Master in Marriage and Family Therapy

Preparing culturally competent relationship and family therapists and professional counselors to address the varied mental health needs of children, adults, and families.

The Master's in Counseling Psychology program with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) prepares students to be socially and culturally responsive relationship and family therapists and mental health counselors. At its core, the MFT’s clinical training program upholds values of equity, social justice, community and cultural wealth, and collaborative problem solving. We are committed to embracing diversity, academic excellence, and to the compassionate service of children, adults, and families. The MFT program embodies this mission by:

• Expanding traditional notions of family
• Recognizing the diversity in relationships and identity
• Striving to use inclusive language in our instruction
• Creating goals to diversify our student body and teaching faculty
• Working from a strengths-based perspective that honors community wealth
• Adapting professional trends as needed to meet community needs

Program Details

The 60-unit program meets all educational requirements of the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) for both licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and a Professional Clinical Counselor (PCC) in three years. Students will be eligible to pursue the MFT license upon completion of the program requirements, and also have the option to pursue the PCC license with successful completion of additional fieldwork requirements during the program. Our curriculum blends rigorous and collaborative classroom learning with action through community mental health fieldwork opportunities as diverse as the city we call home.

Traineeships

During their third year, students enter a traineeship with Bay Area community-based and school-based partners. These organizations emphasize their services, mission, and training, providing students with important industry information and opportunities to apply for internships.

Program Details

The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program is a 60-credit program that culminates in a MA Counseling Psychology degree with a concentration in MFT. All graduates of the program will be license eligible as Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT). In addition, students have the option to complete additional fieldwork hours in order to become license eligible as Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) upon graduation.

MFT Program Strengths

• Curriculum attends to the mental health needs of diverse cultures and communities.
• A focus on a community mental health recovery and wellness approach to serving clients and providing treatment options.
• Three-course cognitive behavioral therapy sequence that includes theory, skill building, and practice of broad treatment interventions.
• Courses that integrate a life-span development, family systems, multicultural, and social justice perspective in mental health practice.
• Small class sizes with faculty who are invested in student growth and learning.
• Many instructors are practicing mental health clinicians.
• Emphasis on incorporating evidence-based practices and client strengths.
• University-wide supportive services and opportunities to collaborate with instructors and students.
• Collaborative cohort learning model facilitates future support, resources, and continued networking opportunities after graduation and licensure.

PROGRAM DELIVERY

• 60-credit program with classes in the fall, spring, and summer semesters.
• Cohort-based model with fall (eight semesters) and spring (seven semesters) entry dates.
• Late afternoon (3:45-6:15 p.m.) and evening (7:20-9:50 p.m.) weekday classes with some Saturday sessions during fall and spring semesters.
• Intensive summer sessions starting no earlier than 3:45 p.m. on weekdays with some Saturday sessions.

Learning Outcomes

THE GOAL OF THE MFT PROGRAM IS TO DEVELOP ACADEMIC, PERSONAL, AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

• Counseling psychology theories and practices required to serve the mental health needs for diverse populations
• Competency as a Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counselor Trainee
• The utilization of a lifespan development, problem solving, family systems, multicultural, and social justice perspective as a personal orientation when conducting marriage and family therapy and clinical counseling
• Personal awareness and engagement in a process of lifelong self-development learning
• Understanding and compliance with the Counseling Psychology/Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counseling Professional Code of Ethics

Careers

As a graduate of the Marriage and Family Therapy program, there are a variety of professional paths that are open to you:

Examples of careers options include

• Community Mental Health Therapist
• Clinical Supervisor
• Mental Health Consultant
• Counselor in a Public or Private School Setting (K-12)
• College Counselor
• Private Practice

OUR GRADUATES WORK IN THE FOLLOWING SETTINGS

• Outpatient community mental health settings
• Hospitals (psychiatric, medical)
• Schools
• Aging care clinics
• Private practice
• College counseling settings
• Residential mental health treatment facilities
• Drug treatment facilities
• Prisons
• Juvenile detention centers and/or diversion programs
• VA hospitals or clinics