Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What makes Vanguard's program distinctive?
A: Vanguard University of Southern California is a university of Christian liberal arts and sciences. It is within this faith-based context that we offer a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology degree, which meets the educational requirements for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California. The goal of the Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology is to equip its students to serve with excellence as Christian mental health professionals. Our goal is met by providing the highest quality of rigorous academic training, guided professional development, and integrative faith based learning in a collaborative and supportive environment.
For specifics on what makes our program unique, go to our Mission and Distinctives webpage.
Q: Who will I be in school with?
A: Our student body is diverse in many ways. They:
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range in age from early twenties to fifties, with an average age of 34,
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have a variety of educational and career backgrounds, such as pastoral/ministerial, police, small and corporate business, education, etc., and
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are culturally diverse, with over 30% coming from a minority background.
We not only believe that this diversity enhances the quality of our program, but that it also fosters personal growth in our students and faculty which allows us to be better therapists.
Q: Who will I be taking classes from?
A: Our faculty is dedicated to creating the finest academic environment for your graduate degree. They are deeply committed to our mission, that of equipping our students to serve with excellence as Christian mental health professionals. One reason that mission has been consistently fulfilled is that the professors bring to the program a wide variety of academic training, interests, and experience. Meet our faculty and find out more about them at Graduate Psychology Faculty.
Q: What times are classes offered?
A: We strive to serve the needs of working professionals and full-time students in our program by offering afternoon and evening classes.
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A three unit course is three hours, once a week, for fifteen weeks.
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Our classes are typically offered on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday at either 3:30-6:30 pm or 7:00-10:00 pm.
Q: How long will it take to graduate?
Go to the Sample Curriculum Schedule page for examples of two and three year programs.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: The current costs of our program at the Graduate Psychology Costs webpage. Keep in mind, in addition to financial aid the Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology offers scholarships which can decrease the overall cost of the program. Awarded scholarship funds from the program generally cover 20% of tuition costs. The scholarships are listed at Graduate Psychology Scholarships and more financial aid information can be found at Graduate Psychology Financial Aid Forms.
Q: Is your program accredited or approved?
A: We are a California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) approved school for offering the educational requirements to be licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in California.
Vanguard University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
American Psychological Association (APA) Accreditation - APA only accredits doctoral level programs in psychology. Since our program is a Masters level degree APA does not accredit us.
Q: What are your admissions requirements? How do I apply?
A: The admissions requirements can be found at the Admissions Information webpage. Complete information on the application process can be found at How to Apply. Graduate Admissions is here to help you through the process, so if you have any questions please feel free to take a look at the Grad Admissions FAQ page, contact us at (877) 669-8872, fill out an online request for information, or email us at gradadmissions@vanguard.edu for more information.