SF State third in U.S. for communication and journalism degrees to minorities

SAN FRANCISCO, June 28, 2012 -- San Francisco State University ranked third in the U.S. in 2010-11 for awarding bachelor's degrees in communication, journalism and related programs to minority students, according to a report published June 21 in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.

The University awarded 245 communication studies and journalism bachelor's degrees to African American, Asian American, Hispanic and Native American students in 2010-11, representing 45 percent of all four-year degrees earned in those fields at SF State and a 13 percent increase over 2009-2010.

SF State also ranked fourth in number of degrees to Hispanic students, eighth in number of degrees to Asian American students and 13th in number of degrees to Native American students.

"We serve a diverse population of students, and this recognition reflects the interest that many of our students, not just minority students, have in our communications offerings," said Joseph Tuman, chair of SF State's Communication Studies Department. "It also reflects a conscious effort on our part to have our students reflect the richness and the diversity of the campus as a whole."

Communication studies graduates work in a variety of career fields, including management, public relations, broadcasting, human resources, mediation, law and event planning. SF State journalism alumni can be found working for print and online publications across the world and include Pulitzer Prize winners.

Attracting a highly diverse student body and faculty is an important part of SF State's mission, and the University has long been committed to opening doors to higher education for minorities. SF State's students and faculty reflect the diversity of the Bay Area and California, with 70 percent of students and 35 percent of tenured or tenure-track faculty coming from minority backgrounds. In addition, programs such as SF ROCKS, Step to College, SF Promise and others have demonstrated SF State's commitment to social justice and ensured educational opportunities for students of minority backgrounds.

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SF State is the only master's-level public university serving the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin. The University enrolls nearly 30,000 students each year and offers nationally acclaimed programs in a range of fields -- from creative writing, cinema and biology to history, broadcast and electronic communication arts, theatre arts and ethnic studies. The University’s more than 212,000 graduates have contributed to the economic, cultural and civic fabric of San Francisco and beyond.