Claremont Graduate University

Claremont Graduate University (CGU) is a private graduate-only research institution located in Claremont, California, and is part of the larger Claremont Colleges consortium. Founded in 1925, the university was established with a distinctive mission: to provide advanced graduate education built around interdisciplinary scholarship, research collaboration, and professional leadership.

Unlike traditional universities with undergraduate populations, CGU focuses exclusively on master’s and doctoral education. This structure creates an academic environment centered on advanced research, faculty mentorship, and specialized professional development.

A defining feature of Claremont Graduate University is its interdisciplinary model. Students are encouraged to cross academic boundaries, combining expertise from multiple fields to address complex social, organizational, scientific, and policy challenges.

Psychology is one of CGU’s most recognized academic strengths. The university is well known for programs in clinical psychology, organizational behavior, evaluation, positive psychology, and applied social psychology, with strong research emphasis.

Business education is another major academic area. The Drucker School of Management, inspired by management thinker Peter Drucker, offers programs in leadership, strategy, innovation, finance, and organizational management with a strong conceptual and practical orientation.

Education is also central to the institution’s academic identity. Programs in educational leadership, policy analysis, higher education, and learning sciences prepare graduates for leadership roles in academic and institutional settings.

Public policy and government studies are important components of CGU’s portfolio, particularly in areas such as public administration, economics, political science, and policy evaluation.

The university also maintains strong programs in information systems, data science, arts management, and humanities research.

Research activity spans behavioral science, education reform, organizational leadership, evaluation science, economics, urban policy, and social innovation.

A notable advantage of CGU is access to the Claremont Colleges network, which provides graduate students with additional academic resources, libraries, faculty collaboration, and intellectual community across multiple institutions.

Campus life is graduate-focused and academically intensive, emphasizing research communities, seminars, conferences, and professional networking rather than traditional undergraduate activities.

For students seeking advanced graduate education with strengths in psychology, business, education, and interdisciplinary research, Claremont Graduate University offers a specialized academic environment designed for leadership, scholarship, and applied impact.