Aaron Hoskins
SDSU Marketing & Communications
Office (619) 594-1119, Mobile (619) 987-6356
ahoskins@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO, Wednesday, April 27, 2005 – San Diego State University ranks ninth in the nation for the most bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanics, according to lists published in this week’s edition of The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education.

“This is an important distinction for SDSU because it demonstrates diversity of enrollment and, more importantly, the university’s commitment to those students’ academic success which is evidenced in their graduation,” said James Kitchen, vice president for Student Affairs at SDSU.
“This ranking reflects the dedication and hard work of our students as well as our faculty and staff who assist students in all areas of their university experience.”

The new rankings are based on degrees conferred during the 2003-04 academic year. That year, SDSU awarded 1,111 bachelor's degrees to Hispanic students, which ranked SDSU fourth in California and represented approximately 18.5 percent of 6,019 total bachelor's degrees that SDSU awarded.

SDSU also ranks in the top 10 nationally for undergraduate degrees awarded to Hispanics in nine program areas, including protective services (No. 4); psychology (No. 6); public administration (No. 6); human sciences (No. 6); social services (No. 7); English literature (No. 9); mathematics (No. 10); Hispanic studies (No. 10); and area studies (No. 10).

SDSU also ranks 25th nationally for master’s degrees awarded to Hispanic students, with 186 awarded during 2003-04.

Hispanic Outlook produces the “Top 100 Colleges for Hispanics” rankings annually. The information is based on data gathered by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center of Education Statistics.

San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the university has grown to offer bachelor’s degrees in 81 areas, master’s degrees in 72 areas and doctorates in 16 areas. SDSU’s nearly 33,000 students participate in an academic curriculum distinguished by direct faculty contact and an increasing international emphasis that prepares students for a global future. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu.

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