Best Child Psychology Masters Programs in California

You have over 40 Board of Behavioral Science-approved options to think about when selecting online MFT programs in California. The good news? About half of these programs offer partial or fully online formats and give you the flexibility to learn on your terms. California has 25,870 LMFTs hired currently, so the career prospects are strong. This guide breaks down the best MFT programs in California and focuses on COAMFTE-accredited online MFT masters programs California offers to help you make an informed decision for your future.

Palo Alto University: M.A. in Counseling with Marriage, Family, and Child Emphasis

Program Overview

Palo Alto University offers the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a Marriage, Family, Child Counseling (MFCC) emphasis. This prepares students for dual licensure as both Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) in California. You can complete the program through either a residential hybrid format or online, with both options requiring 94.5 quarter units over nine or eleven quarters depending on your chosen pace. The online format allows you to complete all coursework remotely while securing practicum and internship placements in your local community. You must attend two residential training experiences on campus.

The program admitted 269 graduates in the last year and maintains a strong 93.2% degree completion rate. Graduates achieve a 75.22% combined employment and doctoral admissions rate. This demonstrates solid career outcomes.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited the program in January 2017 for the maximum eight years. The curriculum meets California Board of Behavioral Sciences requirements for MFT licensure, though it lacks COAMFTE accreditation.

Core coursework covers counseling theory, multicultural counseling techniques, diagnosis, and legal and ethical foundations. You’ll also study lifespan development, group counseling, crisis and trauma counseling, and research methods. Social justice, cultural competency, and advocacy skills receive emphasis throughout the curriculum.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

You will complete a minimum of 700 hours of counseling-related experience. This has at least 280 hours of direct client contact. The clinical training sequence begins with a 100-hour practicum. You then complete 600 hours of internship spread across three quarters. Supervision occurs both at your practicum site and with PAU faculty online. All students meet for group supervision on Tuesday evenings.

Graduation makes you eligible to register as an Associate Marital and Family Therapist (AMFT) and/or Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC). California requires AMFTs to complete 3,000 total supervised clinical hours and pass both the California law and ethics exam and the licensing exam. Graduates demonstrate strong licensure success. 77% pass the LMFT Law and Ethics exam and 86% pass the LMFT licensure exam.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition costs $615 per unit plus $59 in fees, totaling $674 per unit. The estimated total program cost is around $57,939. More than 70% of PAU students receive financial aid. This has federal loans, scholarships, and work-study opportunities. You must complete the FAFSA to access federal aid, with priority deadlines of July 1 for fall start programs and March 15 for spring start programs.

Admission Requirements

You must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. The application process requires submission through PSYCAS. You need to submit your resume, statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation from academic or professional references, and official transcripts. The program does not require GRE scores or prerequisite courses. Related volunteer or work experience in mental health is recommended. Interviews are part of the admissions process.

Alliant International University: MA in Marital and Family Therapy

Program Overview

Alliant International University provides both fully online and on-campus MA in Marital and Family Therapy options through the California School of Professional Psychology. This makes it one of the largest COAMFTE-accredited programs in California. You can complete the 60-unit program in a minimum of two years over six semesters or 13 terms, depending on your chosen calendar. The program operates with multiple California campus locations in Los Angeles, Irvine, Sacramento, and San Diego. You get flexibility in choosing your learning environment.

The program accepts applications year-round. Start dates are available in fall and spring. Class schedules vary by campus. Evening classes accommodate working professionals, while San Diego and Irvine also offer daytime options.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

The program holds full COAMFTE accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education and IACSTE accreditation from the International Accreditation Commission for Systemic Therapy Education. The curriculum fulfills all academic requirements that California MFT licensure needs under Business and Professions Code Sections 4980.40 and 4980.41.

