Azusa Pacific University MFT Program: Comprehensive Profile and Student Fit Analysis

Azusa Pacific University is one of 71 BBS-approved MFT programs in California. Compare all 71 in our directory. Program data collected April 2026 from publicly available sources including the APU MFT program page, the APU graduate catalog MFT section, the APU Student Financial Services costs page, and BBS records. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Student Outcomes

Cost and Regional Pay

Approximate placement of this program’s total cost (about $54,000, tuition only) against the directory’s lowest and highest published totals.

Estimated total tuition: approximately $54,495 in tuition for the 63-unit program at $865 per unit (the rate for both 2025-2026 and 2026-2027). Optional certificates or the LPCC units can raise the base cost toward $77,850; fees and living expenses are additional.

Regional pay context: In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area, marriage and family therapists earn a median of about $71,110 per year, with a typical range of roughly $49,860 to $98,450 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). These figures cover all marriage and family therapists in the area at all experience levels, not this program's graduates. For more, see our Los Angeles LMFT salary guide.

Schedule and Format Details

Evening Cohort Format: The traditional pathway meets in the evenings to accommodate working professionals, with sections available at the Azusa, Orange County, San Diego, and Inland Empire campuses.

Daytime Cohort Format: A newer daytime pathway is available at the Azusa and Orange County campuses for students who prefer a traditional daytime schedule.

Pacing: Students typically complete the degree in 2 to 3 years. The program allows completion within up to 4 years to accommodate part-time students and those balancing professional and family responsibilities.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Clinical Hours: Per the APU MFT graduate catalog page, students complete a minimum of 300 hours of direct client contact for MFT licensure. Dual-license students complete an additional 300 hours toward LPCC. Supervision is provided at a ratio of 1 hour of individual supervision (or 2 hours of group supervision) per 5 hours of direct clinical work. Clinical placement runs 12 to 30 months depending on pacing.

Training Clinic: Not publicly listed as an in-house MFT training clinic. Clinical placements are completed at community-based partner sites.

Practicum Arrangement: Students secure placement sites with support from the program's director of clinical training and through the Introduction to Clinical Practice course sequence. Sites are off-campus community partners with licensed supervisors.

Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: 40 hours of personal psychotherapy are required. Students may substitute 20 hours of group therapy for up to 20 of the 40 required individual hours, per the APU MFT graduate catalog page.

Curriculum Structure

The 63-unit base curriculum consists of core coursework in systemic theory, assessment, clinical methods, law and ethics, Christian spiritual formation and psychotherapy, research, and supervised clinical practice, per the APU MFT graduate catalog page:

Core Systemic and Clinical Coursework: Systemic and relational theory, human development, psychopathology, assessment, multicultural practice, couples and family therapy (including the Gottman-informed sequence), and law and ethics.

Christian Spiritual Formation and Psychotherapy: A required course integrating faith with clinical practice, reflecting APU's institutional mission.

Clinical Practice Sequence: Multi-semester supervised practicum at approved community sites with concurrent case-consultation and supervision courses.

Optional Add-On Certificates: Students may extend the 63-unit base with certificates in Substance Use Disorders, Play Therapy, or the dual LPCC pathway.

Culminating Requirements

Students must pass a two-part comprehensive examination covering (1) law and ethics and (2) clinical content. Students who do not pass the comprehensive examination cannot graduate. The program is non-thesis.

Application Process

Application Deadlines: Fall enrollment priority deadline is March 1. Spring enrollment deadline is October 1, with admission based on seat availability at regional campuses. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until cohorts fill. Application fee: $45.

Start Terms: Fall and Spring.

GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale for regular admission.

Prerequisites: Applicants without a psychology bachelor's degree must complete Abnormal Psychology with a grade of B or better, taken within the past eight years. The prerequisite may be waived on a case-by-case basis.

Application Components: Online application, official transcripts from all institutions, a professional interest essay addressing background, reasons for pursuing MFT and APU specifically, preparatory experience, strengths and weaknesses, and professional goals, and two letters of recommendation from professionals familiar with the applicant's academic or clinical capabilities (e.g., professors, clergy, supervisors, or employers). International applicants must submit TOEFL iBT of at least 90 (with minimums of 22 Reading, 22 Speaking, 22 Listening, and 24 Writing) or equivalent IELTS scores, an Affidavit of Financial Support, a bank statement, a passport copy, and a foreign credential evaluation.

