University of San Diego facts for kids

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University of San Diego

Former names	San Diego College for Women (1949–1972) San Diego University (1949–1972)
Motto	Emitte Spiritum Tuum (Latin)
Motto in English	Send Forth Thy Spirit
Type	Private university
Established	1949; 76 years ago (1949)
Religious affiliation	Catholic
Academic affiliations	ACCU CONAHEC NAICU Space-grant
Endowment	$652.5 million (2022)
President	James T. Harris III
Academic staff	1007
Undergraduates	5,702
Postgraduates	2,529
Other students	810
Location	San Diego, California , United States 32°46′16″N 117°11′15″W / 32.77111°N 117.18750°W / 32.77111; -117.18750
Campus	Urban
Colors	Blue and white
Nickname	Toreros
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – WCC, Pioneer Football League
Mascot	Diego Torero

The University of San Diego (USD) is a private Catholic university in San Diego, California, United States. It is a place where students can learn and grow.

USD started in 1949 as two separate schools. These were the San Diego College for Women and San Diego University. The university included a College for Men and a School of Law. In 1972, these two schools joined together to form the University of San Diego we know today.

The university has many different schools. These include the College of Arts and Sciences and the Knauss School of Business. There are also schools for nursing, peace studies, law, leadership, and engineering.

USD offers many different study programs. There are 89 programs for both undergraduate and graduate students. About 9,073 students attend USD. The university is known for its high level of research. USD's sports teams are called the San Diego Toreros. They compete in NCAA Division I sports.

The Story of USD
Campus and Location
How USD is Managed
What Students Can Study
- USD's Rankings
Student Life
Sports at USD
- Sports Facilities
Famous People Who Attended USD
See also

The Story of USD

Immaculata Parish Church at USD shows the beautiful campus style.

The university began with two separate schools in 1949. The San Diego College for Women opened first in 1952. Bishop Charles F. Buddy and Reverend Mother Rosalie Hill helped start the university. They built it on land called "Alcalá Park." This name comes from a saint named Didacus of Alcalá.

In 1954, the College for Men and the School of Law opened. These schools were first in a building called Bogue Hall. Later, other buildings were added. The Immaculata Chapel opened in 1957. For many years, these schools shared Alcalá Park. In 1972, all the schools merged into one co-educational university. This means both boys and girls could attend.

The Universidad de Alcalá in Spain inspired USD's design.

USD has grown a lot since 1972. In 1998, a kind person named Joan B. Kroc gave USD $25 million. This money helped build the Institute for Peace & Justice. Other generous people also gave money to USD. These gifts helped build new facilities. For example, the Jenny Craig Pavilion is an athletic arena. The Donald P. Shiley Center for Science and Technology helps students with science.

These gifts also helped USD host big events. They hosted basketball tournaments and international meetings. In 2005, the university made the campus more friendly for walking. They closed some areas to cars. A new Student Life Pavilion opened in 2009. It has dining areas and spaces for student groups.

In 2022, a new building opened for business students. It is called the Knauss Center for Business Education. It is a large space for learning and working together. In the spring of 2022, USD had 9,041 students. They came from 85 countries and all 50 U.S. states.

Campus and Location

Alcalá Park is on top of a hill. It has amazing views of Mission Bay and the city of San Diego.

The people who started USD believed that beautiful surroundings help students learn better. So, the university buildings look like old Spanish buildings from the 1500s. This style is called Plateresque architecture. It honors San Diego's Catholic history. It also looks like the Universidad de Alcalá in Spain.

The campus is about two miles north of downtown San Diego. It is in an area called Linda Vista. From the campus, you can see many parts of San Diego. You can also see the Pacific Ocean and nearby islands.

In February 2022, Travel+Leisure magazine said USD was one of the most beautiful college campuses in the U.S. Best Choice Schools also called it the most beautiful urban campus.

How USD is Managed

USD is a Catholic university. However, it is not run directly by the Diocese of San Diego anymore. Today, a group of people called a board of trustees manages the university. The Bishop of San Diego is still a permanent member of this board. He helps make sure the school stays true to its Catholic values.

What Students Can Study

The Donald P. Shiley Center for Science and Technology opened in 2003.

USD offers more than 80 different degrees. Students can earn bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. These degrees are offered through seven different schools and colleges:

College of Arts and Sciences
Knauss School of Business
Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering
Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science
Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies
School of Law
School of Leadership and Education Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Law are the oldest parts of USD. The Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies is the newest. USD also has an honors program for top undergraduate students.

Undergraduate Programs: Students can choose from 43 bachelor's degrees. They can also choose from 56 minor subjects.
Graduate Programs: There are 36 master's degrees, law degrees (JD, LLM), and four doctorates.

USD is known for its high level of research. This means professors and students do a lot of important studies. The School of Business was recently renamed the Knauss School of Business. This happened after Don Knauss gave a large gift to the university. He wanted to help educate future business leaders.

USD's Rankings

U.S. university rankings

THES World	601-800
USNWR National University	98
Washington Monthly National University	74
Forbes	106

Undergraduate students in Fall 2020
Race and ethnicity	Total
White	49%	49
Hispanic	22%	22
Other	10%	10
Asian	7%	7
Foreign national	7%	7
Black	3%	3

USD was ranked 47th among the best colleges in the U.S. by WSJ/College Pulse in 2025. This ranking looks at the top 500 universities.

USD is the youngest independent school in the top 100 universities list by U.S. News & World Report. In 2021, it was ranked tied for 88th among "National Universities." Its undergraduate Engineering program was tied for 13th in the U.S. The graduate Nursing School was ranked #1 among Catholic schools.

The Knauss School of Business was ranked the second-best undergraduate business school in California in 2022. It has also been ranked #1 in the nation for Real Estate Colleges.

In February 2022, Travel+Leisure magazine called USD's campus one of the most beautiful in the United States. The Princeton Review also ranked USD highly in 2021. It was 6th for "Most Beautiful Campus" and 8th for "Best Quality of Life."

USD's theater program works with The Old Globe. This program was ranked in the Top 10 "Best Drama Schools" by The Hollywood Reporter in 2024. It is a very competitive program. Students get full scholarships and help with living costs. They also work in plays at The Old Globe.

Student Life

USD has many fraternities and sororities. About 25% of undergraduate students are part of these groups.

Sports at USD

The USD sports teams are called the Toreros. They play in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) sports. Most teams are part of the West Coast Conference.

Sports Facilities

USD has many great places for sports:

Jenny Craig Pavilion (for basketball and other events)
Torero Stadium (for soccer and football)
Fowler Park and Cunningham Field (for baseball)
Skip and Cindy Hogan Tennis Center
USD Sports Center Pool
USD Softball Complex
McNamara Fitness Room
Varsity Weight Room
Practice/Recreation Facilities
Erg Room
USD Boat House

USD has hosted many important sports events. These include NCAA Tournament games for soccer and tennis. The Jenny Craig Pavilion has also hosted basketball championships.