What’s it like to study a Masters in San Diego?
Originally founded as a Spanish colony, San Diego went on to become part of Mexico, before being annexed into the US in the mid-18th century. It is situated adjacent to the Mexican border and retains strong cultural Mexican and Hispanic connections. As the second largest city in California, San Diego has developed into an important economic hub.
Postgraduate students in San Diego have the enviable experience of living and studying in the California climate, with easy access to the region’s golden beaches and other landmarks. The city of San Diego itself is one of the largest and most vibrant in the US with a range of local attractions, entertainment options and heritage features.
American sports are particularly well catered for in San Diego: the city’s Qualcomm Stadium has hosted the NFL Super Bowl three times and is home to the San Diego Chargers. Major League Baseball is also played in the city at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres.
San Diego’s heritage as an industrial hub and military manufacturing centre is celebrated in various museums and the city is home to a wide range of music venues, theatres and historic parks.
Beyond the city lie opportunities to visit other parts of California (including the city of Los Angeles, home of the Hollywood film industry) or, with the proper visa arrangements, to visit parts of nearby Mexico.
Universities in San Diego
The oldest (and largest) university in San Diego is San Diego State University, a public higher education institution founded in 1897. San Diego’s other major state research university is the University of California, San Diego, which is particularly renowned for its UCSD Medical Center and the biotechnology research carried out there.
Careers in San Diego
Much of the city’s industry has historically been associated with military and aerospace manufacturing, but recent decades have seen a shift towards scientific research, supported by San Diego’s universities. Global telecoms company Qualcomm was founded and is still headquartered in San Diego, while biotechnology is another important part of the local economy.
San Diego’s proximity to the Mexican border makes it one of the USA’s most important trading points (and forms one of the world’s busiest border crossings).