Mission Statement
As a member of the American InterContinental University System, the mission of California Southern University is to empower a diverse student body for academic, personal, and professional success, through a commitment to inclusive, student-centered support and lifelong learning.
University History
The University was incorporated in the State of California in 1978 to focus on providing distance learning opportunities to adult learners. In 1982, the University changed its name to Southern California University for Professional Studies (SCUPS) to highlight its commitment to professional/applied educational opportunities. In 2007, the University changed its name to California Southern University to receive national accreditation from the former Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), now the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). In 2015, the University received institutional accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). In July 2022, CalSouthern became part of the American InterContinental University System, which is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and located in Arizona. The AIU System is owned by American InterContinental University System, Inc., which is wholly owned by Perdoceo Education Corporation.
University Goals
- Provide degree programs that combine traditional modes of education in an online format to enable learners to meet their academic, professional, and personal goals.
- Provide quality instruction for the development of essential skills in the areas of the behavioral sciences, business, criminal justice, education, and nursing.
- Maintain flexibility in the delivery of programs to meet the needs of the university’s learners.
- Foster an awareness of and respect for diversity by maintaining an atmosphere of respect and acceptance for the diverse world in which our learners live and work.
- Maintain an institutional culture characterized by candor, transparency, and best professional practices.
- Demonstrate adherence to ethical standards while providing academic support and intellectual freedom.
Statement of Integrity and Commitment
As a System committed to quality and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, AIUS views integrity as an underlying tenet to its Mission and Purposes. The system uses the integrity tenet as a foundation for all its operations, services, and programs. Its mission is to advance the intellectual condition of learners in a diverse society through quality academic programs, services, and other learning opportunities. The System is to provide learners with a learning environment anchored by the highest caliber of instruction built on a solid intellectual and ethical foundation.
Integrity serves as an integral foundation to System governance at the level of the Board of Trustees and in all System operations, institutional representations, advertising, marketing, and services. Honesty and integrity are essential to these functions and serve as the basic contract defining the relationship between the System, its member institutions, and its constituencies. The System will not tolerate any intentional withholding of information, deliberately providing inadequate information or failure to provide timely and accurate information. It is the fundamental responsibility of the System to deal forthrightly with its constituencies, including its faculty, staff, and learners.
Institutional Learning Outcomes
- COMMON BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
Graduates should have acquired a common body of knowledge in the discipline.
- COMMUNICATION
Graduates should be able to communicate proficiently through professional writing and oral presentation to general and specialized audiences.
- QUANTITATIVE REASONING
Graduates should be able to analyze real-world data and information to draw conclusions and solve problems.
- INFORMATION LITERACY
Graduates should be able to identify, evaluate, and use valid information sources.
- CRITICAL THINKING
Graduates should be able to apply critical thinking skills to solve problems.
- DIVERSITY
Graduates should be able to contribute positively to a diverse human society within local and global contexts.
- ETHICS
Graduates should be able to demonstrate ethical behavior in personal and professional settings.
Accreditation and Approvals
State Licensure
California Southern University is a member of the American InterContinental University System, which is licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.
Aimed at expanding distance education opportunities for students, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is an organization that establishes comparable national standards for the interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. California Southern University is a member of the American InterContinental University System, which has been approved to participate in NC-SARA.
Institutional Accreditation
California Southern University is a member of the American InterContinental University System. The System is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Programmatic Accreditation
California Southern University’s Bachelor, Master, and Doctor of Business Administration degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). www.acbsp.org
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). http://www.ccneaccreditation.org
Program Approvals
The California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) and the Education Board (CCAPP Institute) have granted approval to California Southern University’s Pre-Baccalaureate Certificate Program in Addiction Studies (CPAS), Certificate Program in Advanced Addiction Studies (CPAAS), and MS in Psychology, with a Concentration in Advanced Addiction Studies.
