California State University - San Marcos Reviews

  • 41 Reviews
  • San Marcos (CA)
  • Annual Tuition: $19,613
86% of 41 students said this degree improved their career prospects
95% of 41 students said they would recommend this school to others
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Student & Graduate Reviews

ChristineT
  • Reviewed: 6/16/2023
  • Degree: Speech Pathology
"Professors- very knowledgeable in research, however, some did not effectively teach Clinical placements/internships- tailored to your interests while meeting requirements Stress of program- high because you study and work 45+ hours each week including commuting to clinical placements Support- professors have open door policy and very supportive Unique learning- Simulated scenarios with 'actors' were part of learning to practice clinical skills in a low-stress environment"
Jesus Perez
  • Reviewed: 9/29/2019
  • Degree: Engineering
"My undergraduate university was an extraordinary school and amazing experience. It is a small school, but the benefit of that was that I was able to have close relationships with other students, staff and most importantly the faculty. My lower division classes were all about 30 students. That allowed for us to ask questions in class and in many occasions, a discussion among the class would replace the lecture. Then in my major courses and upper division courses I had even smaller class sizes of about 15 to 20 students. The physics department was extraordinary. The open-door policy that the professors abided by helped me feel welcomed and supported. In fact, I got to know every professor from the department before I even had them for a course. I took advantage of asking them from help on problems and topics that I needed help with and even though I was not officially their student yet, they had no hesitation in helping. My school had no shortage of scholarship, fellowship, and other finical opportunities. The finical aid department, professors, and staff all encouraged us to apply to the campus wide general scholarship application that filtered out the best suited and available scholarships for each individual. Many of the scholarships I received came from staff forwarding them to me because they got to know me so well. My school also had an excellent office of internships that allowed me to partake in a semester long internship at another university and to count it as credit."
Jesus Perez
  • Reviewed: 9/29/2019
  • Degree: Engineering
"My undergraduate university was an extraordinary school and amazing experience. It is a small school, but the benefit of that was that I was able to have close relationships with other students, staff and most importantly the faculty. My lower division classes were all about 30 students. That allowed for us to ask questions in class and in many occasions, a discussion among the class would replace the lecture. Then in my major courses and upper division courses I had even smaller class sizes of about 15 to 20 students. The physics department was extraordinary. The open-door policy that the professors abided by helped me feel welcomed and supported. In fact, I got to know every professor from the department before I even had them for a course. I took advantage of asking them from help on problems and topics that I needed help with and even though I was not officially their student yet, they had no hesitation in helping. My school had no shortage of scholarship, fellowship, and other finical opportunities. The finical aid department, professors, and staff all encouraged us to apply to the campus wide general scholarship application that filtered out the best suited and available scholarships for each individual. Many of the scholarships I received came from staff forwarding them to me because they got to know me so well. My school also had an excellent office of internships that allowed me to partake in a semester long internship at another university and to count it as credit."
Lauren Wise
  • Reviewed: 9/20/2019
  • Degree: Psychology
"This college was an amazing experience for me. As a veteran they had so many resources available to me. This is a science heavy degree, so if you are not willing to do labs and study the brain you are in for a rough time. Although, I only received a B.A. and not a B.S., the information given to me while attending CSUSM is so valuable. Overall, this was an amazing experience and I recommend it to anyone looking for a degree in psychology."
Megan
  • Reviewed: 6/29/2019
  • Degree: Biology
"The biology department at San Marcos was great. I felt like the majority of the professors cared about their students and were willing to help. I experienced difficulty in a few classes, but much of that was due to the demanding subject. It was difficult to work and get good grades while taking such challenging classes. I do feel that there was not much help in regards to registering for classes and being enrolled versus waitlisted. I had to extend my studies an extra semester because a graduating senior could not get enrolled in a biology class that juniors were taking. Instead of adding an extra spot or taking someone that could take the class at a later date out, I was forced to take the class the following semester. This threw off everything I had planned and the staff at San Marcos did not care. I think if you can get enrolled in all of your classes and study hard you will be good to go, but do not rely on the professors to help you get off a waitlist. The guidelines for which classes I needed to take were clear and concise, but the electives for upper division were not always offered. This was frustrating and you often times just had to take an elective you had no interest in to stay on track. Overall, I am glad I attended San Marcos and am happy with my degree. I do believe that going to community college first would have saved me a lot of money so I highly recommend that option as college is extremely expensive."
Kelsey
  • Reviewed: 6/17/2019
  • Degree: Cultural Studies
"I really liked the program. The classes were great! There are some professors there that are really willing to be mentors. The thing I liked the most about the program was the amount of classes they offered. The classes were always different each semester and the professors did a great job in assigning reading that was educational and entertaining!"
