Located in the fifth largest city in California, just minutes from the Pacific Ocean, Long Beach State begins its 54th academic year in the fall of 2001. The 322-acre campus is just three miles from the Pacific Ocean, and is graced by flowering peach trees, spacious lawns, expansive gardens and a renowned collection of monumental sculptures.

Long Beach State offers 76 undergraduate and 62 graduate degrees, including nationally-recognized professional programs in business and public administration, education, the fine arts, the natural sciences and a number of applied fields.

The University's educational mission is to promote intellectual and personal development and to prepare students for life-long learning as well as preparing them to succeed in a variety of professional endeavors and to function as informed, contributing members of the community. To these ends, the mission of the undergraduate curriculum is grounded in a strong general education program, emphasizing the acquisition of writing, critical thinking, and analytical skills and knowledge of cultural and artistic traditions, the analysis of human behavior and society in the past and present, and scientific modes of inquiry. The mission of all degree programs is to provide each student with the skills necessary to pursue knowledge and to integrate information from various sources, and also to provide depth in at least one area of specialization

Long Beach State’s relationship to the community it serves is woven into its mission, its curriculum and its services. Long Beach State has one of the largest internship programs in the country, which annually sends thousands of its students into the community. These students gain valuable experience by relating theory and practice as they work with successful professionals in their chosen field.