Humboldt State University was a public university in Arcata, California, serving Northern California and the North Coast region for more than a century before becoming California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt on January 26, 2022. Founded in 1913 as a normal school for teacher preparation, the institution expanded into a comprehensive campus within the California State University system and developed a strong identity around environmental study, natural resources, and hands-on learning tied to its location near redwood forests, coastline, rivers, and tribal communities.
Its academic profile included undergraduate and graduate education across the arts, sciences, professional studies, and applied fields, with notable emphasis on forestry, wildlife, fisheries, marine sciences, environmental science and management, and Native American studies. The university operated research and field-based facilities such as the Telonicher Marine Laboratory in Trinidad and the Schatz Energy Research Center, linking classroom instruction with coastal, energy, and ecosystem research. Humboldt State University also served a broad student population through residential campus life, student support services, and regional access to public higher education in far Northern California.