Miranda Reveles
  • Reviewed: 5/23/2019
  • Degree: Human Services
"I attended CSUSM for six years taking classes part-time as I worked a full time job. I quickly discovered that staff and faculty at the university are very helpful and committed to their students. The professors are very caring and are always willing to help. CSUSM is a smaller very diverse commuter campus of about 17,000 students. I was in the Human Development program which is one of the largest programs on campus with over 1,000 students. Graduates seek careers in diverse settings, from non-profit and state agencies to counseling, health-care and educational programs as counselors, social workers, teachers, health-care workers and related positions. The curriculum of the B.A. in Human Development facilitates many opportunities for students to become more familiar with service to the community, both locally and globally. In addition, Service Learning is included throughout the curriculum which culminate is 90 hours of field work that is equal to an internship. This is where I had first hand experiences on situations that helped me define the areas of interest I would like to pursue. During this field work I was personally challenged in many ways which helped me grow stronger as a person. I am glad this field work was a requirement of the program as it makes us as students more competitive in the job market. In addition to gaining exposure and experience in the field, it also provides an opportunity to see if the particular career field is the right one based on getting personal experience in the field. Lastly, completing my undergraduate courses in Human Development I realized how dedicated the professors are and make every effort to make the classes as interesting as possible. Human Development professors bring in multiple guest speakers and have presentations that are very relevant and interesting to the class topics. Furthermore, the professors make every effort for students to gain a clear understanding and knowledge of what life can be out in the professional field. I am very grateful for all the professors I came in contact with. I learned a great deal from them and had a positive learning experience. Such that I am now pursuing a Master of Public Health degree. Thank you CSUSM."
BMSW
  • Reviewed: 9/1/2017
  • Degree: Social Work
"I loved the opportunities it gave me and being so close to home. Most of the professors are wonderful, it's hard work but worth it!"
Carl Olton Jr.
  • Reviewed: 6/22/2017
  • Degree: Political Science
"San Marcos is a great institution. The school shaped me into becoming a Policy Analyst. The location of the university is prime, and this allows students to concentrate in a comfortable environment. I would recommend this university to anyone interested in Business or Nursing school."
M. Arce
  • Reviewed: 3/30/2017
  • Degree: Sociology
"The Master's in Sociological Practice program offers the opportunity to engage peers and faculty on topics that can be sensitive in nature, but ultimately encourage growth as an individual and as a scholar. The Sociology's faculty department is diverse in background and experience, which allows for a variety of perspectives to be brought into discussions. The cohort model of classes ensures that you can build lasting relationships with your classmates and facilitates a sense of trust in and out of the classroom. Overall, CSUSM is a great campus with wonderful faculty and I highly recommend it."
Said Gonzalez
  • Reviewed: 3/27/2017
  • Degree: Public Health
"CSU San Marcos is a very beautiful campus situated in the North County part of San Diego. I am a current graduate student in their first Master in Public Health cohort. Professors are well versed in their academia and you can find an array of classes being offered under various disciplines. This is definitely a commuter school with most of the activities and liveliness occurring much during the day. Now in regards to my MPH program, since it is a new program there has been a lot of trial and error, and it is also an accelerated program meant for students who can dedicate full-time to their studies. Although, you have the option of switching between part-time/full-time. The campus has a lot of staircases so you can say that you get a workout as you walk to class. The diversity is noticeable with the majority of students being either Caucasian or Latino(a). Love that they have a Cesar Chavez statue!"
J. Martin Leyva
  • Reviewed: 3/17/2017
  • Degree: Sociology
"California State University San Marco's Masters of Sociological Practice is a very critical program. The professor are very engaged in social justice and have a strong liking to critical race theory, queer theory and others that challenge students. The program is designed to explore the challenges of society and explore the true meaning of what we can do to foster change. The professors are very engaged in the lives of students, and come from a diverse population. They truly push students to think deeply and critically at the issues that society is facing. They also push you to be a better writer by teaching the meaning of concise. The resources that are given to us by the University and the CHABSS Department are amazing and beyond the resources, the loving support that we receive is what keeps student engaged in the process of change."
Charlie Warburton
  • Reviewed: 3/6/2017
  • Degree: Fitness Trainer
"I attended CSU San Marcos in Temecula to go through the 2 year Kinesiology program for my Bachelor's degree. I loved that we were in a cohort so I stayed with the same group of people for 2 years and we became a family. I would have liked to have more of a say in which classes and electives we could have taken but the program was already pre-determined for us. Overall, I received a great experience but wish I would have had more guidance with what exactly my degree qualified me for."
Alexandra
  • Reviewed: 3/2/2017
  • Degree: Social Work
"CSUSM is an amazing school for someone who wants the college experience but does not want the big University feeling. CSUSM has smaller classes and the teachers are able to know you by name. It has been a great opportunity to learn and grown at CSUSM and I am excited to graduate with my Masters in Social Work degree in the next year."
