About the School
Cal Lutheran's Graduate School of Psychology is comprised of three academic graduate programs and two community counseling centers.
We offer a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD), Master of Science in Counseling Psychology (MFT), and a research focused Master of Science in Clinical Psychology.
Our active community counseling centers provide clinical and research opportunities for our graduate students who provide services to children, adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide graduate students in clinical and counseling psychology with a high-quality, relevant, educational experience that integrates theoretical and applied learning. Class sizes are small which allows for personalized attention in a well supervised, hands-on learning environment. All programs emphasize collaboration between student, staff, and faculty to promote integrity, ethics, innovation, professional development, diversity, equity, and inclusion. We serve the community, diverse populations, and the underserved in Ventura and Western Los Angeles counties through clinical services, outreach, community partnerships, and research.
Our Vision
We aspire to be a national leader in mental health educational programs. We are committed to providing quality academic programs and clinical services developing additional clinical, research, and educational partnerships; fostering leadership, innovation, professional success, diversity, equity, and inclusion of students, staff, and faculty; increasing Graduate School of Psychology visibility and reputation regionally and nationally; and improving through the mechanisms of accreditation, program review, and stakeholder consultation.
Why Choose 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.
- Many faculty have active clinical practices and years of clinical experience and expertise in treating a variety of populations.
- Attentive and kind administrative staff that are easily accessible.
Campus Resources
- Updated technology and computer labs with extensive online and physical library resources
- Student Council actively involved in program development, professional development, community service, and providing programmatic feedback to the Program Directors and Dean
- Library access to 270 full-text online journals, 2279 physical volumes, 2709 full text e-books, and 2941 online videos for both students and faculty.
- 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, fitness center, etc.)
- Private, not for profit university
- WASC accredited
Ventura County and Western LA Counties
- Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and Westlake Village are located 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-degrees year-round.
- Biking, hiking, running, swimming, surfing, and farmers’ markets – all possible during study breaks or days off!
- Have some more free time? Visit Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Griffith Park, Universal Studios, Disneyland, Getty Center, Natural History Museum, LA Farmers Market, Venice Beach, Long Beach, La Brea Tar Pits, or the Museum of Contemporary Art
- 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.