Alliant International University Psy.D. Psychology Review
With a vast network of campuses throughout the largest U.S. state, Alliant International University’s California School of Professional Psychology offers a range of options for prospective psychologists looking to earn a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree.
Interested students should learn more about the positive (and not-so-positive) aspects of the locations in California offering this degree.
About the Program
Before we begin discussing the best aspects of Alliant’s offerings in California, learn more about the programs and how the campuses vary.
Basics
- Institution type: Private, for-profit
- Main campus: San Diego, California
- Accreditation: APA
- First year of program: Los Angeles 1991; Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego 1994; San Francisco 1995
Tuition and fees
Fresno
- Full-time, in-state tuition: $39,200
- Full-time, out-of-state tuition: $39,200
- Per credit-hour tuition for part-time students: $1,225
- Institution fees: $1,140
Los Angeles
- Full-time, in-state tuition: $49,000
- Full-time, out-of-state tuition: $49,000
- Per credit-hour tuition for part-time students: $1,225
- Institution fees: $840
Sacramento
- Full-time, in-state tuition: $37,975
- Full-time, out-of-state tuition: $37,975
- Per credit-hour tuition for part-time students: $1,225
- Institution fees: $660
San Diego
- Full-time, in-state tuition: $37,975
- Full-time, out-of-state tuition: $37,975
- Per credit-hour tuition for part-time students: $1,225
- Institution fees: $660
San Francisco
- Full-time, in-state tuition: $41,460
- Full-time, out-of-state tuition: $41,460
- Per credit-hour tuition for part-time students: $1,225
- Institution fees: $1,140
Student outcomes
Fresno
- Median years to completion: 4 (2009-2019)
- Percentage completing in <5 years: 82% (2018-19)
- Percentage completing in 7+ years: 0% (2018-19)
- Degrees conferred, 2010-2019: 109
- Percentage of students obtaining internships: 100% (2018-19)
- Percentage of graduates earning professional licensure: 56% (2009-2019)
Los Angeles
- Median years to completion:8 (2009-2019)
- Percentage completing in <5 years: 42% (2018-19)
- Percentage completing in 7+ years: 0% (2018-19)
- Degrees conferred, 2010-2019: 461
- Percentage of students obtaining internships: 76% (2018-19)
- Percentage of graduates earning professional licensure: 69% (2009-2019)
Sacramento
- Median years to completion:6 (2009-2019)
- Percentage completing in <5 years: 86% (2018-19)
- Percentage completing in 7+ years: 0% (2018-19)
- Degrees conferred, 2010-2019: 120
- Percentage of students obtaining internships: 76% (2018-19)
- Percentage of graduates earning professional licensure: 69% (2009-2019)
San Diego
- Median years to completion: 5 (2009-2019)
- Percentage completing in <5 years: 33% (2018-19)
- Percentage completing in 7+ years: 23% (2018-19)
- Degrees conferred, 2010-2019: 364
- Percentage of students obtaining internships: 87% (2018-19)
- Percentage of graduates earning professional licensure: 76% (2009-2019)
San Francisco
- Median years to completion:9 (2009-2019)
- Percentage completing in <5 years: 37% (2018-19)
- Percentage completing in 7+ years: 7% (2018-19)
- Degrees conferred, 2010-2019: 503
- Percentage of students obtaining internships: 80% (2018-19)
- Percentage of graduates earning professional licensure: 75% (2009-2019)
Degrees & requirements
- Psy.D. degrees offered: Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (all campuses), Psy.D. in Educational Psychology (online), Psy.D. in Marital and Family Therapy (Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego), Psy.D. in Organization Development (Fresno)
- Non-Psy.D. degrees offered: Certificates in Clinical Psychology (San Francisco) and LGBT Human Services in Mental Health (online)
- Number of credit hours required: 120 total (90 academic, 30 internship)
Admissions
- Application method: Online
- Application fee: $65
- Admission requirements: Bachelor’s degree in psychology; GRE subject test, 80th percentile or better; resume; two letters of recommendation; faculty interview (for most programs); admissions essay
Biggest Pros
What are the biggest selling points for students interested in earning their Psy.D. from an Alliant campus in California?
Broad coverage
With a network of campuses stretching from Sacramento to San Diego, a distance of about 500 miles, Alliant’s California School of Professional Psychology offers Psy.D. degrees across five locations, as well as one degree that can be completed online.
While each campus has a different set of student outcomes, tuition and academic details, much of the curriculum is standard, and the geographic diversity of such a broad network of sites will be attractive to many students in the state.
Online degree option
The clinical Psy.D. degree from Alliant can’t be earned online, but that doesn’t mean that students who need that level of flexibility are out of luck. That’s because in addition to a varied roster of clinical psychology concentrations offered on-campus, Alliant also offers a Psy.D. in Educational Psychology entirely online.
Additionally, though it varies by campus and academic term, students who do attend on-campus may have the option of taking certain courses online, which provides a best-of-both-worlds education.
Emphasis areas
These vary depending on the campus, but chances are good there’s a population or method focus that will appeal to most students. With traditional options like child and family psychology to new and emerging options like forensics, integrated health and correctional psychology, Alliant’s campuses are helping contribute to the cutting edge of modern psychology.
Biggest Cons
What factors might make students less inclined to consider earning their Psy.D. at one of Alliant’s five California campuses?
Limited degree options
While it’s true that many academic tracks are available, they mostly lead only to a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, though other options are available at certain campuses. Expanding degree types to more campuses could help boost Alliant to the top of the list for California students.
Relatively low licensure rates
It’s important to note that these figures tend to run a few years behind, but only two Alliant campuses have broken the professional licensure rate of 75% over the past decade. It’s also possible that many students have chosen not to practice professionally, but for students who are set on the clinical practice of psychology, these relatively low rates could be a warning sign.
The Bottom Line
So how can you decide if this program is right for you? Every learner’s needs are unique, but here’s a quick breakdown to help you decide whether pursuing a Psy.D. at Alliant International University in California is a good option for you.
| Is the Xxx Psy.D. Program Right For Me? | ||
| Need | Yes | No |
| I need to take my classes online | x* | |
| I’m interested in clinical psychology | x | |
| I want to focus on a particular population group | x | |
| I’m interested in applied psychology | x | |
| I’m interested in school psychology | x | |
| I’m interested in industrial-organizational psychology | x | |
| I have a very limited budget for a Psy.D. program | x | |
| A well-established program is important to me | x | |
| I want to work in a real-world mental health clinic | x | |
| I want to contribute to cutting-edge research projects | x | |
| I don’t want to take the GRE | x | |
| * Some courses are offered online, and one fully online degree option exists | ||
Conclusion
A for-profit education isn’t right for everybody, but Alliant International University’s California School of Professional Psychology’s APA-accredited degree programs provide students with a wide range of focus areas at a price that’s consistent with many other educational institutions in the space, and their network of campuses all over the state of California put a Psy.D. degree within in reach of millions of people in the most-populous U.S. state.
This Psy.D program made our Editors’ Choice Best Accredited Psy.D. Programs for 2020.
Additional Resources