Palo Alto University
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Palo Alto University (PAU) is a
private university Private universities and private colleges are higher education institutions not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. However, they often receive tax breaks, public student loans, and government grants. Depending on the count ...
in
Palo Alto, California Palo Alto ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for ) is a charter city in northwestern Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a Sequoia sempervirens, coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. Th ...
that focuses on behavioral health disciplines like counseling, psychology, and social work. It was founded in 1975 as the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology and became Palo Alto University in 2009. Palo Alto University offers two undergraduate degree programs: a
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...
in Psychology and Social Action and a Bachelor of Science in Business Psychology; five graduate programs: a Ph.D. in
Clinical Psychology Clinical psychology is an integration of human science, behavioral science, theory, and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well ...
, a Psy.D. in
Clinical Psychology Clinical psychology is an integration of human science, behavioral science, theory, and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well ...
as part of a consortium with
Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...
; a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision; a M.A. in Clinical Mental Health
Counseling Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes. This is a list of c ...
, and an
M.S. A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medicine ...
in
Psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
. PAU subscribes to the practitioner-scientist training model, which emphasizes clinical practice along with scientific training. PAU has an interconnected relationship with
Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...
and the
Stanford University School of Medicine The Stanford University School of Medicine is the medical school of Stanford University and is located in Stanford, California, United States. It traces its roots to the Medical Department of the University of the Pacific, founded in San Fra ...
. PAU maintains its doctoral program in conjunction with Stanford University, often employs its students in Stanford research laboratories, and houses faculty members who teach at both institutions. The Chief Facilities and Sustainability Officer of Stanford Health Care holds a membership on the PAU board of trustees.
About PAU, Palo Alto University, retrieved September 2, 2024.


History

Palo Alto University traces its origins back to 1975 when the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology was founded in Palo Alto. PGSP was established by a group of students and faculty seeking to enhance their knowledge of clinical psychology, with Robert Kantor serving as its first president. In 1984, PGSP welcomed Allen Calvin as its president. Two years later, the institution achieved accreditation from the
Western Association of Schools and Colleges The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC ( )) provided accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in California and Hawaii, the territories of Guam, American Samoa and Northern ...
(WASC), and in 1988 PGSP relocated its campus to East Meadow Drive in Palo Alto. Also in 1988, the Kurt and Barbara Gronowski Clinic was established in Palo Alto to provide clinical services to the local community. PGSP's Ph.D. program received accreditation from the
American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychologists in the United States, and the largest psychological association in the world. It has over 170,000 members, including scientists, educators, clin ...
(APA) in the same year. In 2002, PGSP and
Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...
launched the PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium program, an innovative doctoral program in psychology. In 2006, the consortium achieved APA accreditation as well. In 2006, PGSP underwent a transformation and became Palo Alto University (PAU), broadening its scope and offerings. PAU introduced the hybrid Bachelor degree program in Psychology & Social Action (PSA) at
De Anza College De Anza College is a public community college in Cupertino, California, United States. It is part of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, which also administers Foothill College in nearby Los Altos Hills, California. The college i ...
with courses now also offered at the
College of San Mateo College of San Mateo (CSM) is a public community college in San Mateo, California. It is part of the San Mateo County Community College District. College of San Mateo is located at the northern corridor of Silicon Valley and situated on a 153-a ...
, followed by the approval of a major in Business Psychology (BP) at
Foothill College Foothill College is a public community college in Los Altos Hills, California. It is part of the Foothill–De Anza Community College District. It was founded on January 15, 1957, and offers 84 Associate degree programs, 2 Bachelor's degree p ...
in 2009. The MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling program also commenced during this period. PAU established the Sexual and Gender Identities Clinic in 2009. This clinic provided specialized services to individuals exploring issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Under the leadership of Dr. Maureen O'Connor, who assumed the presidency in 2016, PAU achieved significant milestones. In 2017, the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program received accreditation from
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is a Higher education accreditation in the United States#Programmatic accreditation, programmatic accreditor of Outline of counseling, counseling education program ...
(CACREP), affirming the program's adherence to rigorous standards in marriage, family, child counseling, and clinical mental health counseling. In late 2018, PAU acquired CONCEPT, a private organization dedicated to professional training in forensic psychology founded by renowned forensic psychologist Patricia Zapf. CONCEPT became the University’s Division of Continuing & Professional Studies, offering postgraduate professional training in specialty areas of psychology for
continuing education Continuing education is the education undertaken after initial education for either personal or professional reasons. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada. Recognized forms of post-secondary learning activities within the d ...
credit. In recognition of its commitment to serving the Hispanic community, PAU earned the designation as a
Hispanic-serving institution A Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is defined in U.S. federal law as an accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institution of higher education with 25% or higher total undergraduate Hispanic or Latino full-time equivalent (FTE ...
(HSI) in 2022. The same year marked the opening of the Mountain View Campus, which became the new location for the Gronowski Center. This expansion enhanced PAU's capacity to provide comprehensive clinical services to the community.


