Give Apply Info

Request Information

You need a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution to enroll in Adler University programs.

Okay

Online | Master’s | Doctorate | Certificate

Online Programs

Graduate degrees in psychology,
counseling, and public leadership

Request Information

Online Graduate Programs

You may have a full-time job, family obligations, or other things that command your attention. We get it. That said, you have a passion to make the world a better place. We have online programs that are crafted and curated to give you the skills to make it happen.

Every Adler program is created not only with specific milestones, relevant coursework, and expected outcomes, but also with the flexibility and creativity to help you think outside of the box to help solve today’s major challenges faced by individuals and communities. With that in mind, you will graduate with real-world knowledge and experience to pursue your goal of creating a more just society and drive change.

Adler University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Explore our program offerings by degree type:

Master’s Programs

The online modality of the Master of Arts in Counseling: Specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program prepares socially responsible clinicians to provide culturally sensitive therapeutic services in a wide range of clinical settings. Students train with faculty who are experienced counseling professionals and social justice activists. Our graduates are empowered and equipped to be agents of change for individuals, families, groups, communities, and society.
The online Master of Arts (M.A.) in Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology trains students in one of psychology’s fastest-growing specialties. We prepare socially responsible I/O professionals with insight, innovation, and direction to address today’s complex organizational issues of workplace diversity and inclusiveness, employee performance, change management, workplace safety, organizational culture, team building, and more.
The online Master of Arts (M.A.) in Psychology program trains socially responsible leaders to take the next step in their careers or branch into a terminal degree across a wide range of fields and disciplines. This innovative degree prepares professionals to be visionaries in their chosen field, using cutting-edge psychological insights and data-driven analysis to shape dynamic workplaces and environments to fuel human potential.
Drawing on Alfred Adler’s longtime expertise in military psychology and education, Adler University’s fully online Master of Arts (M.A.) in Psychology: Specialization in Military Psychology trains students to become socially responsible mental health professionals with specialized knowledge of military psychology. Graduates are equipped to work with the distinct needs and trauma experienced by military personnel, retirees, veterans, and their families.
The online Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program trains students to influence and revitalize domestic and international organizations as a scholar, practitioner, and entrepreneur with a socially responsible focus. Students develop skills in research, data, and analytics to help make informed, strategic, and ethical decisions for both an organization and its societal initiatives.

Doctorate Programs

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Art Therapy program prepares researchers, educators, and scholars to train the next generation of clinical art therapists—and use human creative expression as a powerful catalyst for change. Offered fully online and taught by renowned experts, our curriculum emphasizes the potential of art therapy as a socially responsible practice to address some of today’s most pressing issues.
The online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology trains students to be forward-thinking, socially responsible organizational experts who draw on scientific research to gain a deeper understanding of motivation and how to maximize human potential. Our graduates bring expertise in psychology, decision making, leadership, statistics, and research methods to workplaces, offering fiscally and ethically guided recommendations to shape culture and drive performance.
The online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Organizational Leadership program trains students to be socially conscious scholar-practitioners who can make an immediate impact on organizational and system transformation as well as drive innovation across commercial, public, and social contexts. Graduates of our program are equipped to excel as leaders and change agents in a wide variety of settings, from academia and the nonprofit sector, to business, industry and government.

Adler’s Online Campus

Adler University is a tight-knit community of radical thinkers and doers. Know that as an online student, you are not alone. You are one of us. The work you will be asked to do will be equivalent to every other Adler student. The skills and experiences you receive will be just as powerful, And the degree you will earn will speak just as loudly.

Adler University Library

Online Campus students have access to our extensive online library collection of articles, e-books, journals, and videos. Dedicated faculty librarians with extensive expertise are available to assist students with finding resources and conducting research.

Our collection is vast—comprising more than 370,000 e-books, articles, journals, videos, and databases. Each year, we add to our library based on what faculty teach and what students need for their research.

The University’s library has supported the learning and research experiences of students since its creation in 1952 by Harold Mosak, one of our founders and original faculty members.

Our librarians are available to provide personalized guidance with research and utilizing resources, and our facilities offer lounge areas suitable for individual or collaborative group work.

 

Adler University Center for Learning and Teaching

All students have access to the Adler University Center for Learning and Teaching, which offers a variety of resources to assist in writing and research. Students can get individual assistance and tutoring on writing, theses, and dissertations, as well as personalized consultation for statistics and research design.

The Center for Learning and Teaching meets the co-curricular instruction needs of Adler University students on all campuses by providing support in:

  • Academic writing
  • Statistics and research design
  • APA citation
  • Dissertation and thesis format
  • Resume, CV, and cover letter preparation

Services are provided online by Adler University writing professionals, faculty members, and Brainfuse tutors.

Faculty Spotlight

Marianne Cabrera, Ph.D.

Program Director, Organizational Leadership programs

My teaching style and thought process revolve around integrating academic and practitioner-related concepts into the learning experience to help students best understand and apply what they are learning in both the classroom and in their every day life. In both online and classroom-based learning, I believe that communication and engagement are key to having a successful and effective learning experience. Developing relationships and understanding what the lessons mean to my students are a top priority for me, as I try to find ways to help them connect with the material in the course and in their overall learning in the program.

Faculty Spotlight

Joseph Troiani, Ph.D.

