Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the world's high-tech capital, San José State University successfully educates students to compete in and contribute to the complex, global economy of the new century. A comprehensive public university, San José State University is recognized for its award-winning faculty, cutting-edge programs, and growing collaborations with private and government entities. The university aims to enrich the lives of its students, transmit knowledge and skills to be applied in the service of society, and expand each student's base of knowledge through research and scholarship.

An example of diversity, San José State University has a distinctive character that has been forged by its history, location, and vision, which is a blend of old and new, traditional and innovative. The university offers the excitement of studying at a large, metropolitan campus where many cultures meet, while still featuring individual attention for each student. Among San José State University's most prized traditions is an uncompromising commitment to offer access to higher education to all who meet the criteria for admission, yielding a stimulating mix of age groups, cultures, and economic backgrounds for teaching, learning, and research.

San José is a newly revitalized city that, as part of the thriving Silicon Valley, provides an exceptionally rewarding learning environment for students. Silicon Valley firms and agencies seek San José State University students for internships, summer work programs, and research assistance. Students at other California colleges, as well as universities nationwide, cannot compare to the large number of San José State University graduates employed by high-tech firms in Silicon Valley.