You can study marriage and family therapy in any state. You can also get a degree online. So, why consider California for your education?
On the one hand, California has plentiful opportunities for recreation and relaxation. You can hit the beach, go skiing, take your bike out for a ride, and play any number of games like tennis and pickleball at a local park. Having a chance to unwind and recharge your batteries is essential for doing well in school.
On the other hand, California has a robust higher education system featuringpopular and some of the best psychology schools. This gives you ample choices forfinding the perfect marriage and family therapy programfor your specific career goals. That makes California a prime choice from an educational and quality of living standpoint.
Marriage and Family Therapy Programs in California
Below is a list of some of the popular schools offering marriage and family therapy programs in California:
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa Pacific University is a doctoral-level institution just outside Los Angeles. Its serene location puts you in touch with nature and provides easy access to all the amenities a large city like L.A. offers.
This is a religiously-affiliated school witharound 8,000 students. Despite the small size of the University, Azusa Pacific still offers nearly 70 bachelor’s degrees, almost 50 graduate degrees, and dozens of certificates, credentials, and doctoral programs.
Your learning takes place in small classroom settings with professors that are experts in their fields. There are opportunities for small-group learning and mentorship with professors. This added level of learning will help you get a solid grasp of marriage and family therapy concepts.
The Master of Arts in clinical psychology program at Azusa Pacific University offers a concentration area in marriage and family therapy that gives you a lot of flexibility. You can pursue your degree in a two-year, three-year, or four-year format. Likewise, the program requires anywhere from 63-91 credit hours, depending on the specific track you pursue.
Regardless of how you shape your program of study, you will take classes that include:
This degree also includes practicum and internship components. Your practicum takes place in a clinical setting where you assist a supervising therapist with counseling sessions. You will also have the opportunity to lead counseling sessions with couples and families in your internship experience.
California State University Bakersfield
California State University (CSU) Bakersfield is a large, regional university that was founded in 1965. Despite being a relatively young school, CSU Bakersfield has grown into a respected academic institution with more than 11,000 students.
As a student at CSU Bakersfield, you can choose fromaround 60 degree programsat the undergraduate and graduate levels. This includes programs in the colleges of:
Over the years, CSU Bakersfield has been recognized for its academic programs and value. This includestop 50 rankingsfor affordability, graduate programs, social mobility, and return on investment, to name a few.
At CSU Bakersfield, you can enroll in a 60-credit Master of Science program in marriage and family therapy. The program’s courses were developed withCalifornia MFT licensurein mind. That being the case, you will be eligible to sit for licensure upon your graduation.
While you are in the program, you will take courses on various marriage and family topics, including:
You will also learn assessment techniques, essential counseling skills, and gain an understanding of ethical principles in marriage and family therapy.
Additionally, you will get field experience at CSU Bakersfield’sUniversity Counselor Training Clinic, which provides affordable counseling for members of the Bakersfield community.
Pepperdine University
According toUS News and World Report, Pepperdine University isone of the best schools in the nation. In fact, the University ranks 49th for value and 55th among national universities. That means you can get a quality education at a great value!
Pepperdine offers other benefits, too. Small class sizes (the school has a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio) ensure you have opportunities for individualized instruction from your professors. Additionally, there are nearly 90 degree programs from which you can choose.
If you decide to study on campus, the University’s Malibu location is a definite bonus. Malibu is a gorgeous area, and with the Pacific Ocean at the University’s doorstep, you will have easy opportunities to enjoy the beach, surfing, fishing, and other recreational pursuits.
The online Master of Arts program in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University features a marriage and family concentration that prepares you to work specifically with couples and families. The program requires a little more than two years to complete, provided you study full-time.
During your studies, you will have the opportunity for classroom and field-based learning. Courses include:
Pepperdine’s program also includes an eight-credit practicum component. The purpose of the practicum is to gain experience working in a clinical setting. You will get feedback from your clinical supervisor and have opportunities to share your experiences with classmates for additional feedback. Since this is an online program, field placements occur in or near the community in which you live.
The University of Southern California
Likewise, USC’s acceptance rate for the most recent freshman class was just 12.5 percent. However, if you get into USC, you will have incredible academic opportunities awaiting you.
Needless to say, USC has come a long way. It first opened in 1880 when Los Angeles was a brand-new city that lacked paved streets or electric lights. The first class had just 53 students and the faculty included just 10 teachers. Today, USC has nearly 50,000 students and more than 4,700 faculty members.
As a student at USC, you can pursue many different degrees in psychology and counseling, including school counseling, educational psychology, and marriage and family therapy.
The University of Southern California’s Master of Science in marriage and family therapy is specifically designed to prepare you for clinical practice. Upon graduation, you will be eligible forlicensure as a marriage and family therapist, and you will have the skills needed to work in public or private sector settings.
This is a 60-unit program that takes two years to complete if studying full-time. If you are a part-time student, you will need four years to finish the program. Both tracks require you to take the same courses, including:
As is common for marriage and family programs, you must complete a practicum and field work as part of your studies. The three-unit practicum gives you supervised experience working with children, couples, and families, while field work focuses on group applications and research in marriage and family therapy.
Work Opportunities for MFTs in California
California has thehighest level of marriage and family therapist employmentin the United States. This bodes well for you as a prospective marriage and family therapist!
The excellent employment outlook in this field isn’t just limited to California’s largest city, Los Angeles, either. Large numbers of marriage and family therapists work in California’s other large cities – San Diego and the Bay Area.
Carlsbad, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Sacramentoalso rank in the top ten citiesin the U.S. for marriage and family employment.
So, whether you want to work in sunny Southern California, the temperate Bay Area, or move inland and work with couples and families in communities like San Bernardino or Sacramento, you are likely to find opportunities for employment. Likewise, the likelihood is good that you can pursue employment in various fields, such as:
You might also consider opening a private practice or joining an existing one. Doing so gives you the freedom of being self-employed, which is a lot of work, but the financial benefits often make it worth it.