Core coursework totals 57 units with 3 elective units. You’ll study diversity and the family, group therapy, parent-child therapy, trauma and crisis intervention, and couples therapy. More, the program offers an optional CAADE-accredited chemical dependency specialization track embedded within your practicum experience at residential treatment centers or intensive outpatient programs. No additional coursework is required.

Students must pass a comprehensive exam in June of their second year (full-time) or during their completion year (part-time schedule).

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

You complete three consecutive semesters of practicum totaling 9 units minimum. Clinical training has 500 hours of direct client contact (with at least 150 relational hours), 250 supervision hours, and 100 professional development hours. You attend weekly practicum meetings with faculty via Zoom if you’re an online student. This is in addition to on-site supervision.

These hours count 800 to 1,300 hours toward California’s 3,000-hour licensure requirement. Students must supplement academic work with 50 hours of professional development activities. Up to 25 hours can be personal counseling with a licensed professional.

Admission Requirements

You need a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA. The application has a 2-4 page essay that covers your background, interest in the field, professional organizations, honors, and career goals. Submit two letters of recommendation, official transcripts, and a resume. An interview with faculty is required. The program does not require GRE scores or prerequisite courses. Students below 3.0 GPA without psychology-related degrees must complete Introduction to Psychology and Human Development coursework though.

Loma Linda University: MS in Marital and Family Therapy

Program Overview

Loma Linda University is the only COAMFTE-accredited MFT program in California’s Inland Empire region and offers both online and campus-based MS in Marital and Family Therapy options. Students progress through the 90-quarter-unit program as an academic cohort. This creates a supportive learning environment where resources and knowledge are shared.

The program lines up with the university’s focus on whole person care and trains students to address relational needs of individuals and families throughout their lives. Students can add optional concentrations in Medical Family Therapy. They can also receive tuition waivers for Play Therapy or Drug and Alcohol Counseling certificates.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

Both online and campus programs hold full COAMFTE accreditation. The most recent renewal was granted in October 2025 for four years through November 2029. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences confirmed the degree meets statutory requirements under Business and Professions Code sections 4980.36 and 4980.37.

The 90-quarter-unit curriculum covers systemic and relational practice, couples and family therapy, psychopathology, cultural competency, law and ethics, evidence-based practices, and research methods. Students can add 4 units of coursework to meet requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure in California.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

You must complete 300 direct face-to-face client contact hours. At least 100 of these must be relational or systemic hours with couples, families, or relational systems. Clinical experience extends over a minimum of 12 months before graduation.

Supervision requirements include 100 hours of clinical supervision, with at least 50 hours utilizing observable data. Every week you see clients, you receive at least one hour of individual supervision. This maintains a ratio of no less than one supervision hour per five clinical contact hours. Practicum placements occur in your geographic location and require program approval.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The program offers limited department-wide scholarships. Students commonly pursue external grants and third-party funding. Available awards include the Ian and Sherani Chand Award, Global Practice Scholarships, and conference travel funds. Financial assistance comes through merit-based teaching fellowships, research assistantships, need-based loans, and work-study programs.

Admission Requirements

You need a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Applicants with GPAs as low as 2.75 may be considered if the last 45 quarter credits (30 semester units) maintain a 3.0 or demonstrate preparedness for MFT education. Submit three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and official transcripts. GRE scores are not required. You’ll participate in faculty interviews scheduled during fall, winter, spring, and summer quarters.

National University: MA in Marriage and Family Therapy

Program Overview

National University achieved a milestone as the first mainly distance-based MFT program to receive COAMFTE accreditation. The MA in Marriage and Family Therapy requires a minimum of 45 quarter units and takes an average of 33 months to complete. Students who seek licensure in certain states may need to complete up to 60 credit hours, which expands the program to 22 courses.

The program eliminates physical residency requirements. You can complete all academic coursework online while you secure clinical placements in your local community. Weekly course starts and year-round enrollment are available, with no application fee. Working professionals benefit from this flexibility through one-month course formats and no scheduled lecture hours.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

Both COAMFTE and IACSTE accredit the program. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences granted approval in December 2010. The program prepares competent, ethical and culturally sensitive marriage and family therapists through a family systems view.

