Why Cal Lutheran?

Outstanding Students, Faculty, and Staff

• Diversity of strong students from all over the U.S. (e.g., UC Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara; Yale University; The New School) and abroad (e.g., University of London, University of Guadalajara)
• Excellent core psychology faculty who value teaching, research, and service
• Opportunities to develop mentoring relationships with the faculty as well as become involved in their research projects
• Many faculty with active clinical practices and years of clinical experience and expertise in treating a variety of populations
• Attentive and kind administrative staff who are easily accessible

Classes and Curriculum

• Very small entering class sizes of 15-17 students per year that allow for personal contact and discussion with professors and opportunities to develop close relationships with classmates and colleagues
• Optional focus areas such as dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and intimate partner violence with electives in topics such as attachment, trauma, crisis management, and mindfulness.
• Clinically focused curriculum emphasizing the integration of diagnostics, assessment, and intervention with courses such as Diagnostic Interviewing, Child and Adolescent Interventions, Group Psychotherapy, ABA and CBT Interventions, and three assessment courses focused on children, adolescents, and adults.
• Curriculum based on new professional standards of competency education developed by the American Psychological Association.
• Technology-equipped state of the art classrooms: computers, projectors with writable capabilities, internet access, and video and sound equipment.

Clinical Training

• Two onsite training clinics staffed by our second-year PsyD and M.S. Counseling (MFT) students (with 21 licensed supervisors) located in Oxnard and Westlake Village that provide extensive low-fee community services to underserved communities (almost 15,000 scheduled appointments last year). These centers have computerized scheduling systems, paperless client charting, computer workstations, digital recording in all 28 therapy rooms, the capability of streaming live therapy sessions, iPad kiosks for clients to complete the OQ-45 evaluation tool (which is recorded directly to our online database), fully stocked play therapy rooms, family therapy rooms, and group rooms.
• Diverse external practicum settings include multiple placements at UCLA, Veteran’s Administration, university counseling centers, CMHCs, hospital systems, residential facilities, correctional facilities, schools, and specialized facilities for domestic violence, addictions, and eating disorders.
• Ability to tailor training experiences to your unique interests in working with specific populations or within specific clinical settings.

Research

• Develop competence in research and scholarship while emphasizing clinical training
• Dissertation classes taken throughout the program with structured tasks directed toward dissertation completion.
• Faculty actively involved in publishing and presenting with many opportunities to join faculty research programs to present and publish with them
• Funding available to student presenters to assist with conference travel

Resources

• Updated technology and computer labs with extensive online and physical library resources.
• Extensive updated resources for personality, cognitive, neuropsychological, and forensic assessment.
• Student Council actively involved in program development, professional development, community service, and providing programmatic feedback to the Director of the PsyD Program and Dean.
• Library access to 1,045 full-text online journals, 3,162 physical volumes, 14,349 full-text e-books, and 8,610 online videos for both students and faculty, all on psychology and psychology-related topics.
• Interlibrary loan is easily accessible from computers on and off campus. 

California Lutheran University

• Ranked #12 for Best Regional Universities in the West by the U.S. News & World Report in 2024
• Welcoming of diversity of all types: age, dis(ability) status, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, language, nationality, political view, race, religion sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and spirituality.
• Program benefits from the resources and support of the full university (online registration, computer support, academic support services, pool and fitness center, etc.)
• Private, not for profit university
• WASC accredited

Ventura County

• Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and Westlake Village are located in Ventura County between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, CA.
• Oxnard campus is 15 minutes from Ventura beach, 40 minutes from Santa Barbara or Malibu. Or 60 minutes from Santa Monica. Temperature is between 60 and 75 year round.
• Biking, hiking, running, swimming, surfing, and farmers’ markets — all possible during study breaks or days off!
• In August 2015, Ventura County was ranked in the Washington Post as the most desirable county to live in America. This ranking was based upon natural amenities, such as mild, sunny winters, temperate summers, low humidity, topographic variation, and access to a body of water.
• In March 2015, the City of Ventura was ranked 1st place in Men’s Journal as the Best Place to Live Now. This ranking highlighted the city’s location between Malibu and Santa Barbara, unique Main Street, largest employer being the Patagonia headquarters, nearness to the beach, and great weather. 

Cost

• Ten or more graduate assistantships available annually
• Tuition reduced to less than $1,800 for full doctoral internship year
• Designed to be completed in 5 years
• View current tuition and fees

Our Interview Process: A Personal Touch

At the Graduate School of Psychology, we strive to offer a personal touch throughout your journey — not just after you've joined our program.
 
As an applicant, you might find that some graduate admissions processes can feel impersonal or leave you with unanswered questions. Information can be hard to access, and even if you’re familiar with our university from an undergraduate experience, getting a clear sense of the graduate program might feel challenging.
 
To ensure you have a deeper understanding of what our PsyD program entails, we require in-person interviews.* During your interview day, you'll have a chance to tour the campus and meet key members of our community, including the dean, director of clinical training, faculty, and staff. You will also participate in two student panels where you can ask candid questions about the program and the transition to graduate school.
 
The interview day is a full experience, with two individual interviews, a written exercise in the afternoon, and a lunch provided by us, where you’ll sit down with current students and faculty to continue learning about the program.
 
Prior to your interview day, we highly recommend attending one of our PsyD Online Information Sessions. These sessions are comprehensive and provide opportunities to ask questions directly to the Dean, the Director of Clinical Training, and our Graduate Admissions Counselor. We’re happy to discuss any questions you might have — whether they’re about career goals, internships, practicum opportunities, living in Southern California, admissions requirements, part-time work, dissertations, transfer credits, or classes. Learn more about how to apply
 
*We offer accommodations for virtual interviews for applicants living outside the U.S. or those unable to travel during scheduled interview days.