Overview

Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is a public research institution with nearly 16,000 students, 10 colleges and schools and more than 175 academic programs.

U.S News & World Report consistently lists CSU among America’s Best Colleges and Universities.

For the 2017-2018 academic year, CSU welcomed the largest freshman class in its history, with 2,000 first-year students.

CSU’s student-success initiatives save time and money for students. The average CSU graduate’s debt is nearly $2,000 below the state average, and CSU’s average student debt per borrower is the second lowest among Ohio public universities.

Engaged Learning connects CSU students with 3,000 co-ops, internships and other experiential learning opportunities with employers in virtually every industry, ensuring they graduate fully prepared to succeed in their chosen professions.

CSU recently was ranked No. 1 in the nation for increases in research expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation.

Our dynamic campus in the heart of downtown Cleveland continues to evolve. In 2018, we opened a striking addition to CSU’s Washkewicz College of Engineering and CSU’s new School of Film & Media Arts – the first standalone film school in Ohio – located on the top floor of the Idea Center at Playhouse Square.

CSU has strengthened its ties to Cleveland through a series of forward-thinking partnerships. Campus International School and MC2STEM High School provide pathways to college for young people, by way of the Education Park that CSU has created with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. CSU serves unmet healthcare needs in our community through the Partnership for Urban Health. CSU has teamed up with Case Western Reserve University to lead the way in evolving the internet of things.

ENGAGE: The Campaign for CSU exceeded its goal – two years ahead of schedule – and raised more than $114 million, largely to benefit scholarships and student success programs.

CSU President Laura Bloomberg, who took office on April 26, 2022, is the eighth president in the history of the University. A nationally recognized leader in public and global policy education, President Bloomberg came to CSU to assume the role of provost from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.