College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts at San Diego State University

What College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts at San Diego State University does

The College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts (PSFA) is one of eight academic colleges within San Diego State University, a public institution founded in 1897 and part of the California State University system. PSFA comprises seven schools (Art and Design; Communication; Journalism and Media Studies; Music and Dance; Theatre, Television, and Film; Public Affairs; L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management) and three ROTC departments (Air Force, Army, Navy), delivering 43 undergraduate and graduate degree programs alongside 18 centers and institutes. The college serves prospective students, current students, alumni, military cadets, and the broader San Diego community, providing 130 scholarships and facilitating 700 student internships annually.

PSFA's core infrastructure includes the new SDSU Performing Arts District with state-of-the-art Main Stage and Second Stage theatres, professional-grade music studios, donor-funded equipment collections, and student media outlets including The Daily Aztec and KCR College Radio. International partnerships span Communication University of Zhejiang in Hangzhou, China, an unnamed French media school for trilateral exchange, and the University of Pretoria in South Africa, supporting faculty-led study abroad. Marketing and community engagement operate through SDSU's centralized admissions framework, the PSFA Stories news platform, the PSFA Events Calendar, the SDSU Arts Guide, and active social media channels (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), supplemented by the Aztec Mentor alumni program and the PSFA Academic Resource Center (PARC).

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: student tuition and California State University system/state appropriations form the primary funding base, while supplemental income derives from the Take A Seat fundraising campaign (450 seat sponsorships priced at $1,800-$2,000), scholarship endowments (including the Anna Marie Fobes and Michael and Anne-Charlotte Harvey endowments), planned giving programs, and equipment donations such as the Pat Pfiffner percussion collection. The college is led by Dean Janis McKay, with school-level directors appointed by faculty governance; Matthew Hebert was named Director of the School of Art and Design in February 2026.

Name

College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts at San Diego State University

Legal name

College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts at San Diego State University

Website

https://psfa.sdsu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts (PSFA) is a public academic college within San Diego State University comprising seven schools and three ROTC departments, offering 43 degree programs in arts, communication, hospitality, journalism, music, public affairs, and theatre to undergraduate and graduate students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) & Officer Candidate Schools (OCS/OTS) (EDAHAOAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education
• University degree programs
• Fine arts education
• Professional studies college
• Military ROTC training

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and State Funding: As a public university college within SDSU, PSFA receives funding through student tuition, state appropriations, and California State University system allocations.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The Take A Seat campaign and other giving programs generate donations for performances, students, faculty, and the Performing Arts District. Seat sponsorships range from $1,800 to $2,000 for named recognition plaques.
3. Scholarship Endowments: Endowed scholarships and planned giving programs support students, including the Anna Marie Fobes Scholarship and Michael and Anne-Charlotte Harvey scholarship for study abroad programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PSFA is a public university college within San Diego State University offering 43 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across seven schools (Art and Design, Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, Music and Dance, Theatre/Television/Film, Public Affairs, and Hospitality and Tourism Management) and three ROTC departments (Air Force, Army, Navy/Marines). The college supports 130 scholarships and facilitates 700 annual student internships, operating the SDSU Performing Arts District and study abroad programs.

Product overview

The College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts (PSFA) at San Diego State University is a comprehensive academic college comprising seven schools, three departments, and multiple specialized programs. The portfolio includes schools focused on Art and Design, Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, Music and Dance, Theatre/Television/Film, Public Affairs, and Hospitality/Tourism Management, plus ROTC programs for military training. PSFA offers 43 majors, 18 centers and institutes, and operates the SDSU Performing Arts District featuring state-of-the-art performance venues. The college provides diverse academic credentials from bachelor's to master's degrees, certificates, and minors, supported by student media organizations (The Daily Aztec, KCR College Radio), international exchange programs, and specialized initiatives like the New Musical Initiative. PSFA also runs fundraising programs including the Take a Seat Campaign for the Performing Arts District and accepts equipment donations to support student learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School of Art and Design
• School of Communication
• School of Journalism and Media Studies
• School of Music and Dance
• School of Theatre, Television, and Film
• School of Public Affairs
• L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
• ROTC Programs (Air Force, Army, Navy)
• SDSU Performing Arts District
• Take A Seat Campaign
• International Studies Programs

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Communication University of Zhejiang (CUZ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026SDSU's School of Journalism and Media Studies collaborates with CUZ in Hangzhou, China for intensive faculty-led study abroad programs. Students participate in campus visits, cultural exchanges, and media facility tours including 4K esports lab. The program also includes French media school students for a three-way cultural exchange among American, Chinese, and French students.
• University of PretoriaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025New School of Public Affairs partnership with University of Pretoria advances global research, teaching, and student engagement. The collaboration includes lectures from South African scholars like Dr. Stellah Lubinga and joint initiatives in public affairs scholarship.
• French Media School (Unnamed)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Participation in the China study abroad program alongside SDSU JMS and CUZ students, fostering trilateral cultural exchange among American, Chinese, and French students in media studies.
• City of Chula VistaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership to build a Cinematic Arts Academy Center and Library in Chula Vista, expanding SDSU's cinematic arts presence to the South Bay region of San Diego County.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• USC School of Cinematic Arts: USC's premier film, television, and media school within a major private research university. Comparable to PSFA's School of Theatre, Television, and Film in industry focus and recruitment pipeline for entertainment careers.
• UC San Diego Department of Theatre and Dance: UC San Diego's theatre and dance department within a major public research university. Comparable to PSFA's performing arts programs in a public California university context, though at the UC system.
• Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts: A college of fine arts at a private research university encompassing art, design, music, drama, and architecture. Structurally similar to PSFA in housing multiple fine arts schools within a single college unit at a research university.
• UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture: UCLA's arts school combines architecture, art, design, media, and music programs at a public research university. Directly comparable to PSFA in scope (multi-disciplinary arts at a public university), though significantly larger and at the UC system rather than CSU.
• Boston University College of Fine Arts: BU's college of fine arts includes music, theatre, visual arts, and performing arts programs. Comparable to PSFA's multi-school fine arts structure at a private research university with similar program breadth.
• NYU Tisch School of the Arts: A leading private university arts school offering undergraduate and graduate programs in film, theatre, music, dance, and emerging media. Comparable to PSFA in the breadth of professional and fine arts disciplines, though at a private, higher-cost institution.

Regional players

• San José State University College of Humanities and the Arts: The arts/humanities college at San José State University, a CSU peer institution. Comparable to PSFA in housing multiple arts and humanities schools within a single college at a comparable-scale public university.
• Cal State Long Beach College of the Arts: Cal State Long Beach's arts college encompasses design, music, theatre arts, film/digital media, and dance. The closest structural peer to PSFA within the CSU system in terms of multi-disciplinary arts scope and California public university scale.
• University of Arizona College of Fine Arts: A college of fine arts at a large public research university housing schools of art, music, theatre/film/television, and dance. Comparable to PSFA in multi-school fine arts structure within a public university setting outside California.
• San Francisco State University School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies: A CSU-system peer college in San Francisco offering programs in theatre, dance, and performance. Directly comparable to PSFA's School of Music and Dance and School of Theatre, Television, and Film within the same California State University system.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtiktok.com/@sandiegostateuniversity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SDSUVideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/SanDiegoState
• Instagraminstagram.com/sandiegostateuniversity
• TikToktiktok.com/@sandiegostateuniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/college-of-professional-studies-and-fine-sdsu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts at San Diego State University