Interview: Required. Qualified applicants are invited to an in-person interview following faculty file review.

Concentrations and Specializations

Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1 Certificate: Embedded in the core curriculum. Students completing the relevant coursework receive the Level 1 Certificate in this empirically supported couples therapy model.

Dual LPCC/MFT Licensure Pathway: One additional course fulfills California's educational requirements for LPCC licensure in addition to LMFT, per the APU graduate catalog.

Optional Certificate in Substance Use Disorders: An 11-unit add-on certificate available after or alongside degree completion.

Optional Certificate in Play Therapy: A 9-unit add-on certificate comprising three courses selected from six available options.

What This Program Says About Itself

• Per the APU MFT program page, the program prepares students for California LMFT licensure through a curriculum grounded in Christian faith integration, systemic family psychology, and evidence-based therapeutic models.
• The program embeds the Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1 Certificate into the core curriculum, per the APU MFT program page.
• APU offers four regional campus locations (Azusa, Orange County, San Diego, and Inland Empire) for geographic flexibility, per the APU MFT program page.
• The program offers both traditional evening cohorts and a newer daytime cohort option to accommodate working professionals and daytime learners, per the APU MFT program page.
• APU is a Yellow Ribbon School and offers a $500-per-term alumni discount (up to $2,000 over the program) for APU undergraduate alumni, per the APU MFT program page.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

Students seeking faith-integrated training: APU is an evangelical Christian university, and the curriculum includes a required course in Christian Spiritual Formation and Psychotherapy.

Working professionals seeking schedule flexibility: Evening cohorts are available at all four campuses, with up to 4 years to complete the degree.

Students interested in couples therapy: The embedded Gottman Method Level 1 Certificate offers structured training in one of the most empirically supported couples therapy models.

Students interested in dual licensure (MFT and LPCC): A defined dual-license pathway adds only one course to meet California's educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC.

Students in Southern California seeking geographic flexibility: Four campuses (Azusa, Orange County, Inland Empire, and San Diego) cover most of Southern California.

Career changers entering the field: Applicants without a psychology degree can satisfy the prerequisite with a single Abnormal Psychology course, and the GRE is not listed as required.

Students interested in niche clinical specializations: Optional certificates in Substance Use Disorders and Play Therapy allow students to develop targeted post-licensure expertise.

Students who value a personal therapy component: The program requires 40 hours of personal psychotherapy, which is relatively uncommon among California MFT programs.

Related California MFT Programs

If you are weighing Azusa Pacific, you may also want to compare these nearby and similar programs in our directory:

• Biola University: Nearby faith-based private
• University of La Verne: Nearby eastern LA County private
• Cal Poly Pomona: Nearby eastern LA County public
• Fuller Theological Seminary: LA-area faith-based, dual LMFT/LPCC
• Mount Saint Mary's University: LA-area private comparison

Or compare all 71 California MFT programs side by side.

How This California MFT Directory Is Built

This is the only California MFT program directory that accepts no paid placements of any kind. No program can pay to be listed, pay to rank higher, pay to be featured, or pay to remove information, and there are no affiliate links or sponsored entries. Every program on the California BBS approved-program list is included. At Sentio University, we believe in program transparency. Every prospective student should have as much objective information about MFT programs as possible to make the best decision for themselves.

How to Choose an MFT Program in California

Meeting the BBS requirements tells you that a curriculum clears a legal bar but says almost nothing about how skilled a clinician you can become. The students who get the most out of these years treat licensure as the floor, and then ask a far more ambitious question: which program will help me reach the very top of what I am capable of as a therapist? The program you choose changes everything. By the time they reach practicum, 2 in 3 students at COAMFTE-accredited MFT programs do not feel prepared to see clients. Training built around real, performable clinical skills, rather than theory alone, is what lets you walk into your first session with genuine confidence and keep growing from there. You get to decide how high to aim, and the right program will rise to meet you.

