California State University, Bakersfield opened in September 1970 as the 19th member of the 23-campus California State University system. Its vision is to become the leading campus in the CSU system in terms of faculty and academic excellence and diversity, quality of the student experience and community engagement.
The university is a comprehensive regional university and is committed to excellence in its four schools: Humanities and Social Sciences, Business and Public Administration, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Education. The university is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, with six programs also accredited by national accrediting organizations.
CSUB is located on a 375-acre site in metropolitan Bakersfield. Some 8,224 undergraduate and graduate students attend CSUB at either the main campus in Bakersfield or the off-campus center in Antelope Valley. More than 90% of CSUB's tenured/tenure-track faculty have doctoral degrees in their fields of study.
The university operates on a quarter system from September to June with two summer sessions. CSUB has majors in 31 undergraduate degree programs, seven credential programs in education, and 17 graduate degree programs.
CSUB Athletics has been a source of continuing pride for the university and community. CSUB's 17 sports programs have won 30 national championships. In 1998 CSUB won the Sears Cup as the best NCAA Division II program in the nation. In June, 2006, President Mitchell announced the university's intention to move its athletics program to NCAA Division I.