Frank N. Montana
  • Reviewed: 2/28/2017
  • Degree: Psychology
"California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) is a clean and safe campus located roughly 30 north of San Diego, and 45 minutes south of Los Angeles, and has a total student body of approximately 13,000 students. The psychology program at California State University San Marcos is comprised of coursework designed to prepare its students for graduate work in either Master's or PhD programs. As psychology is typically a research-based academic focus, the program faculty at San Marcos are keen to ensure their students are as cognizant as possible of the realistic employment opportunities that can be anticipated after graduation. To that end, the faculty members do not hide that a B.A. in this program will not in itself have a high earning potential. Rather, it is a program geared towards equipping its students with the knowledge, skills and abilities in research methods and experimental design necessary to perform at the highest level in graduate study, or work involving statistics and data analysis. With that being said, the program faculty are always accessible and willing to discuss potential volunteer, internship, or career opportunities in the surrounding city. From my own experience, most faculty members have even been willing to reach out to their own network of colleagues in order to certify that each students' academic or professional interests are, to the best of their abilities, recognized. I, for example, had no trouble finding internships related to my field of study largely because of the connections I made with my program faculty. To that end, although the school/program is not recognized as highly as its nearby counterparts such as University of California San Diego (UCSD) or San Diego State University (SDSU), the program nevertheless continues to foster minds through a series of comprehensive coursework in an array of psychology concentrations. Perhaps the most important factors to consider when determining whether or not to attend CSUSM for its psychology program are: (1) Am I willing to step out of my comfort zone and connect with faculty; (2) Am I willing to do all that I can to graduate in the top 15% of my class; (3) Am I willing to find practical work/internship experience whilst enrolled full time; (4) Do I want to pursue a graduate education; (5) What career paths am I interested in pursuing; and (6) How much am I actually willing to spend for a bachelor's degree in psychology? From my own experience after graduating with this degree, specifically after having worked full time in a data analysis job and having obtained admission to several top-tier schools for graduate study, a B.A. in psychology from any university has about the same utility in the workplace. Whether you spend $100,000.00 in tuition from a well-known institution, or about $40,000.00 from a lesser known institution (such as San Marcos), the career outlook and earning potential is essentially the same. However successful you become with a B.A. in psychology has more to do with the connections you make, and the practical experience you gain. With this in mind, the psychology program at CSUSM makes networking with faculty and peers easy; with a typical class enrolling about 30-40 students per classroom. Furthermore, with the school being centrally located between Los Angeles and San Diego, the job opportunities are almost endless. Available at a fraction of the cost of a tier one university, I highly recommend motivated and go-getter students to pursue their undergraduate degree in psychology at California State University San Marcos."
Alyssa M
  • Reviewed: 2/28/2017
  • Degree: Accounting
"The accounting program is small, which makes it difficult to get into and even more difficult to get the classes you need. But if you are serious about it you will receive some of the best, hands-on instruction from teachers who are truly passionate about your success. Because there are so few of them they really band together to bring their students the most current information, best community resources, and good career and networking opportunities from all over San Diego County."
Hannah Hawker
  • Reviewed: 1/28/2017
  • Degree: Human Services
"My experience at CSUSM was one of a kind. If you're looking for a mid-size school that has it all, look no further. CSUSM is seriously and genuinely like no other university. The environment is friendly and welcoming as soon as you take your first step onto campus, all the way until you take your last step as a student. CSUSM fosters innovation, growth, a diverse and loving safe space, and has so much to offer. The location is wonderful as well. Situated on a hill side, a little gem, it's near the beach, not to far from downtown San Diego, and surrounded by wonderful shopping centers as well as places to dine out. The staff and faculty are truly supportive of student growth and the opportunity to get involved on and off campus is honestly endless. I felt so empowered throughout my time at CSUSM and I cannot stress enough how phenomenal the whole package is. Once a cougar, always a cougar. CSUSM will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart."
Valerie Escalante
  • Reviewed: 12/31/2016
  • Degree: Human Services
"I enjoyed my experience of acquiring a Human Development degree with an emphasis in counseling. The core courses gave me the knowledge needed to pursue further education, however the non core courses were most valuable in my opinion. Although, I did complete research on choosing my non core courses, I had little knowledge of the impact they would have on my thought processes in my daily life, as well as my career. The non core courses are geared toward broadening worldly life experience, which is profoundly necessary to sustain a career. Greatly appreciative."
Veronica Harrison
  • Reviewed: 1/14/2016
  • Degree: Social Work
"I really like the fact that I am able to attend part time and it also includes the concentration that I am interested in. I also like that we are in a cohort model, so I get to work with my fellow future-social workers for the next 2.5 years; it really feels like a family. The professors have amazing experience and genuinely care for our well-being. One of the cons of this program, and of the school as a whole is their parking. Parking is unreasonably expensive, especially compared to other schools in the California State University system. Also, the classrooms that they have placed us in are very far from the school's parking lot, and because we take classes at night, I feel that there are plenty of other open classrooms on the main campus that we can be placed at instead."
Stephen Quartucci
  • Reviewed: 11/9/2015
  • Degree: Social Work
"Although the MSW program at California State University San Marcos is still in its infancy, the quality of the program is top-tier. The faculty members are ambitious and their excitement towards getting the program recognized is infectious. The school offers both full and part-time programs to accommodate students who are employed or may not be able to fit the full-time regiment into their current life circumstances. The program is well rounded and emphasizes research and an evidence-based practices approach that gives students the knowledge and tools necessary to assist their future clients. If you are contemplating pursuing a MSW, I would highly recommend that you look into the program offered at CSUSM!"