University Advancement

Public Relations and Strategic Communications

NEWS RELEASE

Cal State Northridge Named Among the Top Universities
for Minority Students Seeking Master’s Degrees

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., July 30, 2007) — Cal State Northridge ranks among the top 100 colleges and universities in the nation for minority students interested in pursuing master’s degrees, according to the latest issue of Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

The magazine’s July 12 issue is dedicated to rating the nation’s universities and colleges on how well they serve students of color interested in getting graduate degrees.

Cal State Northridge tied for 51st place with the University of Texas-Pan American in the total master’s degrees conferred to minorities across all disciplines in the academic year 2005-2006. That year, CSUN awarded 425 master’s degrees to minority students, 148 to men and 277 to women. Those students accounted for 33 percent of the university’s overall master’s degree candidates.

Diverse Issues ranked Northridge 25th in the nation for the number of master’s degrees awarded to Hispanic students, 44th for the number of master’s degrees awarded to Asian American students and 94th for degrees awarded to American Indian students.

"Cal State Northridge faculty and staff are proud of the efforts we’ve made to ensure that we provide a quality educational experience for everyone," said Northridge President Jolene Koester. "The university has a culturally rich and diverse student population and we’re honored to be recognized for our efforts in serving those students."

Diverse Issues ranked institutions on its list according to data submitted by the institutions themselves to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.

Northridge was fourth in the nation for the number of master’s degrees awarded to Asian American students and 12th in degrees awarded to Hispanics in the physical sciences; 16th in the number of degrees awarded to Hispanics and 18th in degrees to Asian Americans in education; and 17th in master’s degrees awarded to Hispanics and 33rd in degrees awarded to Asian Americans in health professions and related clinical sciences.

CSUN ranked 24th in the nation for the number of master’s degrees awarded to Asian American students and 37th in degrees awarded to Hispanics in psychology, and 40th in master’s degrees awarded to Hispanics and 47th in degrees awarded to Asian Americans in engineering.

Cal State Northridge ranked sixth in the nation in master’s degrees awarded to Hispanics in English; 12th in master’s degrees awarded to Hispanic students in biological and biomedical sciences; 15th in degrees awarded to Hispanics in area, ethnics, cultural and gender studies; 28th in degrees awarded to Asian Americans in mathematics and statistics; and 33rd in degrees awarded to Hispanics in social sciences.