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About Us

California State University San Marcos is honored to offer courses and bachelor’s degree programs in South San Diego County for the first time, thanks to a unique regional initiative. The University Now Initiative (UNI) represents a groundbreaking collaboration between the city of Chula Vista, Southwestern College and California state leadership to create new higher education opportunities in the unique border region of South San Diego County. Years in the making, this comprehensive planning study addresses a critical need in South County — Chula Vista remains the only city in California with a population of over 200,000 that lacks a public university within its boundaries. The initiative focuses on aligning academic programs with workforce needs while leveraging the unique opportunities presented by the region’s proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, creating educational pathways that serve this dynamic binational community. 

Through extensive workforce assessment and collaboration with regional stakeholders, UNI identified priority degree programs that directly respond to South County’s economic development needs. ±¬ÁÏÉçÇø is answering this call by bringing our highly-regarded programs in business administration, computer information systems and cybersecurity to Chula Vista — programs that align with the priorities outlined by UNI’s workforce analysis. The initiative also emphasizes developing bilingual and bicultural competencies to serve the diverse cross-border community. ±¬ÁÏÉçÇø is committed to incorporating these elements into future program offerings as we expand our South County presence. 

Through our partnership with Southwestern College, ±¬ÁÏÉçÇø is providing access to these priority degree-completion programs and courses beginning in Fall 2026. As we continue responding to evolving regional workforce needs, we are also laying the groundwork for expanded offerings in specialized areas such as human development and bilingual speech-language pathology.