Program Summary

• Mission: Our mission is to train competent, systemically oriented marriage and family therapists to serve the needs of individuals, couples, children, and families in the diverse communities of Southern California. We seek to provide a supportive, engaging learning environment that enables our students to develop effective and ethical working relationships with diverse clients, competency in contemporary therapy theories, and a solid foundation in the field's evidence base. Our students are prepared to provide services in the community, public, and private mental health settings and eventually to serve as leaders in the field. Many students also choose to pursue doctoral studies upon graduation.

• Licensure: The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) option within the M.S. degree in Counseling is an approved program and provides students with competency in the content areas required by the State Board of Behavioral Science (BBS) for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). It also qualifies you to sit for the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) exam. Upon graduation students qualify for registration as an MFT Associate to gain further hours towards licensure.

• National Accreditation: Our program is nationally accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE; the accrediting body associated with the AAMFT). This accreditation ensures that our program adheres to the highest national standards for training in marriage and family therapy. This accreditation also makes it easier to transfer hours and educational experiences to qualify for licensure in another state. We make ongoing efforts to keep our accreditation current, which is granted by an external agency and therefore cannot be guaranteed by the university. The student achievement data for our program is updating annually and posted on our accreditation page.

• Our Curriculum: Designed to teach practical skills as well as master academic knowledge, our 64-67 unit curriculum provides students with a cutting-edge, comprehensive foundation for successfully entering contemporary practice settings. Our 2.5-3 year program is offered in a cohort model with required summer classes. Classes are offered during the day and evenings and are primarily in-person with some hybrid courses available. Students must successfully complete all pre-requisites prior to beginning the program. The curriculum and/or fieldwork requirements are subject to change based on changes in state licensing and accreditation requirements. Students are able to work part-time (10-30 hours per week) while in the program. We do not offer a track designed for full-time working students and professionals.

• Our Faculty: The CSUN's diverse MFT faculty are dedicated to ensuring students have an exceptional learning experience and success on their journey to become a licensed professional. Many of our faculty are nationally recognized leaders in the field of couple and family therapy. An overview of faculty and supervisor diversity is reported each year on the CSUN MFT Program page.

• Our Students: Our students share an enthusiasm and commitment to becoming skilled clinicians. We have a diverse student body, varying in age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, religious background, immigrant status, and family structure, among other things, which creates an ideal climate for learning to become a family therapist. An overview of student diversity factors is reported each year on the CSUN MFT Program page.