Founding Director, Military Psychology program

Quite simply, Adler University is special. The University educates students who are the future of socially responsible leadership in psychology and behavioral health. We promote this even in their first year with the Community Service Practicum. Then, throughout their studies here, students have ongoing engagement with both the Institute of Social Exclusion and the Institute of Public Safety and Social Justice. As professionals, our graduates honor their Adler education by bringing the values of social interest into practice, by becoming advocates of justice, and by influencing public policy.

Institutes & Centers

The health and wellbeing of a community is one of the cornerstones of the University’s social justice mission. To that end, Adler employs a community-embedded service model of institutes and centers that provide students with the firsthand experience in the real world, serving communities in need.


Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice

The Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice (IPSSJ) was created to address public safety challenges with socially just solutions. IPSSJ works with trauma-focused community groups to reduce criminalization in communities of color.


Adler Community Health Services

In keeping with the vision of the first community psychologist Alfred Adler, the Adler Community Health Services (ACHS) is a community-embedded program for Chicago and Vancouver communities in need of healthcare.


Center for Adlerian Practice and Scholarship

As all academic degree programs are shaped by Adlerian concepts and principles, the Center serves as a valuable resource for faculty and staff to ensure that students know the relevance of Alfred Adler and how it applies to their work and today’s social challenges.


Center for Civic Learning & Community Action

The Adler Social Justice Practicum (SJP) teaches the critical need for civic minded change agents who take community action to lead change. First year students are placed with community partners to complete challenging on-site projects that provide real world learning about social responsible practices. Again, Adler students learn by doing.


Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Understanding the need for an emphasis on diversity and inclusion within socially responsible practice, the Adler Black Student Association in Chicago and Vancouver are led by a Chief Diversity Officer and is designed to address equity in all university activities. At Adler, diversity and inclusion are more than words, they are words we live by.

Graduate Spotlight

Brittany Bediako

Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, M.A.

One of the aspects I am very grateful for is that I was able to see real-life application of my education right out of the gate. My professors and coursework provided so much perspective to things I have had to work through over the course of my career.

Graduate Spotlight

Cheryl Magee

Doctorate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Ph.D.

Cheryl Magee, M.A. ’18, has devoted her career to serving her community’s diverse and ever-changing needs. A student in the Online Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program and a graduate of the online Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management program, Magee runs a nonprofit that provides critical social services to the greater New Orleans area. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to “moving people and places out of poverty.” Magee is the founder and executive director of Hope Center in Gretna, Louisiana. She started the organization out of her local church, and since opening in 2001, it has helped more than 9,000 people, including youth, veterans, and those who are homeless or unemployed.

Graduate Spotlight

Tanya Buckingham

Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, M.A.

"I always tell people that it is the psychology of how to get groups to perform well together,” said Buckingham, who often coaches her students and wanted to grow her leadership skills. “It confirmed some of the ways in which I was doing things. It also challenged me in new ways.” Her degree has helped in her elected position because “it’s about building relationships, and coming up with a common goal and common approach,” Buckingham said. “My role on the County Board pulls together so many of my classes, as well as Adler University’s social justice approach, to make sure we are elevating everyone’s voices in our community.”

Admissions

Come prepared. At Adler University, our students come from all walks of life and from all around the world. If you have the aptitude, resolve and academic resume, you are Adler material and more than welcome to join us in our quest to create a more just world.

LEARN MORE

Academic Calendar


TermStartsEnds
Spring I 202501.06.2502.23.25
TermStartsEnds
Spring II 202503.03.2504.20.25
TermStartsEnds
Summer I 202505.05.2506.22.25
TermStartsEnds
Summer II 202506.30.2508.17.25

Catalog & Handbook

The 2024-2025 Adler University Catalog provides comprehensive information about degree programs, course descriptions, and academic and student policies.

Adler University’s 2024-2025 Student Handbook is meant as a guide only and does not serve as a contract between Adler University and its students. Adler University reserves the right to alter its policies, procedures, curriculum, and to do so at any time, with or without advance notice, and to apply changes regarding current and future students alike.

In our archives, we maintain a collection of historical catalogs dating back to the early 1970’s. If you have any questions or need additional information, please email the Office of the Registrar or call (312) 662-4130. Please click here to access our Catalog Archives.

VISIT COURSE CATALOG

ADLER UNIVERSITY STUDENT HANDBOOK

Request Information

      You need a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution to enroll in Adler University programs.

      Okay

      Explore More

      Adler commencement speaker to inspire Chicago, Online graduates to lead with purpose

      Dr. Tahani Abdallah will be this year’s student speaker during the Chicago and Online campuses’ commencement ceremony at the Chicago Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 27.

      Learn More

      Adler University welcomes a diverse and growing student body for Fall 2024

      As we move through the Fall 2024 term, it’s clear that the new and continuing students at Adler University are shaping a vibrant, supportive, and diverse community that is eager to make an impact in the world. 

      Learn More

      For international student, Adlerian summer school program is a way to recharge and live the Adlerian theory

      Shuli Zheng began attending the International Committee for Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes program, which gives attendees a chance to network with fellow mental health practitioners and take courses from renowned Adlerian experts. ICASSI is a nonprofit educational organization that aims to help professionals and students learn the teachings of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs.

      Learn More