Special Characteristics of the Institution
California State University, Bakersfield, located in the southern San Joaquin Valley, opened in 1970. This agrarian valley is home to a diverse community. The early twentieth century saw local residents joined by ranchers, Dust Bowl migrants, and immigrants from Mexico and many areas of the United States and the world. Today, immigrants come from virtually every region of the world. CSUB is a designated Hispanic-serving university, with approximately 58% of its undergraduate and 47% of its credential and graduate students identifying as Latino/Hispanic. Sixty-three percent of its undergraduates and 69% of its graduate and credential students are female. A large proportion of CSUB students are first-generation university students
CSUB is a comprehensive regional university divided into four schools:
- Arts and Humanities
- Business and Public Administration
- Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering, and
- Social Sciences and Education
CSUB has a five-county service region: Kern, Inyo, Kings, North Los Angeles, and Tulare.
The university offers 41 Bachelor's degrees, 19 Master's degrees, and one Doctoral
degree. The university currently enrolls over 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students
at its main campus in Bakersfield, and just under 500 at its Antelope Valley satellite
campus in Lancaster, California. The university is fully accredited by the Western
Senior College and University Commission. The mission of CSUB emphasizes its educational
commitment for this diverse region.
CSUB Mission, Vision, and Values Statement
California State University, Bakersfield is a comprehensive public university committed
to offering excellent undergraduate and graduate programs that advance the intellectual
and personal development of its students. An emphasis on student learning is enhanced
by a commitment to scholarship, diversity, service, global awareness, and life-long
learning. The University collaborates with partners in the community to increase the
region's overall educational level, enhance its quality of life, and support its economic
development.
CSUB Vision Statement
CSU Bakersfield will be the leading campus in the CSU system in terms of faculty and
academic excellence and diversity, quality of the student experience, and community
engagement. Realization of our vision will be advanced by recruitment, development
and promotion of excellent and diverse staff within an organizational culture committed
to excellence in all areas.
CSUB Values Statement
In order to honor our purpose and commitment to achieving our vision of excellence
in all areas, we are guided by a set of core values that shapes our work with students,
with each other, and with the region we serve. These core values include the following
commitments:
- Developing the intellectual and personal potential of every student.
- Supporting the intellectual and professional development of all faculty and staff.
- Nurturing a civil and collegial campus environment that values the diversity of persons and ideas.
- Engaging one another with respect, trustworthiness, ethical behavior, and self-reflection.
- Promoting active and informed engagement of faculty, staff, students, and community stakeholders in shared governance.
- Being accountable to the public, alumni, students, and one another for achieving the mission, vision, and goals of the university
School of Social Sciences and Education Mission and Goals Statement
The mission of the School of Social Sciences and Education is to enrich the lives
of our students and improve the communities in which they live by providing high quality
undergraduate and graduate programs in the social sciences and education. Our programs
provide opportunities for students to grow as wise leaders, engaged and compassionate
citizens, reflective users of disciplinary knowledge, well-prepared working professionals,
and lifelong learners. In all we do, the School strives for educational access, efficiency,
and quality. The School is a resource and partner for increasing the quality of life
in our community, and globally. In all we do, the School strives for educational access,
efficiency and quality.
School of Social Sciences and Education Vision Statement
The School of Social Sciences and Education will provide professional leadership to
improve the quality of social life and education for the region through high-quality
scholarship, educational offerings, and community partnerships. The School of Social
Sciences and Education will be recognized as offering premier programs in the CSU
system and will offer landmark programs recognized nationally and internationally.
Educator Preparation Programs (EPP) Mission Statement
CSUB Educator Preparation Programs cultivate school, university, and community partnerships
that prepare highly qualified education professionals, who work collaboratively to
nurture an equitable and informed education community.
Educator Preparation Programs Vision Statement
The CSUB Educator Preparation Programs will be the nexus of a network of ethical educational
leaders who promote student growth and improve the quality of life in their communities.
The mission and framework for the School of Social Sciences and Education provides the foundation from which the EPP draws its capability to connect the school's diverse history with unit philosophies, goals and standards, and candidate proficiencies to enable the faculty to develop 21st century educators. By expanding minds and engaging hearts, we strive to enhance the community that we serve.
In July 2020, the School of Social Sciences and Education (SSE) welcomed our new Dean, Dr. James RodrÍguez. We are excited for the future of the school under his leadership and look forward to the collaborative process of redefining our mission and vision to support the communities we serve. The School of Social Sciences and Education (SSE), one of the four schools at CSUB, is home to twelve academic units (Academic Affairs Organizational Chart, and SSE Organizational Chart). Two units, the Department of Teacher Education (TED) and the Department of Advanced Educational Studies (AES), house the majority of the programs in the EPP (EPP Organizational Chart). The EPP is defined as those programs in SSE that are subject to review by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing as basic or advanced credential programs. The Bilingual Authorization, Reading Literacy Authorization and the MA, Curriculum and Instruction program are in the Department of Teacher Education and are housed online through Extended University.
The mission of both the University and the School of SSE provide the foundation for the EPP's approach to developing equitable educational leaders. That foundation connects the diverse history of the University and School with the EPP's philosophies, goals, and standards. In 2019, the EPP revised its mission, vision, and 7-point unit assessment system to strengthen the EPP alignment with the University and School missions. By expanding minds and engaging hearts, we strive to enhance the community that we serve.
EPP faculty and staff meet regularly to discuss common needs and concerns, program improvement, and accreditation needs. Program faculty in the Department of Advanced Educational Studies and the Department of Teacher Education meet on a regular basis to evaluate programs and recommend curricular changes to the SSE Curriculum Committee and monitor and review assessment activities. Credential office staff meet monthly with Department Chairs, directors, and administrators to keep clear lines of communication open between all groups. Information is also regularly shared with faculty in the EPP from the Deans' Advisory Council, which has representation from the EPP through department chairpersons. The Teacher Education Advisory Committee (TEAC) has representatives from across the campus and throughout the PreK-14 community. Faculty participate in professional councils, organizations, and boards within the University and community.
The Chairpersons of the Department of Teacher Education and the Department of Advanced Educational Studies are responsible for ongoing oversight of the educator preparation programs offered at CSUB and report directly to the Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education. The Director of Education Assessment and Accreditation is responsible for supporting and coordinating accreditation needs for all credential programs, program reviews, and new education program proposals and documents. They report directly to the Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education. The Associate Dean provides operational support to the Dean and to the Director of Education Assessment and Accreditation. At the next organizational level, the Department of Teacher Education supports one Director for Multiple and Single Subject programs on the Bakersfield campus and one on the Antelope Valley campus. The Department of Advanced Educational Studies supports a Director for Special Education on the main campus and a coordinator on the Antelope Valley campus. The Department of Advanced Educational Studies also supports Co-Directors for the Educational Counseling program, and Co-Directors for the Educational Administration program.
Since our 2018 Preconditions Report, we have added one program:
Addition:
Bilingual Added Authorization