The U.S. News and World Report ranks UCSB among the top research institutions in the United States. UCSB as a campus has many renowned programs and a remarkable record of faculty receiving Nobel Prizes another research awards. It is a dynamic, forward-thinking campus environment.
CCSP is one of a small number of programs that is accredited* by the American Psychological Association for applied professional training in all three core substantive areas of psychology. We provide an integrated, high-quality training that is rooted in an appreciation of the diverse tradition in professional psychology. Students graduate with an enriched appreciation of the breadth of applied professional psychology, but with substantial training in their specific area of interest. We believe that student’s future endeavors are enhanced through this cross-specialization training.
Our faculty – many of whom have received notable research awards and recognition – is a cohesive group dedicated to providing you an enriched learning experience. Teaching is valued and emphasized and draws from our faculty’s high level of research productivity and professional leadership. Our faculty members are very active in research and professional organizations and mentor our students to do the same.
In CCSP, you will study among a supportive, creative, capable, and caring group of fellow students. Over the years, the CCSP students have ranked among the best on the UCSB campus. They have used this excellence to help create a positive, supportive learning community. These people will be life-long friends and professional colleagues. Click here to view our alumni job placements.
CCSP’s hallmark over the past three decades has been a commitment to linking the science and practice of applied psychology as it relates to the mental health needs of individuals and families of diverse life backgrounds. CCSP was the first program nationally to receive the Richard Suinn Award from the American Psychological Association for successfully recruiting, mentoring, and graduating students from diverse backgrounds. Diversity and issues of multicultural competency are infused in coursework, fieldwork experiences, and are typically a topic of faculty and student research.
Santa Barbara County is known for having more community service non-profits than any other county in the United States. The CCSP faculty and students support these efforts by working in and with many of these non-profit service organizations through volunteer efforts, fieldwork training, and by providing research and evaluation services. CCSP is a part of the Santa Barbara community and we have many public and private research and clinical partners.
Through teaching, research, and public outreach, we are dedicated to improving society for future generations. Research and training focus on real-world issues that call for solutions – Autism, school violence prevention, diversity and mental health services, closing the school achievement gap, crisis response, child abuse, delinquency prevention, and substance abuse prevention. Promoting mental health is more than addressing problems; hence, our faculty also provides training and research in the promotion of resilience and psychological well-being.
Positive Psychology, empirically-based practice, multicultural competence, community collaborations (drug court, school-based programs, treatment efficacy in community organization). Our faculty actively engage in research on diversity, Autism, psychotherapy, assessment, child abuse, treatment of substance abuse and co-occurring disorders, LGBT populations, school safety, delinquency, and positive psychology.