California Master’s Degree in Marriage & Family Therapy

M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy in California

The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy is a unique on-campus degree program for developing clinically skilled, culturally attuned marriage and family therapists and counselors. This graduate program integrates a commitment to understanding the power of culture, oppression, and society on the developmental process.

By understanding various cultures and the impact of social-political context on the developing mind and behavior, our Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy program in Pasadena provides a sound foundation for graduates to work effectively as therapists who exhibit integrity, sensitivity, flexibility, insight, compassion, and personal presence.

Located in Pasadena in the heart of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, Pacific Oaks draws on a wide network of Southern California clinical training sites, counseling centers, community agencies, and mental health facilities throughout LA County to give students access to supervised fieldwork hours within the region where most will build their careers.

Our California MFT program is different from a master’s degree in social work and other social work degree programs. If you are interested in learning more about each pathway, our Voices page explains the differences between Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) programs and careers to help you make the best decision for your future.

Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy On-Campus Program Specializations

• M.A. in Marriage & Family Therapy, African American Family Studies
• M.A. in Marriage & Family Therapy, Latinx Family Studies
• M.A. in Marriage & Family Therapy, LGBTQIA+ Studies
• M.A. in Marriage & Family Therapy, Trauma Studies

Students pursuing a degree in any of our three culturally centered specializations may choose to add a secondary specialization in trauma studies. Those degree students interested in this additional specialization must submit a request to their academic adviser prior to the completion of their second semester.

For students who want to enter the field efficiently, the full-time pathway completes the 60-credit program in two-and-a-half years, one of the faster timelines available for an in-person MFT master’s degree in California that meets California BBS requirements.

Licensure

This Marriage and Family Therapy California master’s program satisfies all of the requirements of SB 33 and the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) (Business and Professions Code Sections 4980.36c, d e 4980.39, 4980.40, and 4980.41).

Pacific Oaks’ marriage and family therapy degree programs prepare graduates to sit for the California LMFT exam and to become a licensed therapist as recognized by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Specialization

Students who wish  to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in the state of California may do so by selecting  the LPCC Specialization, which requires 280 hours of in-person clinical training before graduation and includes the following courses, totaling five credits:

• MFT 670 Career Development Theories and Techniques (3 credits)
• MFT 681 Advanced Topics in Addictions Counseling (1 credit)
• MFT 683 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology (1 credit)

Fieldwork Requirements

California MFT students must complete 225 hours of the pre-graduate portion of the 3,000 supervised hours required for the California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)  exam to qualify for graduation. Most students secure clinical training placements with community agencies in California in the Los Angeles and Pasadena areas.

Students enrolled in this program must complete the required practicum placement at a California-based, program-approved site.

Path to LMFT Licensure in California

After completing the program, graduates can follow a defined path to licensure through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences:

• Step 1. Register as an Associate MFT (AMFT)
  Graduates apply to the BBS for AMFT registration, which authorizes them to accumulate post-degree supervised hours toward licensure under the supervision of a qualified licensed professional.
• Step 2. Complete 3,000 supervised hours
  California requires 3,000 total hours of supervised experience. Pacific Oaks students complete 225 pre graduation fieldwork hours that count toward this total. The remaining hours are accumulated as a registered AMFT, typically within community agencies or clinical settings in California.
• Step 3. Pass two California licensing exams
  Candidates must pass the California Law and Ethics Exam before renewing AMFT registration, and the California Clinical LMFT Exam before licensure is granted. Both are administered by the California BBS.
• Step 4. Apply for LMFT licensure
  Upon passing both exams and completing the required hours, graduates submit their Application for Licensure and fee to the BBS. Continuing education of 36 hours per renewal cycle is required to maintain licensure.

FAQs About the Marriage and Family Therapy Master’s Program

Q: Is the M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy program offered online?
A: No. The Marriage and Family Therapy master’s program is offered in person at the Pacific Oaks California Campus. 

Q: How long does the Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy program take to complete?
A: The M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy program takes two-and-a-half years full-time or four years part-time to complete.

Q: What are the requirements for becoming a marriage and family therapist in California?
A: After graduating from a master’s program in marriage and family therapy in California, one must complete two years of clinical experience in the state of California. Once complete, the last step is to take the California licensing exam to be able to practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Learn more about how to become a marriage and family therapist in California.

Q: Are marriage and family therapists in demand?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of marriage and family therapists is projected to grow 13% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 7,700 openings for marriage and family therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

Q: Where in California is this marriage and family therapy graduate program?
A: Our California campus is located in Pasadena.

Q: What makes Pacific Oaks one of the MFT programs in California worth considering?
A: Pacific Oaks’ MFT program is built around a social justice and culturally centered model, a deliberate alternative to programs that treat cultural competency as supplemental rather than foundational. The Pasadena campus provides direct access to Southern California’s clinical training network, including community agencies and mental health facilities across Los Angeles County.
Students also choose from four cultural specializations: African American Family Studies, Latinx Family Studies, LGBTQIA+ Studies, and Trauma Studies, as well as an optional LPCC track, making this one of the few California MFT programs where specialization is embedded in the degree itself rather than bolted on through electives.

Q: How does an MFT program differ from a social work program in California?
A: Both paths lead to clinical licensure in California, but through different theoretical frameworks and license types.
An MFT program prepares graduates to become Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), a license issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences that authorizes diagnosis and treatment within the context of relationship and family systems.
A social work program typically leads to a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential, which emphasizes individual and community-level intervention and is overseen by the same BBS.
Pacific Oaks’ Voices page explains the full differences between LMFT and LCSW programs and careers for students weighing both pathways.

Q: What are the licensing exam requirements to become an LMFT in California?
A: After completing the 3,000 hours of supervised post-degree experience required by the California BBS, candidates must pass two exams: the California Law and Ethics Exam and the California Clinical LMFT Exam.
Both are administered by the BBS. Pacific Oaks’ MFT program satisfies all educational requirements of SB 33 and prepares graduates to sit for the California LMFT exam.

Q: Can I specialize in more than one area within the MFT program?
A: Yes. Students pursuing one of the three culturally centered specializations: African American Family Studies, Latinx Family Studies, or LGBTQIA+ Studies , may add a secondary specialization in Trauma Studies.
This request must be submitted to an academic adviser before the completion of the second semester. Students who also want to pursue LPCC licensure may add the five-credit LPCC Specialization, which requires 280 face-to-face clinical training hours before graduation.

Q: Where are MFT clinical training placements located?
A: Most Pacific Oaks MFT students secure clinical training placements within community agencies in the Los Angeles and Pasadena areas, where Pacific Oaks maintains established partnerships with mental health facilities.
Because the program is located in Pasadena in the heart of the LA metropolitan area, students have access to one of the largest concentrations of clinical training sites in California, a significant practical advantage for accumulating the 3,000 supervised hours required for LMFT licensure.