Carlos Albizu University, Miami Campus

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From the College

Carlos Albizu University (CAU) is dedicated to the study and understanding of human endeavors from a holistic, dynamic, and integrated perspective. The University’s programs have produced culturally sensitive professionals who are capable of serving the diverse population of the global community. The University is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is licensed by the Florida Department of Education Commission for Independent Education.

The University’s mission is achieved through advanced training, research, the dissemination of scientific and cultural information, and the provision of professional services with sensitivity toward culturally diverse constituencies. Through its expert faculty, CAU offers exciting and challenging programs to more than 2,000 students, who represent more than forty countries. Classes are small, with flexible schedules to meet the students’ needs.

In addition to its undergraduate programs, the University also offers the following master’s degree programs: an accelerated Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.); a Master of Science in psychology, with majors in marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, and school counseling; and a Master of Science in industrial and organizational psychology that has been ranked by independent researchers among the top third of programs of its kind in the nation. CAU also offers Master of Science degree programs in exceptional student education (ESSE) and in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). CAU’s APA-accredited Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) program offers concentrations in child psychology, clinical neuropsychology, forensic psychology, and general psychology.

CAU was founded in 1966 in Puerto Rico with the specific objective of offering a Master of Science degree in clinical psychology. At that time, very few mental health professionals worked on the island, and most of them received their professional education outside of Puerto Rico. CAU enabled these professionals to receive training that was specifically adapted to Puerto Rican sociocultural realities. A thriving and modern 18-acre campus was established in Miami in 1980, offering graduate psychology programs that are sensitive to cultural and ethnic issues.

In 2000, the two-campus institution was renamed Carlos Albizu University as a posthumous honor to its founder, becoming the only fully accredited secular university in the United States named in honor of a Hispanic. CAU proudly recognizes Dr. Albizu’s distinguished career as a professor of psychology and his service as the first president of the National Hispanic Psychological Association.

The University is located in the new city of Doral in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Multiple dining, shopping, and entertainment venues are located just around the corner from the Miami campus, and the world-famous art deco district of Miami Beach is only 25 minutes away. In addition, many national and international companies have their headquarters in the area neighboring the campus. Rich in multicultural diversity and laden with the complex socioeconomic and psychosocial realities that accompany such diversity, Miami has become a multicultural and international center as well as the home of many who have moved to the U.S. from Latin America and the Caribbean.

At the Miami campus, the University offers the following undergraduate programs: a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in psychology, a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in elementary education, and certificate programs in early childhood education (ECE) and in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL).

A bachelor’s degree requires completion of 120 to 124 credits, including 48 to 60 credits in foundation courses, 43 to 48 credits in core major courses, and the rest in concentrations or electives. The B.S. in psychology and the B.A. in elementary education may receive a maximum of 90 transfer credits from an accredited institution of higher learning. The Bachelor of Business Administration may receive a maximum of 72 transfer credits. Students must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in order to be admitted; the GPA within the program of study must be maintained at 2.25 to 2.5, depending on the program.

Independent study allows students to take a regular course from an instructor on an individual or small-group basis rather than in a classroom setting. With the approval of a professor and the program director, a student may take a maximum of 9 hours of independent study after competing at least 24 hours of traditional study. Special project courses allow students to design courses to fit their particular interests.

The academic year is divided into three 15-week academic terms: spring (January to April), summer (May to August), and fall (September to December).

The Albizu Library’s collection includes printed and nonprinted materials in the behavioral sciences, psychology, psychiatry, and mental health. The collection also includes a number of volumes and resources on business, management, marketing, economics, accounting, and finance, as well as subscriptions to the leading management journals and publications. Additional resources are offered in the areas of curriculum development, elementary education, special education, and classroom management. CAU students have access to the leading online databases, such as EBSCO and ProQuest. A special collection of materials on cross-cultural topics is also housed in the library, and there is a collection of testing materials for different disciplines.

The CAU campus offers it students many facilities and features similar to those offered at a larger university while also providing the personal attention afforded by a small university. The University features five computer labs, a student lounge, cafeteria, indoor and outdoor study areas, and the Albizu Library. The University has wireless Internet connections available throughout the campus and has technologically equipped classrooms.

CAU is home to the Goodman Psychological Services Center. This is a unique resource to both the students training to become practitioners in the field of psychology and to the community. The students are given the opportunity to hone clinically acquired skills while providing supervised mental health services to CAU’s local community. Since 1980, the Goodman Center has provided services to more than ten thousand members of the community and continues to contribute to the availability of affordable mental health care to underserved populations.

Undergraduate tuition for 2008–09 was $305 per credit ($385 per credit for upper division business programs). Other expenses include a global fee of $248 per session.

More than 75 percent of CAU’s students receive financial aid. Recipients must be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens who are enrolled for at least 6 credits. In addition, students must not be in default or owe repayment on a grant. Financial aid applications must be received by June 1 for fall enrollment, October 1 for spring enrollment, and March 1 for summer enrollment. In accordance with Title IV regulations, an undergraduate student is considered to be full-time when enrolled in 12 or more credits and part-time when enrolled in 6 to 11 credits of study. Available grants include the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Opportunity Educational Grant, the Florida State Assistance Grant, and the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. Fifteen $1000 Albizu Scholarships are offered each term. Tuition assistance of 20 percent is available to government employees for qualifying programs. Federal Stafford Student Loans and Federal PLUS loans are available with interest rates that do not exceed 9 percent.

The faculty consists of approximately 100 full-time and part-time instructors, all of whom have advanced degrees (master’s or higher) in their respective programs of study and are members of professional organizations related to their fields of interest and research.

The Student Council seeks to promote communication, cooperation, and understanding among students and members of the faculty and administration and suggests ways to promote the best interests and objectives of the academic community. The Student Council’s functions are regulated by the applicable dispositions of the General Regulations for Students of the CAU.

Undergraduate applicants must submit the following items to be considered for admission: a completed and signed application form; official transcripts from all high schools, colleges, or universities previously attended; letters of recommendation; a resume; and a $25 application fee. Undergraduate applicants must present a GPA of 2.0 or higher to be considered for admission. Graduate degree programs follow different admission standards and procedures.

International students applying for admission must comply with current immigration regulations and submit their academic records to authorized agencies for verification of their equivalency to course work offered in the United States. In addition, they should have all admission credentials on file at least ninety days prior to the beginning of the term of expected enrollment.

Transfer students may transfer credits earned from an accredited college or university. Education and training must have been received in an accredited institution of higher education that at the time of training was accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Students may apply for prior learning credits for college-level course work, work experience, military service, or analogous learning outside of the traditional classroom.

After all materials have been received, the applicant’s completed file is forwarded to the appropriate undergraduate program and reviewed by a faculty member. At the discretion of the director of the undergraduate program, the applicant is scheduled for an interview. Upon admission to the program, a faculty adviser is assigned to the prospective student.

CAU does not discriminate against any student with special needs and/or conditions who is otherwise eligible and who meets program and professional performance standards and expectations.

Applications must be received prior to the beginning of the term of enrollment for which the applicant is requesting admission. Out-of-state and international applicants should submit all admission documents at least ninety days prior to the beginning of the term of expected enrollment. Applications may be submitted online or mailed to: