---

Transforming Experience into Expertise, and Expertise into Leadership

As the demand for psychology professionals remains steady, so too does the demand for qualified, accredited, hands-on, and multicultural-focused psychology education. At the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) at Alliant University, our programs are awarded with top accreditation and elite faculty members, helping to give our graduate students the best education possible.

---

Why Study Psychology in California?

If you want to be a clinical psychologist, a family therapist, a licensed professional clinical counselor, or a licensed social worker in a promising job market, California should definitely be on your radar. Not only does the Golden State have a strong job market for psychologists, additionally, according to Projections Central, employment opportunities for clinical psychologists, clinical counselors, and social workers in California are expected to increase by 8.6% from 2020-2030. 

To have access to the California job market and practice as a psychologist in California, you must be licensed by the California Board of Psychology. California’s job market makes it a great place to launch your psychology career. Consider attending one of the best graduate schools in professional psychology and top institutions among psychology colleges in California. Rooted in psychological science, Alliant emphasizes both theory and practice to help prepare graduates for impactful roles and valuable skills across the field.

---

---

Get to Know Our Program Directors

---

Continuing a Legacy of Excellence

Each year, hundreds of students graduate from CSPP at Alliant, prepared, confident, and excited about their future in professional psychology. Here are ten reasons why:

1. Accreditation

Longstanding APA (American Psychological Association) and COAMFTE accreditation requirements of clinical psychology and marriage and family therapy programs, ensures your education is among the highest of California’s standards.

The online master’s degree program in marriage and family therapy is designed to follow the COAMFTE-accredited curriculum of the on-ground program and is accredited by COAMFTE.

The master’s degree in clinical counseling is CACREP-accredited, which is the recognized training standard for counselors by the Institute of Medicine and the Veteran’s Administration, and its curricula content areas include the required educational training for counseling licensure in most states, making CACREP-accreditation a pathway to portability.

Our online, CSWE-accredited MSW program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to make meaningful contributions in clinical, policy, and advocacy settings. We are proud to provide a high-quality, CSWE-accredited education that will empower future social workers to meet the evolving needs of individuals, families, and communities.

2. Emphasis Areas

CSPP graduate school offers many combinations of degrees and emphasis areas, so every student has the ability to graduate with a specialized skill set after completing a psychology degree program. CSPP areas of emphasis include:

• Child and family track  
• Child and family emphasis  
• Clinical forensic psychology emphasis
• Clinical health psychology emphasis (CHP)    
• Ecosystemic child emphasis   
• Family/child and couple emphasis (FACE)     
• Family/child psychology emphasis     
• Forensic family/child track    
• Forensic psychology    
• Gender studies and LGBT psychology emphasis    
• Health psychology emphasis     
• Health track     
• Integrative health track     
• Integrative psychology emphasis
• Multicultural and international emphasis
• Multicultural community-clinical psychology emphasis (MCCP)   
• Multi-interest option (non-emphasis) (MIO)     
• Psychodynamic emphasis     
• Social justice psychology track
• Trauma, stress, resilience, health psychology

3. Online Degree Offerings

Many of CSPP master’s programs at Alliant are offered online, allowing for flexible, convenient schedules while maintaining the necessary on-ground practicum our graduate programs are known for.

Apply Today

4. Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism is a foundational feature and core commitment at CSPP. Whether it’s our marital and family therapy, counseling psychology, clinical psychology, organizational psychology, or social work programs, multicultural competencies are woven through the curriculum. Throughout our multicultural specialization and our certificate in LGBT human services and mental health program, CSPP is committed to promoting inclusion within our campuses and celebrating diversity throughout our programs.

5. I-MERIT

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging provides leadership and expertise to the Alliant Community to advance its commitment to inclusive excellence, community service, and academic excellence.

Through programmatic and educational initiatives, we enable our faculty, staff, and students to reach their potential while promoting the appreciation of cultural diversity and foster intercultural and cross-cultural understanding.

