Online MFT Programs in California

BBS-approved online and hybrid Marriage and Family Therapy programs · 32 programs · Updated June 2026

California recognizes online and hybrid Marriage and Family Therapy master's degrees for LMFT licensure, as long as the program is approved by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) and meets the coursework requirements of Business and Professions Code Section 4980.36. This page lists the 32 BBS-approved programs that deliver coursework fully online, in a hybrid format that combines online classes with periodic in-person residencies, or that offer an online or hybrid track alongside an on-campus option. Every program here is drawn from a complete directory of all 71 California MFT programs, with no ads, affiliate links, or paid placements.

"Online" means different things from one program to the next. Fully online programs deliver all coursework remotely, often asynchronously with rolling start dates, which works well for people balancing a job or caregiving. Hybrid programs deliver most coursework online but ask you to attend campus for periodic intensives or residencies, which preserves flexibility while keeping some in-person training. California Southern, National University, and Touro University Worldwide run fully online, while Sentio University, Palo Alto University, and Pacifica Graduate Institute use a hybrid model. Several established universities, including the University of Southern California, Pepperdine, Alliant, and Loma Linda, offer a fully online or hybrid track alongside an on-campus option, and those online and hybrid tracks are included here as well.

One part of an MFT degree is always hands-on clinical work with real clients: the supervised practicum. Under Business and Professions Code Section 4980.36, the degree practicum requires at least 150 hours of face-to-face counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups, plus 75 more hours that may be additional counseling or client-centered advocacy. The BBS counts face-to-face as either in person or two-way, real-time video, so depending on the program, your placement, and current BBS rules, you may see clients in person, by telehealth, or both. Programs also differ sharply in whether they place you in a site or expect you to find your own, and that single difference can add months to your timeline. Confirm a program's practicum model before you enroll.

Use the cards below to compare each program on total cost, timeline, GRE requirement, and practicum model. Always confirm a program's current BBS approval directly on the BBS website before applying, because regional accreditation is not the same as BBS approval for California licensure.

Editorial disclosure: Sentio University operates one of the programs included in this directory. Every school is evaluated using the same published criteria. Schools cannot pay for inclusion, favorable placement, or removal.

Looking at every option, not just online? See the complete California MFT Program Directory comparing all 71 BBS-approved programs side by side.

Online and hybrid programs listed: 32 · Updated June 2026 · Source: California BBS approved-program list

Frequently asked questions

Can you complete an MFT degree entirely online in California?

Yes. California recognizes both fully online and hybrid Marriage and Family Therapy master's degrees for LMFT licensure, as long as the program is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) and meets the coursework requirements of Business and Professions Code Section 4980.36. All of the coursework can be completed online. The one part that is always hands-on is the supervised clinical practicum, which the BBS allows you to complete in person or by two-way, real-time video.

Are online MFT degrees accepted by the California BBS?

Only when the specific program is BBS-approved. The BBS approves individual institutions and degree programs to meet the educational requirements for LMFT licensure, and regional or national accreditation is not the same as BBS approval. Every program listed on this page is BBS-approved, but approvals and policies change, so confirm a program's current status directly on the BBS website before you apply.

Which online MFT programs in California are COAMFTE-accredited?

COAMFTE accreditation is optional for California licensure; what the BBS requires is approval under Section 4980.36, not COAMFTE. Among the fully online programs, Touro University Worldwide holds COAMFTE accreditation, and a few schools with online or hybrid tracks are COAMFTE-accredited as well. For the complete list of the ten COAMFTE-accredited California programs, see our COAMFTE-accredited MFT programs page.

How long does an online MFT program take?

Most online and hybrid MFT programs in California take about two to three years of coursework and practicum, the same range as on-campus programs. A few are built to move faster: National University runs fully online with monthly starts, and some programs offer year-round or accelerated schedules. Remember that the degree is only the first stage. After graduating you complete 3,000 hours of supervised experience before the LMFT, which usually takes about two more years.

Do online students complete practicum locally?

Usually yes. The supervised clinical practicum places you with real clients, and most online and hybrid students complete it at an approved site near where they live. Under Section 4980.36 the degree practicum requires at least 150 hours of face-to-face counseling plus 75 more that may be additional counseling or client-centered advocacy, and the BBS counts face-to-face as either in person or two-way, real-time video. Programs differ in whether they place you in a site or expect you to find your own, so confirm the practicum model before enrolling.

What is the cheapest online MFT program in California?

Among the fully online programs, Rhombus University has the lowest published total cost at about $25,000, followed by Touro University Worldwide at about $37,800 and California Southern University at about $38,700. If you include hybrid programs, several public California State University campuses with hybrid or partly online tracks run about $18,000 to $22,000 for California residents. Confirm current tuition with each school, since published figures change from year to year.

How this directory is built and maintained

Source of the school list. Every program on the California Board of Behavioral Sciences approved-program list for the LMFT educational requirement is the universe for this directory. This page shows the BBS-approved programs that offer fully online delivery, a hybrid format, or an online or hybrid track alongside an on-campus option.

Date the BBS list was last checked. June 2026. We re-check the list on a recurring schedule and after any major BBS announcement.

How delivery format and other values are determined. A program's format (fully online, hybrid, or multiple options), total cost, timeline, GRE requirement, and practicum model come from its own published materials. A range written "$X to $Y" indicates a program with multiple tracks at different totals, and a "~" prefix marks a published estimate rather than a quoted price.

How unknown values are handled. Where a school does not publish a value, the field shows "unknown" or "Not disclosed." We do not impute, estimate, or interpolate missing values. This page is limited to programs that offer an online or hybrid format; fully on-campus programs are listed in the complete directory instead.

Whether program pages were checked manually. Yes. Each program's own admissions, curriculum, and tuition pages were read by a person, not collected by automated scraping.

How corrections are handled. Any school, prospective student, current student, or faculty member can request a correction by emailing mabundez@sentio.org. We respond within five business days, and corrections supported by the school's own published materials are made immediately.

Order does not imply endorsement. On this page programs are listed alphabetically. The order is not a ranking, and requesting a correction or contacting us for any reason has no effect on whether or where a program appears.

Independence. Sentio University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and operates its own MFT program, which is listed in this directory on the same terms as every other program. The directory contains no paid placements, no affiliate links, no sponsored entries, and no advertising of any kind.

Last verified: June 2026
Maintained by: Mikaela Abundez, Director of Student Services, Sentio University. Contact: mabundez@sentio.org

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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