California State University, Bakersfield 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 CSU Bakersfield Department of Psychology MS in Counseling Psychology overview page, the required courses page, the application requirements page, and publicly available CSU systemwide tuition information. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

Format: The MS in Counseling Psychology is an in-person program at the Bakersfield campus. Specific course scheduling patterns (daytime, evening, or weekend blocks) are not publicly listed on the CSUB Department of Psychology pages. Prospective students should contact the department directly for current course schedules and full-time versus part-time pacing options.

Concentrations and Specializations

Dual LMFT and LPCC Preparation: Per the CSUB MS in Counseling Psychology page, the program is designed to meet California BBS educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure.

Curricular Emphases: The required courses page lists courses in adult and family development, couple and sexuality counseling, and addictions counseling. Formal named concentrations are not publicly listed.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Clinical Hours: Specific direct client contact, relational, and supervision hour requirements are not publicly listed on the program's web materials. The program states that it is designed to meet California BBS educational requirements for LMFT and LPCC licensure. Prospective students should request current fieldwork requirements directly from the department.

Training Clinic: The University Counselor Training Clinic (UCTC) is an in-house training clinic housed within the Department of Psychology, per the CSUB MS in Counseling Psychology page. Graduate students provide low-cost counseling services to the Bakersfield community under faculty supervision.

Practicum Arrangement: Clinical training takes place through the University Counselor Training Clinic and community placement sites. Specific practicum placement processes are not publicly listed.

Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Not publicly listed on the program's web materials.

Curriculum Structure

The 60 unit curriculum is listed on the CSUB required courses page and includes foundational counseling coursework along with specialized electives. Course titles listed include Adult and Family Development (CPSY 6130), Couple and Sexuality Counseling (CPSY 6280), and Addictions Counseling (CPSY 6260), alongside additional core coursework in counseling theory, assessment, research methods, law and ethics, and multicultural counseling. Students should confirm the current required course sequence with the Department of Psychology.

Culminating Requirements

The specific culminating requirement (thesis, comprehensive examination, or portfolio) is not detailed on CSUB's public MS in Counseling Psychology pages. Prospective students should confirm current culminating requirements directly with the program.

Application Process

Application Deadlines: Per the CSUB MS in Counseling Psychology application page, applications for Fall admission open October 1 of the prior year. Specific closing deadlines should be verified directly with the department.

Start Term: Fall (cohort-based).

GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.2 GPA in the most recent 60 semester units of academic coursework, per the CSUB application requirements page.

Prerequisites: Per the application requirements page, applicants must complete at least six undergraduate psychology courses, including Introductory Statistics, Abnormal Psychology, and a developmental psychology course (child psychology, human growth and development, or lifespan development). Prerequisite courses must be completed within five calendar years with a grade of B or higher.

Application Components: Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, official transcripts demonstrating the required GPA, and documentation of completed prerequisite coursework. Additional components such as letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and resume are not specifically itemized on the public application page and should be confirmed directly with the department.

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

What This Program Says About Itself

✓ Per the CSUB MS in Counseling Psychology page, the program prepares graduates to meet California BBS educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure.

✓ The program operates the University Counselor Training Clinic (UCTC), an in-house training clinic where graduate students provide low-cost counseling services to the Bakersfield community under supervision.

✓ The program emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio, per the program page.

✓ Faculty include expertise in experiential counseling methods such as play therapy and psychodrama instruction.

✓ The curriculum includes specialized coursework in couple and sexuality counseling, addictions counseling, and adult and family development, per the CSUB required courses page.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Students in the Central Valley and southern San Joaquin Valley: CSUB is the primary public master's counseling program serving the Bakersfield region.

✓ Students seeking a public university tuition structure: As a CSU campus, CSUB charges CSU systemwide tuition rather than private-university rates.

✓ Students interested in dual licensure (LMFT and LPCC): The program is designed to meet BBS educational requirements for both credentials.

✓ Students interested in in-house clinical training: The University Counselor Training Clinic offers supervised clinical experience on campus.

✓ Students interested in experiential methods: The program highlights faculty expertise in play therapy and psychodrama instruction.

✓ Applicants with a strong psychology undergraduate foundation: The program requires at least six undergraduate psychology courses including statistics, abnormal psychology, and developmental psychology.

✓ Applicants with strong recent academic performance: The 3.2 GPA requirement in the most recent 60 units is higher than many CSU counseling programs.

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 CSU Bakersfield MS in Counseling Psychology program, visit their official website at the CSUB MS in Counseling Psychology 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