6. Hands-On Experience

For more than 50 years, CSPP at Alliant has established practicum opportunities with organizations across California. These relationships provide students the opportunity to receive real-world experience in an environment relevant to their studies and future employment goals. We’ve partnered with organizations like:

• Community mental health centers and clinics
• Inpatient mental health facilities
• Rehabilitation programs
• Medical settings
• Residential treatment centers
• Forensic/correctional facilities
• Businesses
• Research organizations
• Governmental agencies
• Integrated care sites
• Veteran administrations
• School Districts/Systems

To learn more about potential practicum opportunities, visit our Clinical Psychology Research and Student Experience Practicum section.

7. Consulting Services

CSPP offers organizational psychology students the opportunity to provide consulting services to respected organizations that in the past included Goodwill, Disney, City of Hope National Medical Center, Ingenium Schools, and the City of Pasadena. These consulting opportunities may provide CSPP students with an advantage when entering the workforce.

8. Mentoring

Our small class sizes will allow you to get to know your psychology program’s professors as individuals. Under their mentorship, you will receive the support and personal attention needed to excel and become a professional even before graduation.

9. Community

We encourage our students to support their local communities. We are proud to announce that our students provide many hours of service annually to their local communities, while our CSPP graduates provide an additional 450,000 hours of professional service in the US in preparation for licensure.

10. Students Like You

The reason CSPP remains one of the top professional schools of psychology in California begins and ends with our amazing students. We are proud to be represented by a talented and passionate community of diverse individuals who use their education and skills to better lives not only in California but throughout the world.

---

---

More About Alliant and CSPP

---

Colleges in California for Psychology: Finding the Right Program for Your Future

If you are researching colleges in California for psychology, you are in good company. California is home to many of the nation’s most respected colleges and universities offering a degree in psychology at every level, from an undergraduate degree to a doctoral degree. Whether you are drawn to the field of psychology because you want to help individuals and families, or you are fascinated by research and human behavior, California to some of the most diverse and comprehensive psychology programs.

Why Choose California for Your Psychology Education

The demand for licensed mental health professionals across the state continues to rise year after year, which is one of the biggest reasons students choose California psychology schools over programs in other states.

Degree Options at Every Level

Students looking for the best psychology education in the state will find that many schools offer flexible pathways. You can pursue a bachelor of arts in psychology as your undergraduate degree, move on to a master’s degree such as an MS in Clinical Counseling, or continue toward a doctoral program for those who want to practice independently or conduct advanced research. Because undergraduate and graduate programs are so widely available, students can often complete their entire academic journey, from their first class to their doctorate.

Exploring the Many Areas of Psychology

Programs cover many areas of psychology, including social psychology, clinical psychology, forensic psychology, and organizational psychology. This variety means that no matter what corner of the field of psychologyinterests you, there is very likely a program built around it.

Accreditation and Licensure Matter

When comparing psychology schools in California, accreditation should be one of your top priorities. Accredited psychologyprograms ensure that your coursework meets the standards required for licensure, including preparing you for the examination for professional practicein psychology, which is required in most states before you can begin independent professional practice in psychology. Programs that lead to clinical mental health counselinglicensure, for example, are typically accredited by bodies such as CACREP, while marriage and family therapy programs often carry COAMFTE accreditation.

What Sets the Top Programs Apart

Naturally, students want the top psychologyprograms available, and education in Californiahas a long track record of producing highly qualified psychology graduates. Small class sizes, dedicated faculty and studentsrelationships, and hands-on practicum placements are hallmarks of the strongest programs. This kind of mentorship and real-world training is what helps set Alliant apart from other colleges and universities in California.

A Real-World Example: CSPP at Alliant University

One example of this commitment to excellence is the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) at Alliant University, one of the state’s longest-standing schools dedicated to training psychology professionals. With programs spanning from a degree in psychologyat the undergraduate level to a doctoral degree, CSPP is one of many colleges in California for psychologyhelping shape the next generation of clinicians, counselors, and researchers.

Whatever path you choose, Alliant University helps students pursue a career in mental health. With strong job growth, a wide variety of specializations, and some of the most respected colleges and universitiesin the country, there has never been a better time to explore psychology programs in California.