Claremont Graduate University

History

Founded in 1925, CGU was the second of the Claremont Colleges to form, following Pomona College and preceding Scripps College. The school has undergone several name changes since its inception. After being called Claremont University College for 37 years, in 1962 the school officially became known as Claremont Graduate School and University Center. Five years later, in 1967, the name was again changed to Claremont University Center, and in 1998 it acquired the name Claremont Graduate University.

The Claremont Colleges were designed to incorporate the Oxford Model of higher education. Instead of one large university composed of several separate schools, the Claremont Colleges are made up of different institutions designed around differing theories of pedagogy. CGU was founded upon the principle that graduate education is separate and distinct from undergraduate education. Students discover and cultivate their disciplines during undergraduate course work; at CGU students continue cultivation of their own disciplines, but are also expected to augment this with research that incorporates other disciplines as well. This is called "Transdisciplinarity" and is an essential component of Claremont Graduate University's functioning theory of pedagogy.

The school is home to more than 2,000 master's and PhD students, as well as approximately 200 full and part-time faculty members. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has classified Claremont Graduate University as a CompDoc/NMedVet: Comprehensive doctoral (no medical/veterinary) with high research activity. Its seven academic units and other related programs and institutes award master's and/or doctoral degrees in 31 disciplines. Enrollment is limited and classes are small. In 2018, the university also introduced its first online master's degree programs.

Center for Information Systems & Technology

CISAT was founded in 1983 by Paul Gray as an independent entity. Unconstrained by a typical business school structure, students are allowed to focus specifically on those topics associated with IS&T. The school provides a solid technical grounding in IT systems, while at the same time, addressing the significant management challenges to designing, developing, implementing and assessing IT systems in applied business and governmental settings.

As part of the Claremont Colleges, CGU sits on 550 acres (220 ha) of land and includes over 175 buildings that is home to The Claremont Colleges Services in Claremont, California.

In July 2007, CNN/Money magazine ranked Claremont as one of the top 5 places to live in the United States.

Harper Hall

Harper Hall is the oldest building on CGU's campus, originally housing the graduate library. It is now the administration building centralizing CGU's student and administrative functions. Classrooms and study areas take up a majority of Harper Hall's lower level.

Stauffer Hall and Albrecht Auditorium

Stauffer Hall (with Albrecht Auditorium attached to it) is a three-level academic building where the School of Educational Studies' Teacher Education program offices are located. Additionally, The East Gallery and the Peggy Phelps Gallery have been relocated to Stauffer Hall after the closure of the (now former) CGU Art Building. Students from CGU's Music program utilize the bottom floor of Stauffer Hall and the Albrecht Auditorium to rehearse and practice.