College of Professional & Global Education

College Mission

To mobilize the resources and expertise of San Francisco State university and its partners to meet the educational and professional needs of diverse communities and industries

About

The College of Professional & Global Education is responsible for program and course offerings not supported by state appropriations. These include continuing education courses, Winter Session, Open University, short-term study abroad programs, contract courses, professional training series, certificate programs, and off-campus degree programs. In contrast with degree programs, which require matriculation and a degree objective, most College of Professional & Global Education programs allow any adult and selected high school students to participate. The primary objective of the College of Professional & Global Education is to augment University offerings by providing further educational opportunities for all who wish to gain new knowledge and skills, pursue a new career direction, or expand their existing skills in a particular industry.

Courses are taught by San Francisco State University faculty, visiting faculty, and practicing professionals. All are specialists in their fields. Classes are offered at the Holloway campus location, at the Downtown Campus, 835 Market Street, -and at the Sierra Nevada Field Campus as well as several off-campus locations.

Continuing Education Programs

Continuing education is the medium through which the resources, skills, and talents of SF State are extended into the larger Bay Area community. The continuing education program is designed for those who wish to pursue university-level study for purposes of resuming an interrupted or uncompleted education, to augment professional or vocational abilities, or to enhance personal growth.

Continuing education offerings include regularly established University courses as well as non-credit classes and are offered during the fall, winter, spring, and summer sessions. Workshops and courses designed to meet the needs of particular groups and industries may be initiated at various times during the year. Any adult may enroll in a continuing education course provided they meet the prerequisites for the course; it is not necessary that they also be admitted to the University.

Continuing education is self-supporting. Registration fees make possible the classes and programs offered. Therefore, individual courses or programs may be canceled if enrollment is not sufficient.

Winter Session

Winter Session enrollment is open to everyone—continuing and prospective SF State students, people from the community, and visitors. Scheduled during the intersession between the Fall and Spring term, the 1-, 2-, and 3-unit courses are primarily designed to meet the needs of students who wish to accelerate their academic progress. Winter Session courses earn residence credit and range from both lower- and upper-division credit courses to graduate level offerings. The maximum number of units a student may earn in Winter Session is 4 units.

Open University

Many of the courses offered to regularly enrolled SF State students are also available to continuing education students through Open University on a space-available basis. Students enrolling through Open University earn residence credit which can be applied, with limitations, toward degrees. For baccalaureate degrees, SF State will accept up to 24-semester units of credit earned through Open University registration. For graduate degrees, SF State will generally accept, with advisor's approval, up to 6 semester-units of credit earned through Open University.

Matriculated students, including foreign students with F-1 visas, may not enroll through Open University. As soon as a student is admitted to and enrolled in the University, they are considered a matriculated student for the current semester and for the next two semesters following the current semester. Even if currently admitted students do not take classes through the regular university, they may not take Open University courses because they are still eligible to register as matriculated students.

Newly admitted students who do not pay fees and do not enroll in regular University courses (that is, they do not matriculate) may take Open University classes, but will lose their status as admitted students.

Matriculated students who register in Open University courses are disenrolled without refund of fees and do not receive any credit on their permanent records. 

Contract Credit (Contract Education)

The College of Professional & Global Education offers Bay Area employers and organizations the service of reviewing their planned or existing in-house training programs for university or professional credit.

If a course is approved by a University department, participants receive a permanent University record of either extension academic credit or professional Continuing Education Units (CEUs), depending on the nature of the training. If the training program satisfies University requirements for content and quality, contract education can provide a convenient mechanism for organizations to enhance the value of their training.

Academic Programs

Degree, credential, and certificate programs are offered through special sessions. To be considered officially matriculated at SF State, special sessions students must be admitted to a specific degree, credential, or certificate program offered by the College of Professional & Global Education and then enroll through the College of Professional & Global Education in the courses for that specific program. Special sessions degree, credential, and certificate students have matriculated status.