Look closely at four things. First, Deliberate Practice: the strongest programs let you rehearse specific skills with immediate feedback, the same way world-class musicians and athletes build mastery over time. Second, clinical hours: seek out programs that give you a high volume of direct client contact, because nothing accelerates your development faster than real, supervised repetition. Third, video recording in supervision rather than student self-report, so your supervisors can coach what actually happened in the room. Fourth, routine outcome monitoring, which teaches you to track, honestly and objectively, whether your clients are getting better. A program that does all four is training you to pursue excellence, not just clear a requirement.

Also consider programs that teach you safe and ethical AI-integrated clinical training. And do not let cost quietly lower your sights. There are more scholarships and financial aid options for California MFT students than most applicants ever realize.

The purpose of these years is not simply to pass a board and collect a license. It is to become the best therapist you can be, so struggling therapy clients will trust you with the hardest moments of their lives. Hold your education to that standard. Reach for the ceiling rather than settling for the floor, and choose the program that will help you get there.

Note from the Field:
"Aim higher than the license. A degree gets you in the door, but skill is what earns a client's trust. Pick the program that takes your training as seriously as you do."
Alexandre Vaz, PhD

Making Your Decision: What to Do Before You Apply

Salary data and job market projections are useful inputs to your program search, but they cannot tell you what a school is actually like to attend. Marketing materials, program websites, and admissions presentations are designed to present a program favorably. The most reliable way to cut through that and understand what a program actually delivers in the classroom is to ask to sit in on a live class session, whether in person or online, before you commit. Every program that is confident in the quality of its instruction should not only allow this but actively welcome it. If a program is reluctant to let prospective students observe a class, that reluctance is itself informative. The California MFT job market rewards clinical skill, and the training environment you choose over the next two to three years will shape the kind of therapist you become. Take the time to see it for yourself before you decide.

For a detailed comparison of every California MFT program, see our directory of all 71 BBS-approved MFT programs in California.

To learn more about Azusa Pacific University's MFT program, visit their official website at apu.edu. If you are comparing MFT programs in California, you can explore Sentio University's MFT program to see how our Deliberate Practice training model compares.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Azusa Pacific's MFT program accredited?

Yes, the university is accredited by WSCUC, and the degree is state-approved for California LMFT requirements. It does not list COAMFTE or CACREP accreditation.

Does Azusa Pacific require the GRE?

No. The GRE is not required for admission.

How long is the program and how many units?

It is 63 units (up to 90 with certificates or the LPCC add-on); most working students finish in about three years, with a six-year maximum.

Does Azusa Pacific prepare students for the LPCC as well as the LMFT?

Yes. With additional units and clinical hours the program offers a dual LMFT and LPCC pathway in California.

What outcomes does Azusa Pacific publish?

APU does not publish graduation, licensure, or exam-pass rates, describing graduate success only in general terms.

What does the program cost, and what GPA applies?

Tuition is $865 per unit, about $54,495 for the 63 units; regular admission requires a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA, with priority Fall review around March 1.

Disclaimer: This profile was prepared by Sentio University for informational purposes only. Sentio University is an MFT program in California and a peer institution to the program profiled above. All information was drawn from publicly available sources and the program's own published materials as of April 2026. Sentio University makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information. Prospective students should contact the program directly to verify all details, including admissions requirements, tuition, accreditation status, and clinical training structure. This profile does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. For a full list of California MFT programs, visit our California MFT Program Directory.

About the Authors

Tony Rousmaniere, PsyD is the President of Sentio University and Executive Director of the Sentio Counseling Center. He is Past President of the psychotherapy division of the American Psychological Association and the author of over 20 books on deliberate practice and psychotherapy training, including The Essentials of Deliberate Practice book series (APA Books). He is a licensed psychologist in California and Washington. Learn more

Alexandre Vaz, PhD is the Chief Academic Officer of Sentio University and cofounder of the Deliberate Practice Institute. He is co-editor of The Essentials of Deliberate Practice book series (APA Books) and the author of over a dozen books on deliberate practice and psychotherapy training. Dr. Vaz is the founder and host of Psychotherapy Expert Talks. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in Portugal. Learn more

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