Claremont Graduate University

Claremont Graduate University. Founded in 1925, it is the oldest all-graduate institution in the United States and a founding member of the Claremont Colleges consortium. The university is dedicated exclusively to advanced study, offering doctoral and master's degrees across a range of disciplines in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and management. Its model of small, interdisciplinary programs fosters close collaboration between students and renowned faculty.

History

The institution was established as the Graduate School of Claremont College in 1925 by Pomona College president James A. Blaisdell, who envisioned a collection of small, distinct colleges sharing central resources—a model inspired by Oxford University. It became the first exclusively graduate school in the nation. In 1962, it was renamed Claremont Graduate School and University Center, and adopted its current name in 1998. Key developments include the founding of the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management in 1980 and the School of Social Science, Policy & Evaluation in 2015. The university has been led by notable presidents including John D. Maguire and, since 2018, Len Jessup.

Academics

The university is organized into several schools and institutes, including the Drucker School of Management, the School of Arts & Humanities, the School of Social Science, Policy & Evaluation, the School of Educational Studies, and the Center for Information Systems and Technology. It is particularly renowned for its programs in positive psychology, evaluation, transdisciplinary studies, and the teachings of Peter F. Drucker. The university awards a variety of degrees, including the Ph.D., Ed.D., and numerous master's degrees. It maintains strong research affiliations with institutions like the Getty Research Institute and the Huntington Library.

Campus

The campus is integrated within the broader Claremont Colleges in Claremont, California, approximately 35 miles east of Los Angeles. Key facilities include the Harper Hall, which houses administrative offices, and the McAlister Center for religious activities. Students have access to shared consortium resources such as the Honnold/Mudd Library and the Robert J. Bernard Field Station. The university's location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area provides connections to major cultural, governmental, and corporate institutions throughout Southern California.

Notable people

Distinguished faculty have included management philosopher Peter F. Drucker, positive psychology founder Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and economist Paul J. Zak. Notable alumni encompass a wide range of fields, including United States Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Rae Armantrout, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz, and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Debra Granik. Other prominent graduates are National Book Award winner Mark Doty, former President of Guatemala Alfonso Portillo, and Emmy Award-winning journalist Michele Norris.

See also

* Claremont Colleges * Pomona College * Peter F. Drucker * Positive psychology

Category:Universities and colleges in Los Angeles County, California Category:Graduate schools in the United States Category:Educational institutions established in 1925