California Southern University

{{Short description|For-profit university in Chandler, Arizona, US}}

{{Distinguish|text=the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, California)}}

{{Infobox university

| name = California Southern University

| motto = Cognitio Vincet Omne

| mottoeng = Knowledge conquers all

| established = 1978

| accreditation = HLC

| type = Private for-profit online university

| president = Sunitha Araamudhu

| chancellor = John Kline

| academic_staff =

| administrative_staff =

| students = 10,997

| undergrad = 6,830

| postgrad = 4,167

| doctoral =

| other =

| city = Chandler

| state = Arizona

| country = United States

| coordinates = {{Coord|33.18272700|-111.50417840|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| website = {{url|www.calsouthern.edu}}

| logo = CSU_Logo.svg

| image_name = CalsouthernSeal.jpeg

| image_upright = 0.8

}}

California Southern University is a private for-profit online university in Chandler, Arizona. It is part of the American InterContinental University System.{{cite web | url=https://www.calsouthern.edu/accreditation-licensure/ | title=Accreditation & Approvals }} It offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs. The university is owned by the for-profit company Perdoceo Education Corporation, publicly traded on the NASDAQ under PRDO and formerly known as Career Education Corporation (CEC).{{cite web|title=November 2020 Actions|url=https://vetsedsuccess.org/colorado-technical-university-american-intercontinental-university-trident-university-recent-actions-and-concerns/|access-date=December 8, 2020|website=Veterans Education Success}}

History

The university was established in California on December 27, 1978, by Donald Hecht as a traditional correspondence school and received its initial approval to offer degree programs from the California Department of Education. It originally offered associate level programs, then expanded to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. During the 1990s, the university added distance learning programs in the fields of business, psychology and law.[http://www.calsouthern.edu/about-us/history/ California Southern History – A Rich History of Pioneering] history page on official site. The university is now recognized as an online degree granting institution.

Until June 2007, the university was known as the Southern California University for Professional Studies (SCUPS) and was located in Anaheim, California.[http://www.scups.net/ Southern California University for Professional Studies] website, accessed December 21, 2007

On July 1, 2020, Christina Villanueva issued a Citation and Order of Abatement in her official capacity as Discipline Manager of the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, a unit of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. On October 29, 2019, bureau staff conducted an unannounced compliance inspection at the school. Staff of the university were unable to access the supporting documentation for the 2016-2017 School Performance Fact Sheet (SPFS) as well as the documentation for the 2019 3rd quarter Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) Assessment Reporting Form.{{cite web|url=https://www.bppe.ca.gov/enforcement/actions/1920340_california_southern_university_abate.pdf |title=CITATION AND ORDER OF ABATEMENT |date=July 2020 |publisher=Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education}}{{source-attribution}}

In 2022, the university was acquired by Perdoceo Education Corporation for $40 million and merged this acquisition into American InterContinental University as a branch campus joining the American InterContinental University System.{{cite web | url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/2087/95017023004119/filing-main.htm | title= PERDOCEO EDUCATION CORPORATION |date=December 2022 |publisher=UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION}}

The university was regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) before being acquired by Perdoceo Education Corporation.[http://www.wascsenior.org/institutions/california-southern-university WASC Statement of Accreditation Status] Retrieved July 18, 2015 CalSouthern was officially granted institutional accreditation under the American InterContinental University System by the Higher Learning Commission on July 5, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/june-2022-actions.html?highlight=WyJjYWxzb3V0aGVybiJd|title=June 2022 Actions:HLC|date=20 September 2014|access-date=15 November 2012}} The university closed its Irvine and Costa Mesa, California locations as part of the merger with American InterContinental University and opened their main office in Chandler, Arizona by late 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.calsouthern.edu/contact-us/|title=California Southern University contact us|access-date=2023-12-17}}

California Southern does not accept applications from residents of Massachusetts and New York.{{cite web|url=https://www.calsouthern.edu/|title=California Southern University|access-date=2024-12-17}}

Academics

California Southern University offers bachelor's, master's, and professional doctorate degrees entirely online.{{cite web|url=http://www.calsouthern.edu/online-degree-programs|title=Online Accredited Graduate Degree Programs - California Southern University|website=www.calsouthern.edu}} The California Southern School of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).{{Cite web|url=https://www.acbsp.org/members/?id=35180921|title=California Southern University - Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs|website=acbsp.org|language=en|access-date=2018-08-19}} The California Southern School of Nursing's baccalaureate and master's degree programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).{{Cite web|url=https://directory.ccnecommunity.org/reports/rptAccreditedPrograms_New.asp?state=CA&sFullName=California|title=CCNE-Accredited Nursing Degree Programs|website=directory.ccnecommunity.org|access-date=2018-08-19}}

School of Law

{{Distinguish|text=California Southern Law School (Riverside, California), or Southern California Institute of Law (Santa Barbara, California)}}

{{Infobox law school

| image =

| name = California Southern University
School of Law

| parent =

| established = 1994{{cite web|url=http://www.calsouthern.edu/about-us/history|title=CalSouthern History - California Southern University|website=www.calsouthern.edu}}

| type = Private correspondence law school

| endowment =

| parent endowment =

| head =

| city = Costa Mesa

| state = California

| country =USA

| coordinates =

| students =

| faculty = 18

| ranking =

| bar pass rate = 7% (1/14) in February 2020 {{cite web|url=http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/FEB2020-CBX-Statistics.pdf|title=General Statistics Report – February 2020 California Bar Examination|publisher=California State Bar|date=2020-06-20}}

| annual tuition = $11,990
($545/unit for 88 units total){{cite web|url=http://www.calsouthern.edu/online-law-degrees/juris-doctor-degree|title=JD Degree - Juris Doctor Online Degree - California Southern University|website=www.calsouthern.edu}}

| homepage = {{url|www.calsouthern.edu/law}}

| motto =

| aba profile =

}}

The California Southern University School of Law is an unaccredited correspondence law school which offers two graduate-level degrees, the Master of Science in Law (MSL) and the Juris Doctor (J.D.). However, the university is not currently enrolling new learners in the School of Law. The school is registered with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California as a "Registered Unaccredited Correspondence Law School", which is sufficient to qualify its graduates to sit for the California Bar Examination provided they complete 864 hours of preparation (per year) and study over four years.{{cite web|url=http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=5p_FwYQHito=&tabid=2192|title=The State Bar of California|website=admissions.calbar.ca.gov}} A typical JD degree at an accredited institution is three years. It is not registered with or accredited by the American Bar Association.{{cite web |url=http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/aba_approved_law_schools/by_year_approved.html |title=ABA-Approved Law Schools by Year |work=ABA website |access-date=April 1, 2011}}

=Bar examination pass rate=

In the February administration of the California Bar Examination in 2020, one of 14 takers passed the examination, for a pass rate of seven percent.{{cite web|url=http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/FEB2020-CBX-Statistics.pdf|title=General Statistics Report – February 2020 California Bar Examination|publisher=California State Bar|date=2020-06-20}} For the years 2008 through 2013, 20 graduates have taken the California Bar Examination as first-time takers; of that number, five passed the examination for a pass rate of 25 percent.{{cite web|url=http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/Examinations/Statistics.aspx#statsGBX|title=The State Bar of California|website=admissions.calbar.ca.gov}}

=Student outcomes=

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, California Southern University has a 6-year graduation rate of 17% and a 3-year default rate of 18.8 percent.{{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=American+InterContinental+University&s=AZ&id=445027#fedloans|title=College Navigator - California Southern University at AIU|website=nces.ed.gov}}