Five core learning outcomes guide the curriculum: competence with diverse populations, evaluation of family systems-oriented clinical skills, examination of family systems theory models, ethical decision-making in line with AAMFT Code of Ethics, and integration of research into practice. Students may add specializations in one of ten content areas that require focused coursework and clinical hours.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

You must accumulate 300 direct client contact hours. At least 150 must be relational hours that involve two or more individuals in a relationship. Clinical training spans a minimum of one full year. Relational hours require family members, couples or relational partners who are physically present. Group therapy at residential facilities that focus on interpersonal dynamics may qualify with supervisor approval.

You complete the Clinical Preparation Process (CPP) before you start clinical work. This process shows clinical readiness through quizzes, liability insurance documentation, and site/supervisor vetting. Weekly group supervision occurs online via video conferencing with an AAMFT Approved supervisor.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Students access federal financial aid, scholarships and grants when they complete the FAFSA. The Course Materials Fee bundles required textbooks and digital tools in an affordable format.

Admission Requirements

You need a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Submit your resume and transcripts, then complete an application packet that reviews program requirements and state licensure standards. A mandatory one-to-one synchronous interview with MFT faculty finalizes the process. A background check follows before course registration. No GRE or graduate entrance examinations are required.

Touro University Worldwide: Online Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy

Program Overview

Touro University Worldwide pioneered online education by becoming one of the first distance-based institutions to receive COAMFTE accreditation for marriage and family therapy training. The MA in Marriage and Family Therapy program offers three distinct tracks: Clinical (COAMFTE-accredited), Licensed Professional Clinical Counseling, and Non-Clinical. The Clinical Track alone holds COAMFTE accreditation and requires a minimum of 72 credit hours across 24 courses.

You complete all coursework online through eight-week courses with asynchronous format. No mandatory login times or live lectures exist. The program supports working professionals through flexible scheduling while you secure practicum placements in your local community.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

The program pursued COAMFTE specialty accreditation in 2018 and received approval in May 2020 through May 2026. The curriculum lines up with COAMFTE Standard version 12.5 and incorporates the MFT Relational/Systemic framework through foundational coursework. This covers nine specified domains and supervised clinical practice. California Board of Behavioral Sciences approves the program and prepares you for MFT licensure in California and most other states.

The scientist-practitioner model is the foundation of the program. It develops competent, ethical, culturally sensitive, systems-oriented therapists.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

You must complete 500 total practicum client contact hours, with a minimum of 200 couple and family hours. Clinical training spans six practicum courses over 12 consecutive months minimum. Supervision requirements include 100 total hours split between your site supervisor and TUW’s AAMFT-approved supervisor. You meet at least three hours weekly on-site plus two hours weekly with university faculty.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Locked-in tuition means your rate remains unchanged throughout your program. The application fee is $25, with a $116 material fee during the capstone course. This fee provides exam preparation resources. Federal financial help, grants, and student loans are available to qualifying students.

Admission Requirements

You need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Transfer students require a 2.75 GPA. No GRE scores or prerequisite courses are required. Submit your application, official transcripts, and pay the one-time application fee to complete the process.

Chapman University: MA in Marriage and Family Therapy

Program Overview

Chapman University’s MA in Marriage and Family Therapy distinguishes itself through the Frances Smith Center for Individual and Family Therapy. This on-site training clinic is where all students complete a one-year clinical practicum. Faculty and students founded the center in 1965 to help families affected by the Vietnam War. The center operates from a state-of-the-art facility that has eight large observation rooms with digital cameras to record sessions. You complete 60 credits over 20 courses and finish in three years full-time or 2.5 years when starting in fall. Classes run Monday through Thursday from 4-6:50 p.m. or 7-9:50 p.m. Friday sessions from 1-3:50 p.m. happen occasionally. Class sizes remain small at 25-30 students.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

