Alliant was formed in 2001 by the combination of two older institutions: theCalifornia School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) andUnited States International University (USIU).[2] Like the institutions that it descended from, Alliant has its home campus in San Diego, California. Until 2007, USIU also had a Europe campus in a former public school in the UK, which was used as a site for many films, including theHarry Potter series.[3]
USIU is the descendant of the originalBalboa School of Law founded by Leland Ghent Stanford as a private graduate institution in 1924. The name was changed toBalboa University and then, in 1952, toCalifornia Western University. With the name change to California Western University the school relocated to an oceanside campus inPoint Loma (the site of present-dayPoint Loma Nazarene University). In 1968, the school's name was changed toUnited States International University with the vision to become a global university. Land was purchased for a new campus inScripps Ranch, and all USIU operations were moved there by 1973.[4] The law school, however, retained the name ofCalifornia Western School of Law and moved to a new downtown location. In 1975 it split off to become an independent institution that is still in operation.[4]
The entrance to the San Diego campus
William C. Rust was the president of California Western University who ushered in the transformation to USIU and led the school for the next 37 years.[5][6] Rust's vision was "to create global understanding through a single university with campuses all over the world.".[7] The founding goal for USIU was a focus on "human excellence" over "intellectual excellence."[7] By 1971, Rust had transformed the former small liberal arts school of California Western University into what theSan Diego Reader referred to as an "international phenomenon."[8][7] Besides the main Scripps Ranch campus, USIU had developed a network of campuses both nationally inMaui,Steamboat Springs, andGuam as well as internationally, with branch campuses in:London,Mexico City,Tokyo andNairobi.[9][10][11] In 1986, Rust was still breaking new ground for buildings and maintaining a focus on further expansion in Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, and Russia.[6] But by 1990, after 37 years of leading the university and enduring several rocky financial episodes, Rust was removed of all governing power by the board of trustees.[6][9] Gary Hays, former chancellor of the Minnesota State University, took over as president of USIU in April 1990 and reorganized the University into just two remaining colleges; arts and sciences and business administration.[12] In 1999, theNairobi campus became its own independent entity known asUnited States International University Africa.[13]
In 2001 the California School of Professional Psychology and United States International University merged to become Alliant International University, taking over the Scripps Ranch campus of USIU. At first Alliant was a nonprofit university like its predecessors. In February 2015, Alliant became a for-profitbenefit corporation and part of the Arist Education System, a subsidiary ofBertelsmann.[14]
Alliant International University is composed of several academic schools:
California School of Professional Psychology[15] The California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) was founded in 1969 under the auspices of the California Psychological Association. CSPP offers programs in clinical psychology, clinical counseling, and marital and family therapy.[15]
California School of Management & Leadership[16] In 2011, Alliant International University renamed their management school to Alliant School of Management then to California School of Management & Leadership in 2018. Formerly theMarshall Goldsmith School of Management, named for organizational consultant and executive coachMarshall Goldsmith, the School of Management offers a 4-year BSBA program, master's and doctoral degrees in Business, Management, and Leadership.[16]
Alliant's marital and family therapy programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.[23]
Alliant's clinical counseling program is accredited by Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) cacrep.org[24]
The Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing programs at Alliant are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).[25]
The Master of Social Work program at Alliant is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).[26]
Alliant’s entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).[27]
Alliant was included inGI Jobs magazine's 2013 list of Military-Friendly Schools, the third year in a row the university had been included in this listing. It was also included on theMilitary Times EDGE magazine's list of Best for Vets Colleges in 2010 and 2011; in 2011, Alliant was ranked #10 on the list, making it the highest-ranked non-traditional university in California.[32]
During the 1980s and 1990s, prior to its merger with Alliant, the USIU Gulls fielded several Division I teams. The football team producedsix professional football players[33] and was once briefly coached by the legendary player and coachSid Gillman.[34] USIU's international student body allowed it to field a competitiveNCAA Division I hockey team, theUSIU Gulls, which was the onlyNCAA team "west of the Rockies."[35] However, in 1990 after 10 successful years and producing twoNHL players, the program was dropped due to the rising cost of traveling to distant campuses to compete.[36] USIU also maintained anNCAA Division I basketball team.[37] USIU's women's softball team appeared in oneWomen's College World Series in1982.[38]
Alliant International University maintained a sports program for a few years but phased out its intercollegiate athletics programs in 2007.[39]
^"Accreditation Actions September 2025"(PDF).Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. October 16, 2025. RetrievedNovember 21, 2025.
^Blumenstock, Kathy."The beach boys on blades".Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com.Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 4, 2020.
^Hazeltine, Rick (April 23, 1988)."Hockey Dropped by USIU".Los Angeles Times.Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. RetrievedSeptember 4, 2020.
^Plummer, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013).A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc.ISBN978-0-9893007-0-4.
^"About Dr. Arutt".Dr. Arutt.Archived from the original on September 21, 2018. RetrievedSeptember 21, 2018.
^Sandhu, Sonia (2020)."Profile: Reiko True".Psychology's Feminist Voices. RetrievedNovember 2, 2021.In 1972, True went back to school, feeling a need to further develop her understanding of mental health. This time, she applied for clinical practice at the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP). Upon the completion of her doctorate in 1976...
^"H. Igor Ansoff".Strategic Posture.Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 21, 2018.
^abjoint venture with Amperwelle Studio München Programmanbietergesellschaft,Axel Springer AG, Burda, Studio Gong, m.b.t. Mediengesellschaft der bayerischen Tageszeitungen für Kabelkommunikation, Medienpool and Radio Bavaria Rundfunkprogrammgesellschaft.
^joint venture with Verlagsgesellschaft Madsack, Studio Gong Niedersachsen and Brune-Rieck-Beteiligungs.
^joint venture with Axel Springer, Heinrich Bauer Verlag, Lühmanndruck Harburger Zeitungsgesellschaft and Morgenpost Verlag.
