In collaboration with nearby industries and communities, SJSU faculty and staff are dedicated to achieving the university's mission as a responsive institution of the State of California: To enrich the lives of its students, to transmit knowledge to its students along with the necessary skills for applying it in the service of our society, and to expand the base of knowledge through research and scholarship.

Goals

For both undergraduate and graduate students, the university emphasizes the following goals:

• In-depth knowledge of a major field of study.
• Broad understanding of the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the arts.
• Skills in communication and in critical inquiry.
• Multi-cultural and global perspectives gained through intellectual and social exchange with people of diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds
• Active participation in professional, artistic, and ethnic communities.
• Responsible citizenship and an understanding of ethical choices inherent in human development.

Character and Commitment

San José State University is a major, comprehensive public university located in the center of San José and in the heart of Silicon Valley. SJSU is the oldest state university in California. Its distinctive character has been forged by its long history, by its location, and by its vision - a blend of the old and the new, of the traditional and the innovative. Among its most prized traditions is an uncompromising commitment to offer access to higher education to all persons who meet the criteria for admission, yielding a stimulating mix of age groups, cultures, and economic backgrounds for teaching, learning, and research. SJSU takes pride in and is firmly committed to teaching and learning, with a faculty that is active in scholarship, research, technological innovation, community service, and the arts.