Biola University MFT Program: Comprehensive Profile and Student Fit Analysis

Sentio University believes in program transparency and that all prospective students should have access to detailed, objective information about MFT programs to make the best possible decision for their education and career.

Program data collected April 2026 from publicly available sources including the Biola University MA in Marriage and Family Therapy program page, the Biola Talbot School of Theology admissions materials, and BBS records. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

Format: In-person, full-time, cohort-based at the La Mirada campus. The program follows a three-year sequence with students moving through coursework together.

Class Scheduling: Specific class day and time blocks are not detailed on the program's public pages. Prospective students should confirm class scheduling directly with the program.

Concentrations and Specializations

MFT Track: The program offers a single MFT track aligned to California BBS educational requirements for LMFT licensure.

Christian Integration: Biblical and theological integration is woven throughout the curriculum rather than offered as a separate concentration.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Clinical Hours: The program lists a year-long clinical internship of 300 or more direct client contact hours per the Biola MFT program page. Specific relational and supervision hour requirements are not publicly itemized. The program states that clinical training meets California BBS educational requirements for LMFT licensure.

Training Clinic: Not publicly listed as a dedicated in-house MFT training clinic. Students complete a community-based clinical internship.

Practicum Arrangement: Students complete a 12-month community clinical internship coordinated through the program.

Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Yes. Per the Biola MFT program page, students are required to engage in personal psychotherapy with a licensed clinician during the program.

Curriculum Structure

The 67-unit curriculum integrates clinical MFT training with biblical and theological formation, consistent with Biola's evangelical Christian mission and Talbot School of Theology's framework:

Core Clinical Coursework: Systemic and relational theory, human development, assessment and diagnosis, psychopathology, couple and family therapy models, multicultural counseling, law and ethics, and research methods.

Biblical and Spiritual Formation: Coursework in biblical integration, theology, and spiritual formation. Spiritual direction is offered through Biola's Institute for Spiritual Formation.

Fieldwork Sequence: A year-long clinical internship with concurrent supervision completed during the final year.

Culminating Requirements

The primary culminating requirement is the year-long clinical internship with supervision. Additional capstone requirements such as a thesis or comprehensive examination are not publicly detailed on the program page. Students should confirm current culminating requirements directly with the program.

Application Process

Application Deadlines: Early Action deadline February 1, general application deadline March 15, for fall entry per the Biola MFT program page.

Start Term: Fall (cohort-based).

GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale per the Biola MFT program page.

Prerequisites: Specific prerequisite courses are not publicly listed.

Application Components: Online application with fee, official transcripts, three reference letters (including pastoral, character, and academic references), two essays (a Christian testimony and an autobiographical statement of up to 1,000 words), and a resume or CV. English proficiency verification is required for non-native English speakers.

Interview: Not publicly confirmed as a required component on the program's public pages.

What This Program Says About Itself

✓ Per the Biola MFT program page, the program prepares graduates to integrate Christian faith and clinical practice in serving couples, families, and individuals.

✓ The program is housed in the Talbot School of Theology, reflecting a theological as well as clinical framework for training.

✓ Students complete a required year-long clinical internship of 300 or more direct client contact hours, per the program page.

✓ Personal psychotherapy with a licensed clinician is a required component of the training, per the program page.

✓ Spiritual formation and spiritual direction are embedded in the student experience through Biola's Institute for Spiritual Formation.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Students seeking explicitly Christian clinical training: The MFT program is housed in the Talbot School of Theology and integrates biblical and theological formation throughout.

✓ Students in the Los Angeles and Orange County area: The program operates from Biola's La Mirada campus in southeast Los Angeles County.

✓ Students who value cohort-based learning: The program uses a full-time three-year cohort format.

✓ Students who want personal therapy built into training: Personal psychotherapy with a licensed clinician is required.

✓ Students pursuing California LMFT licensure: The curriculum is designed to meet California BBS educational requirements.

✓ Career changers entering the field: The GRE is not required and specific prerequisite courses are not listed.

✓ Students drawn to spiritual formation in training: Spiritual direction through Biola's Institute for Spiritual Formation is part of the student experience.

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 MFT program in the state, explore The Absurdly Complete Guide to MFT Programs in California.

To learn more about the Biola University MFT program, visit their official website at the Biola MA in Marriage and Family Therapy page. 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.

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