Academics

The undergraduate programs at Palo Alto University are offered in partnership with
Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that is a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical area of the Santa Clara Valley ...
area community colleges like
De Anza College De Anza College is a public community college in Cupertino, California, United States. It is part of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, which also administers Foothill College in nearby Los Altos Hills, California. The college i ...
,
Foothill College Foothill College is a public community college in Los Altos Hills, California. It is part of the Foothill–De Anza Community College District. It was founded on January 15, 1957, and offers 84 Associate degree programs, 2 Bachelor's degree p ...
, and the
College of San Mateo College of San Mateo (CSM) is a public community college in San Mateo, California. It is part of the San Mateo County Community College District. College of San Mateo is located at the northern corridor of Silicon Valley and situated on a 153-a ...
. The bachelor's degree completion programs are created for community college students wishing to transfer to a Bachelor's program and for college graduates wishing to re-specialize in Psychology and Social Action or Business Psychology. PAU offers a psychology program with competitive tuition and fees, positioning it as a cost-effective choice among private universities in the Bay Area. The university also facilitates a streamlined transfer process for community college students and those who have completed their initial two years of college. Palo Alto University offers two master's degree programs, an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling MFT/LPCC and an M.S. in Psychology. It also offers a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology that has been accredited by the
American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychologists in the United States, and the largest psychological association in the world. It has over 170,000 members, including scientists, educators, clin ...
(APA) since 1988.


PAU-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium

The PAU-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium program, in conjunction with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in Stanford University's School of Medicine, was accredited by the
American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychologists in the United States, and the largest psychological association in the world. It has over 170,000 members, including scientists, educators, clin ...
in 2006. According to '' U.S. News & World Report'', the PAU-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium ranks 87th in the nation for best health schools by category of clinical psychology.


Clinical training

Students enrolled in the Ph.D. Clinical Psychology program at PAU and the PAU-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium program gain valuable initial clinical practical training at the Gronowski Center. The Gronowski Center is a mental health clinic that operates with partial funding from Palo Alto University and offers subsidized services on a sliding scale to the local Bay Area community. The Gronowski Center offers three specialty clinics: the Sexual and Gender Identities Clinic (SGIC), La Clinica Latina, which offers Spanish-language services, and the eClinic.


Continuing and Professional Studies

Through the Division of Continuing and Professional Studies (CAPS), PAU partners with leading experts to provide workshops, webinars, and online training programs in areas relevant to behavioral health professionals in psychology and related disciplines, such as social work, counseling, marriage and family therapy, nursing, corrections, and law enforcement. CAPS is an approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists (
American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychologists in the United States, and the largest psychological association in the world. It has over 170,000 members, including scientists, educators, clin ...
), social workers ( Association of Social Workers Boards), and counselors (National Board of Certified Counselors).


Omar Seddiqui Research Library

The university's library is named for Omar Seddiqui, the former Director and President of the National Archives of Afghanistan and Public Library of Afghanistan (prior to the
Saur Revolution The Saur Revolution (; ), also known as the April Revolution or the April Coup, was a violent coup d'état and uprising staged on 27–28 April 1978 (, ) by the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), which overthrew President of Afghan ...
).


Notable faculty

* Larry E. Beutler, Past President, Division 12, APA *
Christine Blasey Ford Christine Margaret Blasey Ford ( ; born November 1966) is an American professor of psychology at Palo Alto University and a research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She specializes in designing statistical models ...
, publicly brought forth accusations of sexual assault by
Brett Kavanaugh Brett Michael Kavanaugh (; born February 12, 1965) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated by President Donald Trump on July 9, 2018, and has served since Oct ...
, now associate justice to the
Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...
* Peter Goldblum, founded the LGBTQ+ Area of Emphasis and the SGIC * Roger L. Greene


References


External links


Official website
{{authority control Universities and colleges in Santa Clara County, California Educational buildings in Palo Alto, California Universities and colleges established in 1975 Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges 1975 establishments in California Private universities and colleges in California