Certificate Programs

Certificate programs are designed for people who want formal recognition for completing a structured and rigorous course of study in a specific field, but who may not be interested in pursuing a University degree program.

Undergraduate Degree Programs

  • Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Studies
  • Bachelor of Arts in Ethnic Studies
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Accelerated-Pre-licensure)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Graduate Degree Programs

  • Master of Business Administration

Credential Programs

  • Pupil Personnel Services Credential Program: School Psychology
  • School Nurse Credential

Certificate Programs (Academic)

  • Business Administration Certificate
  • Clinical Laboratory Sciences Certificate
  • Dietetics Certificate
  • Ethnic Studies Empowerment Certificate
  • Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
  • Hospitality & Tourism Management Certificate

  • International Business Certificate

  • Liberal and Creative Arts

  • Paralegal Studies Certificate

  • Pre-Health Professions Certificate
  • Pre-Nursing Certificate
  • Spanish/English Interpretation
  • University Pathway Program

College Administrative Offices

Title Officer Telephone
Dean Dr. Alex Hwu 817-4260
Associate Dean Dr. Angie Lipschuetz 817-4205
Assistant Dean Dr. Ryan Brown 817-4263
Chief Administrative Officer Julie Briden 817-4260
Director of Recruitment and Partner Relations Alexander Chang 817-4232
Director of Budget and Finance Elaine Feng 817-4292
Director, Center for Global Engagement Saroj Quinn 817-4325
Director of Enrollment Services Atanas Maximov 817-4272
Director of Marketing Sameer Bhasin 817-4246

College of Professional & Global Education Administrative Offices

SF State Downtown Campus
160 Spear Street, Suite 1220
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 405-7700
Center for Global Engagement
1600 Holloway Ave, HUM 101
San Francisco, CA 94132
415-338-1438

Program Directory

Certificate Programs Contact Telephone
Clinical Lab Sciences Janet Alford 817-4264
Clinical Medical Assistant Jenifer Graff 817-4253
Clinical Trials Design and Management Janet Alford 817-4264
Construction Professional Brian Golden 817-4206
Criminal Justice Studies Degree Completion Jessaca Machado 817-4225
Dietetics Janet Alford 817-4264
E-Learning Design and Development Brian Golden 817-4206
Ethnic Studies Degree Completion Jessaca Machado 817-4225
Event and Meeting Planning Afitap Boz 817-4227
Family Nurse Practitioner Janet Alford 817-4264
Geographic Information Systems Afitap Boz 817-4227
Golden 4 General Education Completion Jessaca Machado 817-4225
Hospitality & Tourism Management Saroj Quinn 817-4325
Human Resource Management Brian Golden 817-4206
International Business Saroj Quinn 817-4325
Intervener Training: Deafblind Education Janet Alford 817-4264
Marketing Afitap Boz 817-4227
Paralegal Studies Eduardo Cerpa 817-4222
Pharmacy Technician Janet Alford 817-4264
Pre-Health Professions Baseemah Rahman 817-4296
Pre-MBA Saroj Quinn 338-1438
Pre-Nursing Baseemah Rahman 817-4296
Project Management Afitap Boz 817-4227
Spanish and English Interpretation Eric Bishop 817-4223

Professional Training and Other Programs

Programs Contact Telephone
Accelerated Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing Janet Alford 817-4264
American Language Institute Peter Hendricks 338-1438
Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Off Campus Janet Alford 817-4264
Elder College Eduardo Cerpa 817-4222
Foundation Program Saroj Quinn 338-1438
International Customized Training Shanshan Liu 338-1438
Master of Business Administration: Executive Sanjit Sengupta 817-4366
Open University Afitap Boz 817-4227
Professional Development for Teachers Janet Alford 817-4264
Pupil Personnel Services Credential: School Psychology Afitap Boz 817-4227
San Francisco Discover Peter Hendricks 338-1438
Semester @ SF State Saroj Quinn 817-4325
Summer in San Francisco Saroj Quinn 817-4325