Palo Alto University

Palo Alto University (PAU) is a private university in Palo Alto, California, that focuses on behavioral health disciplines like counseling, psychology, and social work. It was founded in 1975 as the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology and became Palo Alto University in 2009.

Palo Alto University offers undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degree programs. PAU subscribes to the practitioner-scientist training model, which emphasizes clinical practice along with scientific training.

PAU has an interconnected relationship with Stanford University and the Stanford University School of Medicine. PAU maintains its doctoral program in conjunction with Stanford University, often employs its students in Stanford research laboratories, and houses faculty members who teach at both institutions. The Chief Facilities and Sustainability Officer of Stanford Health Care holds a membership on the PAU board of trustees.