Overview
Founded in 1959, California Lutheran University is part of a 500-year-old tradition of Lutheran higher education. CLU is a diverse scholarly community dedicated to excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies through visionary academics, cutting-edge faculty members, and inspirational teaching and mentoring. The relationship between faith and reason is at the core of CLU’s character as a university. Rooted in the Lutheran tradition of Christian faith, the University encourages critical inquiry into matters of both faith and reason. The mission of the University is to educate leaders for a global society who are strong in character and judgment, confident in their identity and vocation, and committed to service and justice.

California Lutheran University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. CLU’s uncompromising standards of high-quality education at a reasonable cost have earned its place in the top tier of Western Regional Colleges and Universities in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings.

Originating from across the nation and around the world, CLU’s student body represents a wide diversity of faiths and cultures. There are 1,095 graduate students.

The University’s International Student Services (ISS) and the International Programs Office (IPO) provide support and advisement for international students. The IPO serves as an educational resource for students and faculty and staff members and also offers immigration advisement, workshops, and social activities. Programs and activities sponsored by the office encourage interaction between international and American students and promote diversity both on and off campus.

The Location and Community
Located in Thousand Oaks, midway between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, CLU puts students within reach of a variety of cultural experiences and the international business community. With a population of approximately 100,000, Thousand Oaks offers the conveniences of an urban area, a state-of-the-art performing arts center, a presidential library and public affairs center, regional shopping centers, and internship opportunities in high-tech industries while maintaining its scenic natural beauty enhanced by designated open space, rolling hills, and picturesque oak trees. Incorporated in 1964, Thousand Oaks is located in Ventura County, 15 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Recreational and cultural opportunities abound. In addition to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and CLU’s on-campus Cultural Events Series, world-renowned museums, concert halls, and world premier productions are within an hour’s drive. Sports enthusiasts—both spectators and participants—appreciate the variety and accessibility of events within driving distance. Winter ski resorts are just 3 hours away, and both ocean and freshwater sports are less than an hour away. Hiking on the nearby trails, biking along scenic corridors, and CLU’s active intercollegiate and intramural sports programs provide ample opportunity for involvement. According to FBI statistics over the past ten years, Thousand Oaks is among the safest cities in the nation with populations of more than 100,000. Off-campus graduate centers are conveniently located in Oxnard and Woodland Hills.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
California Lutheran University (CLU) offers graduate students high-quality educational programs, small classes, and opportunities to interact directly with professors who are passionate about teaching with degrees and credential programs both on campus and at off-campus centers.

Degree programs include the doctorate (Ed.D.) in educational leadership; the Master of Arts (M.A.) educational leadership combined with a Tier I administrative credential and specializations in school site leadership, teacher leader, leadership in educational technology, or leadership in reading education; the Master of Science (M.S.) in clinical psychology; the M.S. in counseling and guidance, with specializations in pupil personnel services or college student personnel; the M.S. in counseling psychology, with an emphasis in marital and family therapy; the M.S. in special education; the M.S. in computer science; the Master of Education (M.Ed.); the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), with professional tracks in finance, information technology, international business, management, management and organizational behavior, marketing, or small business/entrepreneurship; the M.B.A. in financial planning; and the Master of Public Policy and Administration (M.P.P.A.).

Certificates are available in child development, director permit, child welfare and attendance, CLAD, computer concepts and applications supplementary authorization, financial planning, post-M.B.A., and resource specialist (special education).

Resource specialist credentials are offered in Preliminary Level I: mild to moderate or moderate to severe emphases or Professional Level II: mild to moderate and moderate to severe emphases.

Evening graduate programs attract students from many of Southern California’s most notable companies. Programs are stimulating, rigorous, and ethically insightful, and classes average around 15 to 20 students. Convenient evening and weekend classes are offered at the main campuses in Thousand Oaks, as well as graduate centers in Woodland Hills and Oxnard. Cal Lutheran’s programs for working professionals are known for their low student-faculty ratio of 15:1, a personalized learning environment, and staff support as well as a network of industry and community partnerships that facilitate relevant and timely learning and career advancement opportunities. Evening and weekend classes are offered to meet the needs of working professionals who must balance their education goals with the demands of career and home life.

Facilities & Resources
Pearson Library houses a core book collection complemented by journals, microfilms, audiovisual software, and access to electronic databases. Through OCLC, a major information database provider, the library has access to more than 80 research databases, which cover every major field of inquiry. CLU offers access to more than 14,000 full-text journals to assist students with their research needs. These journal databases are served over the Internet through the campus network service, CLUnet. Students can access CLUnet through wireless connections across the campus or from the library, any of several computer laboratories on campus, or off campus via the Internet.

Expenses and Aid
Tuition costs vary by program. Tuition costs range from $325 per credit for a certificate program to $680 per credit for a doctoral program. Counseling psychology students were assessed an $800 practicum fee per semester.

Housing/Living Expenses:
Private apartments and rooms are available for rent in the surrounding communities. The director of residence life may be contacted for housing assistance. Limited on-campus housing within the residence halls may be available for unmarried graduate and fifth-year students. The Residence Life Office is able to assist graduate students with finding off-campus housing in the Conejo Valley area.

Financial Aid:
Each semester, a limited number of assistantships, which offer a tuition remission award of up to 5 credits per semester, are offered to qualified graduate students. Graduate scholarships for students in the Teacher Preparation Program, for example, average about $500 per semester, and the Cal Grant T awards cover one year of tuition and fees. The Lutheran Teacher Award for Lutheran schoolteachers and administrators allows for a tuition reduction each semester based on their current employment at a Lutheran school. The Graduate Assumption Program of Loans for Education (Graduate APLE) provides loan assumption benefits for up to 500 students with financial need who are pursuing a recognized graduate degree and intend to become college-level faculty members. Students are awarded up to $2000 a year for up to three years’ teaching service at an accredited California college or university.

How to Apply
Students must have a bachelor’s (or higher) degree at a regionally accredited college or university, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). Applicants must submit the completed application for admission, the nonrefundable $50 application fee, all official transcripts from the colleges or universities attended, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement (no longer than two typewritten pages) that describes the reason for pursuing a graduate degree at CLU, and official test scores from the GRE (education, psychology, and M.P.P.A. students) or the GMAT (business students). International applicants must also submit an English translation of all official transcripts, TOEFL scores, and a current statement that verifies that the applicant has sufficient financial resources for academic and personal expenses while attending CLU. Some programs have additional requirements. Candidates are notified of the admission decision soon after their admission portfolio is complete.

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