The 315 hours of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Specific Education provided by California Southern University’s Pre- Baccalaureate Certificate Program in Addiction Studies (CPAS) fulfills the educational requirement for the Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor I (CADC I) or Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor II (CADC II). The Certificate in Advanced Addiction Studies (CPAAS) provides 270 hours of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) specific education. The optional practicum experience may be required for some levels of certification. The MS in Psychology with a Concentration in Advanced Addiction Studies (MS, AAS) provides 360 hours of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) specific education required for the Licensed Advanced Alcohol Drug Counselor (LAADC).
Persons interested in certification are encouraged to contact the CCAPP Credentialing Board for a complete listing of all requirements and for more information at www.ccapp.us. Certification requirements vary by jurisdiction, type, and are subject to change. Individuals interested in eligibility for any other state or jurisdiction are encouraged to contact the appropriate regulatory authority directly for more information and to determine requirements.
California Southern University is recognized as an Approved Academic Education Provider for The Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC). The Certificate Program in Addiction Studies, Certificate Program in Advanced Addiction Studies, and the MS in Psychology, with a Concentration in Advanced Addiction Studies, meet nationally approved standards of education developed for the addiction/substance use disorders counseling profession. Program participants are assured that the continuing education (CE) credits provided will be accepted toward national credentialing by the NAADAC Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP) as well as by many of the individual state licensing/certification bodies in the addiction and other helping professions.
Persons interested in national certification through NAADAC should contact www.naadac.org. Individuals interested in completing other jurisdictional requirements are encouraged to contact the appropriate regulatory authority directly for more information and to determine requirements.
Program Acceptances
The California Board of Psychology accepts California Southern University’s Doctor of Psychology: Clinical Specialization (PsyD-C) degree as meeting the educational requirements for licensure as a psychologist in California. Persons interested in licensure are advised to contact the Board of Psychology in Sacramento, California to determine what other requirements may exist for licensure.
California Board of Psychology
1625 N Market Blvd # N-215, Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: 916.574.7720 | www.psychology.ca.gov
Licensure requirements vary by jurisdiction, license type, and are subject to change. Individuals interested in licensure in any other state or jurisdiction are encouraged to contact the appropriate State Board or licensing authority to determine requirements. If additional courses are required, please advise Learner Support Services for guidance.
The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts California Southern University’s Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology, with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy degree program as meeting the educational requirements for California licensure as both a marriage and family therapist (MFT) and licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC). Persons interested in licensure are advised to contact the Board of Behavioral Sciences in Sacramento, California to obtain a complete listing of all requirements for licensure.
California Board of Behavioral Sciences
1625 N Market Blvd S-200, Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: 916.574.7830 | www.bbs.ca.gov
Licensure requirements vary by jurisdiction, license type, and are subject to change. Individuals interested in completing practicum or pursuing licensure in any other state or jurisdiction are encouraged to contact the appropriate State Board or licensing authority to determine requirements.
California Southern University is recognized by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences to provide continuing education credit per BPC Section 1887.4.3. California MFT, LPCC, or LCSW licensed learners may earn California BBS CEU credit for any applicable master’s or doctoral level course from the School of Behavioral Sciences. The credit hour conversion is 15 hours for every one (1) semester credit earned. Please contact the Registrar or the School of Behavioral Sciences Programs Coordinator for more information.
Government Approvals
Regular enrolled learners attending CalSouthern who have Federal student loans from previously attended institutions are eligible for an in-school deferment of repayment of Federal Family Education Program Loans and Federal Direct Student Loans. This deferment is in effect while the learner is enrolled and making progress toward completing a CalSouthern degree program. The OPE ID Number is 02113600 assigned to the AIU System by the U.S. Department of Education.
Diversity Policy
CalSouthern defines diversity in terms of 1) representation; 2) the University community; and 3) the curriculum and academic scholarship. The University provides high quality undergraduate and graduate degrees and educational programs to adult learners with diverse backgrounds such as race, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, sexual-orientation, disability, socio- economic background, and many others throughout the world using distance learning methodologies. The University is dedicated to providing a rich and dynamic educational experience without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, disability, gender, or sexual orientation.