The program holds COAMFTE accreditation and California Board of Behavioral Sciences approval for both MFT and Professional Clinical Counseling licensure. California has 75-plus MFT programs, but only 11 others hold COAMFTE accreditation. The curriculum emphasizes multicultural competency and ethical practice. It develops systems-oriented therapy skills and critical research consumption abilities.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

You complete three semesters and one interterm of practicum at the Frances Smith Center. This accumulates a minimum of 300 direct service hours with at least 100 relational hours. Direct service involves 50-90 minutes of face-to-face or telehealth therapeutic interaction. On top of that, you complete 50 hours of live supervision. Students participate in video-based supervision and clinical case presentations. They also observe therapy sessions live. Interdisciplinary collaborations allow you to provide services to stroke survivors and caregivers. You can also support groups for traumatic brain injury clients.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Students pay per-unit tuition for 60 total units. FAFSA makes financial aid available, and the program offers fellowships to recruit top candidates.

Admission Requirements

The program accepts 20-30% of applicants through two annual cycles. Deadlines are January 15 for fall and September 15 for spring. You need a bachelor’s degree in psychology or an approved mental health field. Alternatively, you can complete four prerequisites: introduction to psychology, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, and research methods or statistics. You must complete at least three prerequisites by application deadline with C+ minimum grades. Submit GRE scores if your GPA falls below 3.3 (Verbal: 153, Quantitative: 146, Analytical Writing: 4.5). The $60 application has two recommendation letters, a three-page personal statement and resume. Selected candidates receive interview invitations.

Chicago School of Professional Psychology: MA in Marriage, Couples, and Family Therapy

Program Overview

The Chicago School offers the M.A. Marriage, Couples, and Family Therapy program in both in-person and online formats. The program takes three years to complete. You access the same COAMFTE-accredited curriculum whether you choose the online or campus-based option. Online students participate in two in-person residencies during the first and second years. They gather in Southern California for hands-on training under direct supervision of working professionals. These residencies serve to orient you and promote community. They boost learning through interpersonal connection.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education accredits the program. The curriculum exposes you to a systemic view of marriage and family therapy. You rethink classical theories from an integrative point of view. You prepare to work with couples and families spanning the developmental spectrum. The program also covers those with emotional and psychological conditions.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

The practicum requires eight credit hours over four semesters. You accumulate a minimum of 300 face-to-face contact hours of supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting during this time. At least 100 hours must involve couples and families. You attend practicum seminars for clinical case consultation and presentations. You also complete a clinical case report.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition costs $1,458 per credit, with an annual total of $29,160. The Financial Aid department provides information to determine appropriate financial arrangements if you have questions about your situation.

Admission Requirements

You need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA or higher. The $50 application fee accompanies your resume and essay. You also need an admissions interview and three letters of recommendation. The program does not require GRE scores, though you may submit scores to strengthen your application.

Hope International University: MA in Marriage and Family Therapy

Program Overview

Hope International University’s on-ground MA in Marriage and Family Therapy integrates Christian principles with professional clinical training at its Fullerton, California campus. The 60-unit program completes in two to three years. Courses are offered in morning, afternoon and evening time slots to accommodate varying schedules. Students get clinical training hours through HIU’s Hope Counseling Center or other approved practicum sites.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

The program holds accreditation from both COAMFTE and the International Accreditation Commission for Systemic Therapy Education (IACSTE). The curriculum meets California Board of Behavioral Sciences educational requirements under Business and Professions Code Sections 4980.37, .38, and .40. Coursework emphasizes systemic theory and clinical case conceptualization. Students develop a personal theoretical model for therapy.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

You must complete 400 clinical training hours minimum. This includes 300 direct client contact hours. Direct contact involves providing therapy to couples, families and individuals. Practicum supervisors meet COAMFTE’s supervision standards. All practicum sites and supervisors need departmental approval and BBS compliance.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition runs $775 per unit. Additional fees include a $1,200 practicum fee and $200 for state-required seminars. Financial aid options are available.

