The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, commonly referred to as The Chicago School, is a private non-profit higher education institution specializing in graduate education in psychology. It is both the oldest and the largest non-profit graduate school devoted entirely to psychology and behavioral sciences in the country. It has become recognized as a leader in preparing psychology practitioners who are socially aware with knowledge of multiple cultures who innovatively apply their knowledge and abilities to traditional psychology settings and communities. It strives to educate professionals to create long-term changes to people’s lives to benefit their overall well-being. The Chicago School has earned various distinctions, such as a spot on the President’s Honor Roll Higher Education Community Service for its leadership in community involvement and designated as a great college to work for by The Chronicle of Higher Education. The Chicago School is also an active participant of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology.
The Chicago Schools implements an Engaged Professional Model of Education, which is a revolutionary approach to psychology training that is greatly founded on learning through social interaction, multicultural instruction, and community service. Students and faculty members contribute over 800,000 hours of community service annually to help provide effective solutions to the needs of the community. Not only does community service benefit the surrounding area, but it also enables students to gain real-world training in challenging and diverse settings.
The Chicago School’s online-blended programs allow students to pursue their graduate education while maintaining full-time employment and attending to other obligations. Various programs are taught online that give students to opportunity to complete assignments on a flexible basis. Some courses and programs have small synchronous virtual residency elements that include a one- or two-hour session every term where all students are expected to be online at the same time. Other programs are offered in a blended design that mixes on-campus and online learning. The online-blended programs combine quality and convenience to enable students to meet their academic and professional goals. Faculty members are psychology practitioners that provide realistic guidance based on real-life experiences. Online programs are offered at the certificate, master, and doctoral degree levels in areas such as child and adolescent psychology, international psychology, business psychology, organizational leadership, gerontology, and sport and exercise psychology.
To promote success in online-blended programs and troubleshoot any issues that may arise, a helpline is available to students 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Students enrolled in online-blended programs receive continuous support from personal student advisors who offer guidance and encouragement throughout the entire length of the program. They also have access to comprehensive career support services that provide assistance for identifying career goals and using degrees to accomplish them.
In 1979, a group of educators and psychologists dedicated to providing professional psychology education in a non-profit environment established The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. It first gained accreditation in 1984 and the Clinical Psychology Department in Chicago gained accreditation by the American Psychological Association in 1992. During the middle of the 1990s, The Chicago School gained national recognition for its focus on diversity and multiculturalism in the psychology field. Throughout the new millennium, the school has expanded and incorporated new programs. It launched its online-blended programs in 2006 and continued to expand by opening various new campuses. Currently, The Chicago School has almost 3,000 students and 1,500 alumni.
Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accredits The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Scholarships Offered
The Chicago School of Psychology offers scholarships based on merit and financial need to full-time students. It also offers need-based fellowships to full- or part-time students based on their possible ability to conduct research and provide service by abiding by fellowship requirements. It also accepts scholarships and fellowships from various outside sources.
Financing Options
Various federal financial aid programs are available at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology including Federal Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans, and Federal Work Study. It also accepts private education loans and offers payment plans, military discounts, law enforcement discounts and an Executive and Professional Education (EPE) Tuition Lock-In.
Credit Earning Options
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology may grant credit for prior coursework completed at another accredited institution. Students seeking transfer credits are required to submit a petition to the registrar and courses are evaluated on an individual basis. The school may require students to take a competency examination prior to granting transfer credit. All transfer courses must be graduate-level, have a grade of a B or better, and completed within the last ten years.