibility, and global awareness combined with a solid foundation in an academic discipline. Many classes average fewer than 40 students, allowing close interaction between students and faculty.
SSU commits to graduating students who can think critically and ethically and can effectively use information technology. There is a strong move to develop a global perspective in much of the curriculum to prepare students for the 21st-century workplace's needs.
The mission of Sonoma State University is to prepare students to be learned persons who:
- Have a foundation for life-long learning.
- Have a broad cultural perspective.
- Have a keen appreciation of intellectual and aesthetic achievements.
- Will be active citizens and leaders in society.
- Are capable of pursuing fulfilling careers in a changing world.
- Are concerned with contributing to the health and well-being of the world at large.
To achieve its mission, Sonoma State University recognizes that its first obligation is to develop and maintain excellent undergraduate instruction programs grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. Instructional programs are designed to challenge students to acquire knowledge and develop the skills of critical analysis, careful reasoning, creativity, and self-expression. Excellence in undergraduate education requires that students participate in a well-planned program that provides both liberal education and specific career preparation opportunities.
The university offers a wide range of traditional disciplines and interdisciplinary programs so that students can explore diverse modes of inquiry, the understanding gained within the various disciplines, and a global spectrum of ideas, institutions, values, and artistic expressions.
The university offers selected professional and graduate programs leading to master's degrees, teaching credentials, and certificates in various career fields. These programs respond to regional and state needs within the academic, business, education, and professional communities.
The quality of the educational experience at Sonoma State University depends upon close human and intellectual relationships among students and faculty to foster the open exchange of ideas. The university is committed to creating a learning community where people from diverse backgrounds and cultures are valued for the breadth of their perspectives and are encouraged in their intellectual pursuits. SSU's unique character within California higher education emerges from its relatively small size, commitment to effective teaching, high standards of scholarship, ongoing professional development, and its policy of promoting diversity in the faculty, staff, and student populations.
The university also recognizes its obligation to serve as an educational and cultural resource for people in the surrounding communities. It offers courses, lectures, workshops, and programs that are open to the public. Notable Events in the arts, the sciences, and athletics contribute to students' intellectual and cultural lives and the community.
Sonoma State University, a small campus of 9,200 welcoming students, is dedicated to the liberal arts and sciences. Students enjoy a high-quality education that features close interactions with faculty, research, and internship opportunities because of SSU's status as one of the state's premier public undergraduate institutions. SSU strives to graduate students who are ready to pursue fulfilling careers in our changing world, and who are prepared to make informed decisions that benefit their own lives, as well as the lives of their families and communities.
Sonoma State University is a small, welcoming campus dedicated to the liberal arts and sciences. Students enjoy a high-quality education that features close interactions with faculty, research, and internship opportunities. SSU strives to graduate students who are ready to pursue fulfilling careers in our changing world, and who are prepared to make informed decisions that benefit their own lives, as well as the lives of their families and communities.
Make your college life exciting and challenging by becoming involved in one or more student clubs and organizations on campus. Categories of organizations range from academic/departmental, cultural, spiritual, political, particular interest, performing arts, fraternity and sorority life, and competitive sports clubs. Involvement in these organizations provides Seawolves with campus and community connections, leadership development opportunities, and experiences to build skills that can be used after graduation and for a lifetime.
Joining a Greek organization allows you to connect with your peers, engage in a broader community, and build personal skills. With over 20 different fraternities and sororities represented at Sonoma State University, students will find their place among the Greek community.
Sonoma State University offers over 20 competitive sports clubs. Sports clubs are student-organized and operated and allow students to play a sport in fun yet competitive environment. All skill levels are welcome.
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