CSU Dominguez Hills 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 CSUDH Marital and Family Therapy program website, the CSUDH catalog entry for the MS in Marital and Family Therapy, the CSUDH MFT Student Handbook 2024-2025, the CSUDH Admissions costs and fees page, and California Board of Behavioral Sciences records. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

Evening Cohort Format: The program is delivered in person on the Carson campus with evening class meetings designed for working students, per the CSUDH MFT Student Handbook.

Cohort Progression: Students enter in a fall cohort and move through a required course sequence together, typically over three academic years with summer practicum available after the first year.

Start Term: Fall only.

Concentrations and Specializations

No formal concentrations: The MS in Marital and Family Therapy is delivered as a single structured curriculum with no named emphasis areas.

Curricular Themes: The handbook and program materials highlight systemic and relational theory, social justice, intersectionality, and culturally responsive practice in diverse Los Angeles and Orange County communities.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Direct Client Contact Hours: A minimum of 300 direct client contact hours is required for program completion, per the CSUDH MFT Student Handbook.

Relational Hours: At least 100 of the 300 direct hours must be relational (couples and families), per the handbook.

Supervision: On-site weekly supervision by licensed clinicians at placement agencies, structured to meet BBS supervision ratios. Students concurrently enroll in practicum courses at the university for additional group and faculty supervision.

Training Clinic: No in-house CSUDH training clinic is listed in the program's public materials. Clinical training is completed at community-based partner agencies.

Practicum Placement Process: The Director of Clinical Training maintains a directory of approved agencies in the greater Los Angeles area and Orange County. Students select preferred sites from the approved list, with new sites subject to departmental contract approval. Traineeships typically span three semesters with a summer option after the first year. Students may not complete their traineeship at their current employer.

Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Personal therapy is not required, but the Department strongly recommends that students engage in individual therapy during training, per the CSUDH MFT Student Handbook.

Curriculum Structure

The 64-unit curriculum is structured as a full-time cohort sequence designed to meet California BBS educational requirements for LMFT licensure, per the CSUDH catalog entry for the MS in Marital and Family Therapy:

Core Coursework: Systemic and family systems theory, couples therapy, child and adolescent therapy, human development, psychopathology and assessment, multicultural and diversity studies, law and ethics, research methods, crisis intervention, substance use and addictions, aging and long-term care, partner abuse and child abuse assessment, human sexuality, and career counseling.

Practicum Sequence: A minimum of three semesters of supervised clinical practicum at approved community agencies, with concurrent on-campus practicum seminars.

Culminating Requirements

Advanced Applications Course: MFT 589, Advanced Therapeutic Approaches and Applications, includes a final signature assignment that integrates theory and practice, per the CSUDH MFT Student Handbook.

Comprehensive Examination: MFT 599 is a written comprehensive examination taken in the spring semester of the final year, after completion of all coursework and three semesters of practicum. The exam covers theory, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, crisis intervention, and law and ethics.

Advancement to Candidacy: Students must complete all required coursework with a grade of B or better, maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA, and submit the Graduation Advisement form before sitting for the comprehensive exam.

Application Process

Application Timeline: The application opens October 1 and closes February 1 for the following fall cohort, per the CSUDH MFT Student Handbook. Group interviews for selected applicants are held February through March.

Start Term: Fall only.

GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 GPA in the most recent 60 semester units of upper-division coursework.

Prerequisites: Completion of prerequisite coursework is required prior to matriculation. Specific prerequisite courses are not itemized on the public program pages. Prospective applicants should contact the MFT Department for the current prerequisite list.

Application Components: Cal State Apply application and fee, bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, official transcripts from all prior institutions, three letters of recommendation on professional letterhead, a personal statement or autobiographical essay, a writing sample, a professional résumé or CV, and GRE General Test scores if applicable.

Interview: A group interview is required for applicants who advance past the initial application review. The group format is designed to emulate the classroom experience and assess fit with the Department's mission.

What This Program Says About Itself

✓ Per the CSUDH Marital and Family Therapy program page, the program prepares students for California LMFT licensure through a curriculum aligned with California BBS educational standards.

✓ The Department emphasizes systemic and relational practice, social justice, and work with diverse and marginalized communities, per the CSUDH MFT Student Handbook.

✓ Evening classes are scheduled to accommodate students who work during the day, per the CSUDH MFT Student Handbook.

✓ The Department states that it intentionally builds both qualified and diverse cohorts, per the CSUDH MFT Student Handbook.

✓ Practicum placements draw from an established network of community agency partners across the greater Los Angeles and Orange County region.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Students in the South Bay and greater Los Angeles area: The Carson campus is convenient to students commuting from South Bay, Long Beach, and northern Orange County communities.

✓ Working students seeking evening coursework: The program's evening schedule is designed for students who work during the day.

✓ Applicants prioritizing affordability: CSU graduate tuition is substantially lower than private California MFT programs, making CSUDH one of the more affordable pathways to LMFT licensure in Southern California.

✓ Students oriented toward social justice and community practice: The program's stated focus on intersectionality and work with diverse and marginalized communities suits students who want that framing throughout their training.

✓ Students who want a structured cohort experience: A fixed sequence and shared cohort progression may suit students who prefer a predictable pathway and built-in peer community.

✓ Applicants with a strong undergraduate record: A 3.5 or higher undergraduate GPA waives the GRE requirement, which benefits academically strong applicants.

✓ Students committed to an LMFT career in California: The degree is specifically structured for the California BBS licensure pathway rather than dual LMFT and LPCC tracks.

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 Dominguez Hills MFT program, visit their official website at the CSUDH Marital and Family Therapy program 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