Admission Requirements

You need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a 3.0 minimum GPA. Submit two letters of recommendation and a career statement. Faculty interviews are required, and GRE scores aren’t needed.

San Diego State University: MS in Marriage and Family Counseling

Program Overview

San Diego State University operates a cohort-based MS in Marriage and Family Therapy that takes 2.5 years and has three summers. The program starts early June in year one and finishes end of August in year two. You complete a minimum of 65 units through intensive clinical experience and rigorous academic studies grounded in family systems theories. The program emphasizes systemic and social constructionist ideas through culturally-infused curriculum and strength-based, community-focused clinical training with a social justice orientation.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

The program holds COAMFTE accreditation and meets national standards under American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy oversight. The curriculum requires 65 semester units that reflect philosophical underpinnings in systemic and relationally oriented theories, with stronger emphasis on theory, historical foundations and specialized topic areas.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

You accumulate 300 direct client contact hours minimum, with 100 hours being relational hours with couples and families. Supervision totals 100 hours through both individual and group formats, with 50 hours utilizing live, videotape or audio supervision methods. Clinical experience spans practicum and traineeship courses over at least 12 months.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Non-resident students add $444 per unit for 2025-26 and $471 per unit for 2026-27. Financial aid has over 700 scholarships through Aztec Scholarships portal.

Admission Requirements

Applications open October 1 with a December 1 deadline for Fall 2026. Submit three letters of recommendation, personal statement, resume and official transcripts by December 15. You must record two videos: a 2-minute personal story discussing life events and intercultural experiences, and a 3-4 minute interview video with someone asking you questions about choosing MFT. Selected candidates attend mandatory in-person interviews in March.

University of San Diego: MA in Marital and Family Counseling

Program Overview

University of San Diego’s relationship-centered MA in Marital and Family Therapy prepares students to get California licensure through a biopsychosocial framework. Full-time students complete the program in two years and start in fall. Spring starters need at least 2.5 years since practicum placements only begin in summer and fall. The program requires 51 units of coursework plus 6.5 continuing education units. Classes run Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, with some early evening options. Graduation gives you 1,000 hours toward California’s 3,000-hour licensure requirement.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

The program has managed to keep COAMFTE accreditation since 1992. This shows a long-standing commitment to national standards. The curriculum meets all California Board of Behavioral Sciences requirements for MFT training. Coursework explores therapeutic practice from multiple angles, with aging issues in family therapy and substance abuse treatment. Social neuroscience integration is also part of the curriculum.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

The three-semester practicum sequence runs for 12 consecutive months during your final year. You must accumulate 400 direct client contact hours. At least 200 must be with couples and families. Supervision totals 100 hours and has a minimum of 50 hours from raw data through video or live supervision. You receive supervision at a one-to-five ratio that follows state and national guidelines. All supervisors are AAMFT Approved Supervisors or meet equivalency standards.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition costs around $1,700 per unit, totaling about $102,000 for the full program. Financial assistance has the Dean’s Excellence Award and Scott McIntyre Memorial Scholarship ($5,000). The Diocesan of San Diego Employee Scholarship and HRSA TeamUP stipend ($10,000) are available during the clinical practicum year. Students can also access USD Graduate Grants and Dean’s Graduate Merit Scholarships up to $25,000 yearly.

Admission Requirements

You need a minimum 3.0 GPA from your undergraduate work. Submit official transcripts and current resume. Two recommendation letters are required, one academic and one professional. Qualified candidates participate in group interviews with MFT faculty. Three prerequisite courses must be completed by your second semester: Human or Life Span Development, Counseling or Personality Theories, and Research Methods. GRE scores are not required. A 500-word statement about yourself and career goals is also needed.

