
Adler University is a private university founded in Chicago in 1952 to advance the psychology of Alfred Adler. Its origins are associated with Rudolf Dreikurs, a psychiatrist who helped bring Adlerian ideas into professional education and practice.
The institution was known for many years as the Adler School of Professional Psychology before adopting the name Adler University in 2015. That change reflected a broader range of graduate programs beyond psychology, including counseling, leadership, and public policy. The university now operates in Chicago and Vancouver and offers online programs; applicants should check which campus administers the degree they are considering.
Adler University concentrates on graduate and professional education rather than a broad undergraduate curriculum. Its Chicago offerings include study in clinical psychology, counseling, art therapy, and related behavioral-health fields; the university also offers programs in areas such as organizational leadership and public policy.
Credentials vary by program and may include master's degrees, doctorates, and graduate certificates. The Chicago Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology is a different course of study from a counseling master's degree: applicants should compare clinical training, supervised experience, and the licensing rules for their intended profession and state. Program availability and delivery format can differ among Chicago, Vancouver, and online study.
Adler University's Chicago campus is in the Loop, the city's downtown business district. It is an urban campus rather than a traditional residential campus with extensive grounds.
Downtown Chicago offers access to public transit and to potential community, clinical, and public-sector training sites across the region. A placement's location may differ substantially from the classroom location, however, so applicants considering a practicum or internship should account for travel time as well as their trip to campus. Adler also has a Vancouver campus and online offerings; services and in-person requirements should not be assumed to be identical across locations.
Adler University states that it educates practitioners to advance social justice and improve community well-being. Its approach draws on Alfred Adler's emphasis on the relationship between individuals and their social environments.
The university incorporates community engagement and a Social Justice Practicum into its educational model. For prospective students, the practical question is how those commitments appear in a particular curriculum: practicum responsibilities, clinical training, course content, and the time required outside class can vary by degree. The stated mission describes the university's priorities; it is not, by itself, evidence of any particular graduate outcome.
Name of the institution
Adler UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999Adler University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.