The initial filing period for the fall 2003 semester ends Nov. 30.

Continued enrollment pressures have forced the university to limit applications for next fall to people who want to attend the university as first-time freshmen, upper-division transfer students, and master's degree and credential candidates.

The deadline for upper-division transfer students is expected to be in mid-December, while master's degree and credential candidates should submit their applications early.

The campus will not be accepting applications from lower-division transfer students, people applying as post-baccalaureate unclassified (students with bachelor's degrees but no master's degree objective listed), second bachelor's degrees or second master's degrees. The university also is no longer accepting applications for the spring 2003 semester.

"Many students are selecting Cal State Northridge because of our reputation for providing quality and affordable education," said Margaret Fieweger, associate vice president for undergraduate studies. "But, because of space and budget limitations, we are unable to accommodate every single person who wants to be enrolled here."

The university's record enrollment has forced officials to declare a small number of its academic programs as over-enrolled, which means that applicants to those programs will have to meet additional admission criteria, typically higher grade-point averages, to be accepted into those majors. The programs affected are accounting, computer science, cinema and television arts, and the finance and financial services options within the business administration major.

Persons with questions about admission can call CSUN's Office of Outreach and Recruitment at (818) 677-2967 or the Office of Admissions and Records at (818) 677-3700.

California State University, Northridge has more than 32,500 full- and part-time students and offers 59 bachelor's and 41 master's degrees as well as 28 education credential programs. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the third largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges recently said CSUN "stands as a model to other public urban institutions of higher education."