Defunct private university that served non-traditional students through distance and blended learning until 2020.
John F. Kennedy University was organized as a collegiate university comprising four constituent colleges: Undergraduate Studies, Museum Studies, Psychology and Holistic Studies, and Law. The institution did not own a traditional campus, instead delivering education through distance learning and blended learning models using leased office spaces and business parks. The College of Undergraduate Studies offered certificates, undergraduate degrees, and graduate degrees including JD-MBA dual degrees and MBAs, and housed the Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership and Sanford Institute of Philanthropy. The Museum Studies program offered master's degrees and certificates in collection management, education, and interpretation, with roots tracing to Lone Mountain College in San Francisco.
The College of Psychology and Holistic Studies was a graduate-focused institution offering certificates, master's, and doctoral degrees with experiential learning through community-based clinical internship programs. The college operated student-led art camps for elementary-aged children, the Family Resiliency Project providing family counseling through California school districts, and the Solt Evans LEAP Project offering life skills training to disadvantaged youth through athletics. Three University Counseling centers in California provided affordable mental health services to the community.
The College of Law offered both four-year part-time and three-year full-time Juris Doctor programs. The law school was approved by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California rather than the American Bar Association, which limited graduates' ability to practice law outside California. At closure in 2020, the law school had 160 students enrolled and reported a 33% California Bar first-attempt pass rate in October 2020. The college operated a housing advocacy and legal clinic providing free legal services to elderly residents at risk of eviction.
Founded in 1965, John F. Kennedy University was established to serve non-traditional higher education students, primarily taught by adjunct faculty. In April 2009, the university became an affiliate of the National University System as an independent university. The institution closed in 2020, with its academic programs transferred to other National University System schools.