Representation
A benefit of offering online programs is the ability to attract learners, staff, and faculty mentors from varied backgrounds throughout the world. As a result, the University has a population that is represented by a diverse community of individuals of varied race, color, ancestry, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, religion, disability, and gender.
University Community
The University embraces an appreciation of diversity and is committed to maintaining a cultural community that allows for open communication and trust among all stakeholders. CalSouthern welcomes people of all ages, backgrounds, and sexual-orientation and is committed to addressing issues of intolerance, discriminatory practices, and bias. The University is dedicated to educational quality by developing a more profound understanding of each other, the world, resulting in education of greater relevance to participants in a multicultural society.
Curriculum and Academic Scholarship
The University welcomes a diverse population of learners, faculty mentors, staff, and administration and fosters a multi-cultural environment offering various perspectives which, in turn, adds richness and depth to the educational experience through the curriculum and co-curricular activities. Curriculum at all levels reflects a social and cultural understanding with specific outcomes of multi-cultural awareness of human diversity.
To cultivate an appreciation of diversity the University:
- Recruits faculty mentors and staff who are equally diverse and sensitive to the needs of our diverse student population.
- Utilizes courses to develop cross-cultural awareness among learners.
- Supports events that promote cultural awareness through community outreach.
- Fosters an awareness and appreciation of the interconnectedness of the social and cultural dimension within and across local, regional, state, national, and global communities.
- Adheres to the published nondiscrimination policy.
- Provides accommodations to learners with documented disabilities.
The University recognizes that diversity’s positive effects do not automatically accrue from a simple focus on numerical representations of various populations within the University community. Rather, diversity produces benefits through thoughtfully structured policies and programs designed to support and facilitate interaction among learners as part of the academic and co-curricular experience. These include outreach and enrichment, recruitment, financial grants, general education diversity course requirements, programs designed to improve retention, and to cultivate a learning environment, in and out of the classroom, which enhance the individual and collective experiences of the campus community.
Non-Discrimination Policy
CalSouthern welcomes all adult learners and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, sex, gender identity, age, marital or relationship status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, religion, spiritual beliefs and/or socioeconomic status, disability and/or health status in any of its policies, practices, or procedures involving applicants, learners, faculty mentors, employees, and the public, including with regard to recruitment, admission, codes of conduct, hiring, retention, or dismissal of learners, faculty mentors, or other staff. Please note, however, CalSouthern reserves the right to refuse admission to and to terminate enrollment of anyone the University believes does not meet its academic, ethical, or professional standards. CalSouthern is committed to equal opportunity and challenge for all academically qualified learners and does not discriminate on the basis of disability.
About the University
California Southern University
A member of the American InterContinental University System
Location Information
Main Campus:
California Southern University
2200 East Germann Road, Suite 120
Chandler, AZ 85286
Transcripts:
California Southern University
Attn: Transcript Processing
P.O. Box 68009
Schaumburg, IL 60168
Mailing Address and Overnight Address:
California Southern University
Attn: Mail Processing
1750 E. Golf Road, Suite 350
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone/Email:
Phone: 714-480-0800
Toll-Free: 800-477-2254
Fax: 714-480-0834
Web: www.calsouthern.edu
Email: info@calsouthern.edu
Office Hours
8:00am – 5:00pm PST
Monday – Friday
University Holidays
- New Year’s Day
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day and day after Thanksgiving
- Winter Holiday (2 days – typically Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)
Our Learners
At CalSouthern, our learners are central to the learning process. They are adults with life experiences, family responsibilities, and a decade or more of work history. Learners are aware of the importance and benefits of higher education and college degrees. They are serious and committed learners and CalSouthern treats them as adults with 100% online, no-campus attendance, convenient monthly course starts. CalSouthern provides learners with:
- Personal faculty as guides and mentors
- Career related degree programs
- Eight-week terms with monthly course starts
- Affordable tuition with payment plans