About Us
Educating Working Professionals Since 1901
As one of the oldest nonprofit universities in California, Golden Gate University (GGU) has been granting degrees and certificates emphasizing practical, skills-based education to working adults since 1901.
Our university traces its beginnings to a night school started by the San Francisco YMCA during the California Gold Rush in the early 1850s. It was officially established in 1901 as a place where working adults could acquire education and skills to advance their careers. For more than 100 years now, GGU has been helping adults achieve their professional goals by providing world-class undergraduate and graduate education in accounting, law, finance, taxation, business, and technology.
A nonprofit, independent university, GGU serves learners who want a practical education, empowering them to have a successful career and improved quality of life. GGU has committed itself to helping working professionals further their education with practical knowledge, flexible course times, and contemporary skill training. We make it simple for adult learners to transfer previously earned college credits and even earn credit for workplace and military experience.
At GGU, we have always understood and met the unique educational needs and demands of working adult students. We focus on providing our students with real-world knowledge from instructors who are practicing professionals in some of the Bay Area’s largest and most successful organizations. We’ve been a leader in online education for nearly three decades, and our programs offer maximum flexibility for modern students.