Vanguard University of Southern California

Flexible Program Design


Students may complete the program at their own pace -- either full or part-time. Sample curriculum schedules below show a two year (five semester) track and a three year (seven-eight semester) track; however, students may also choose to stretch the program to four or five years.

Sample Curriculum Schedules

(pdf version)

Full-time; 5 Semester Track 

 First Year  
 First Semester (Fall) - 15 units  Second Semester (Spring) - 12 units
  • Clinical Foundations of Psychotherapy I
  • Advanced Human Development
  • Advanced Psychopathology
  • Ethical and Legal Issues
  • Mind, Body and Spirit
  • Spousal and Partner Abuse Workshop
  • Family Therapy
  • Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents
  • Statistics and Research Design
  • Clinical Psychotherapy I: Psychodynamic
  • Clinical Case Conceptualization I
  • Child Abuse and Maltreatment Workshop
Second Year  
 Third Semester (Fall) - 14 units  Fourth Semester (Spring) - 13 units
  • Clinical Psychotherapy II: Cognitive-Behavioral
  • Premarital and Marital Therapy
  • Psychotherapy and Cultural Diversity
  • Psychological Testing and Measurement
  • Clinical Psychopharmacology
  • Clinical Case Conceptualization II
  • Human Sexuality Workshop
  • Special Topic (topic changes each semester)
  • Addictive Behaviors
  • Clinical Psychotherapy III: Group Therapy
  • Professional, Ethical and Clinical Issues
  • Comprehensive Clinical Seminar
  • Clinical Case Conceptualization III
  • Aging and Long Term Care


Part-time; 6 Semester Track

 First Year  
 First Semester (Fall) - 9 units  Second Semester (Spring) - 9 units
  • Clinical Foundations of Psychotherapy I
  • Advanced Psychopathology
  • Ethical and Legal Issues
  • Spousal and Partner Abuse Workshop
  • Family Therapy
  • Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents
  • Statistics and Research Design
  • Child Abuse and Maltreatment Workshop
Second Year  
 Third Semester (Fall) - 9 units  Fourth Semester (Spring) - 9 units
  • Advanced Human Development
  • Premarital and Marital Therapy
  • Clinical Psychopharmacology
  • Special Topic (topic changes each semester)
  • Human Sexuality Workshop
  • Clinical Psychotherapy I: Psychodynamic
  • Mind, Body and Spirit
  • Addictive Behaviors
  • Clinical Case Conceptualization I
 Third Year  
 Fifth Semester (Fall) - 9 units  Sixth Semester (Spring) - 9 units
  • Clinical Psychotherapy II: Cognitive-Behavioral
  • Psychotherapy and Cultural Diversity
  • Psychological Testing and Measurement
  • Clinical Case Conceptualization II
  • Clinical Psychotherapy III: Group Therapy
  • Professional, Ethical and Clinical Issues
  • Comprehensive Clinical Seminar
  • Clinical Case Conceptualization III
  • Aging and Long Term Care Workshop