The School recognizes that the person and values of the practitioner are central to effective and socially responsible practice. It thus strives to promote the development and integration of both professional competence and humanitarian values. The School seeks to be responsive to the real needs of the many diverse peoples in a rapidly changing society and thus works to maintain a close connection with the community which it serves. The School's curriculum provides students with a solid foundation for both professional practice and continuing professional growth. They are encouraged to seek out new and innovative professional roles.
Training is structured to prepare graduates to enter the postdoctoral licensing process.
Emphasis on community involvement and practical applications of theoretical and scientific psychology make the school unique in the Pacific Northwest. The School maintains a Psychological Service Center, located in downtown Portland. This clinic offers psychological services to the community while providing supervised training experiences to its practicum and internship students. Professional psychology complements and strengthens the other health profession programs among Pacific's graduate offerings. Continuing Education Pacific University offers both hourly and transcript-quality continuing education credits to practitioners and other licensed professionals in the health care fields that are served by Pacific University's professional programs in Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Physical Therapy and Professional Psychology.