California State University Northridge: MS in Marriage and Family Therapy

Program Overview

California State University Northridge sits in the San Fernando Valley and enrolls 58 students annually into a cohort-based MS in Marriage and Family Therapy spanning 2.5-3 years of 64-67 units. Classes follow a hybrid format with in-person instruction supplemented by some online courses. Day and evening hours accommodate working students. Summer sessions maintain program continuity. You can work part-time 10-30 hours weekly while enrolled, though no dedicated track exists for full-time professionals.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

COAMFTE and IACSTE accredit the program and prepare you for dual licensure as an LMFT and LPCC in California and most other states. The curriculum emphasizes strengths-based approaches, social justice, evidence-based practices, and person-of-the-therapist development. Specialization areas include children, adolescents, couples, groups, trauma, substance abuse, and severe mental illness. You complete one of three culminating experiences: comprehensive examination with 8-10 papers, a master’s project that creates professional products like therapy curriculum, or a traditional thesis.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

Fieldwork requires 600 total hours split between 500 clinical hours and 100 supervision hours. Clinical hours break down into individual therapy (no minimum), 100 minimum relational hours, and up to 100 alternative hours like reflecting teams and client advocacy. You spend 15-20 hours weekly at field sites over 15 months minimum. You also complete 20 hours of personal psychotherapy: 10 hours during first-year coursework and another 10 during fieldwork.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Graduate students living with parents or relatives face annual tuition and fees of $9,464 for full-time enrollment. California residents pay this base rate. Non-residents add $444 per unit for 2025-26. Federal financial aid becomes available through FAFSA completion by the March 2 priority deadline.

Admission Requirements

You need a 2.75 minimum GPA to qualify. GRE General Test scores are required for all applicants starting Fall 2025. Two prerequisite courses must be completed within seven years before admission with B- or higher grades: EPC 451 Fundamentals of Counseling and Guidance and PSY 310 Abnormal Psychology. You must submit two letters of recommendation, a two-page personal statement addressing three prompts about MFT interest and social justice commitment, current resume, and official transcripts through both university and departmental applications. Selected candidates participate in mandatory group interviews.

Pepperdine University: MA in Clinical Psychology with MFT Emphasis

Program Overview

Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology delivers three MA in Clinical Psychology with MFT Emphasis options: online (62-68 units), daytime at Malibu campus (minimum 60 units), and evening format (60-66 units). The online program completes in 2.5-3 years with no campus visits required. Students begin practicum during the second term. Upon graduation, you meet all educational requirements to take California LMFT or LPCC licensure exams.

COAMFTE Accreditation and Curriculum

The program lacks COAMFTE accreditation but prepares competent marriage and family therapists through clinical and practice-based coursework. The curriculum covers social and psychological implications of socioeconomics and how poverty affects couples and families.

Clinical Training and Internship Requirements

You complete four clinical practicum sessions totaling 225 hours with clients directly for LMFT or 280 hours for LPCC in California, with non-residents requiring 700 total hours. Clinical training occurs in or near your community.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition runs $2,030 per unit for online and daytime formats, while evening costs $1,225 per unit. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans provide up to $20,500 each year.

Admission Requirements

Daytime applicants need psychology-related degrees or equivalent coursework that includes abnormal psychology and research methods. Evening and online formats accept any bachelor’s degree without prerequisites. GRE waivers are accessible.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve explored California’s top COAMFTE-accredited online MFT programs, the next step is choosing the option that fits your career goals, budget and schedule. Each program has unique benefits. National University has flexible start dates. Loma Linda takes a whole-person care approach, and Alliant has multiple campus locations. Think over factors like tuition costs and clinical training requirements. Program duration matters too. Once you’ve identified your priorities, reach out to admissions departments and request additional information. Connect with current students or alumni. Your path to becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist in California starts with selecting the right program for your unique circumstances.