San Francisco State 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 SFSU Department of Counseling Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling program page, the SFSU Department of Counseling admissions page, the SFSU Bulletin entry for the Department of Counseling, and BBS records. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

Format: In-person, on-campus attendance at the SFSU main campus per the Department of Counseling program page. Hybrid or fully online pathways are not publicly listed for this concentration.

Pacing Options: Students may complete the program in two years on a full-time basis (four semesters at approximately 15 units per semester) or in three years on a part-time basis (six semesters), per the SFSU MFCC program page.

Cohort Model: The program admits once per year for a Fall start per the SFSU Department of Counseling admissions page.

Concentrations and Specializations

Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling (MFCC) Concentration: The MFT-relevant concentration within the MS in Counseling. The curriculum is aligned to California BBS educational requirements for LMFT licensure and emphasizes a systemic and multicultural approach to working with couples, families, children, and adolescents, per the SFSU MFCC program page.

Program Emphases: Per the SFSU MFCC program page, the concentration emphasizes multicultural and social justice informed perspectives on couples and family systems, child and adolescent therapy, systemic and familial theory, and human sexuality across developmental stages.

LPCC Pathway: Not publicly listed for the MFCC concentration.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Clinical Hours: Specific direct client contact, relational, and supervision hour requirements are not detailed on SFSU's public program pages. The program states that clinical training meets California BBS educational requirements for LMFT licensure. Students should request current fieldwork requirements directly from the program.

Training Clinic: Not publicly listed as a dedicated in-house MFCC training clinic on the Department of Counseling program pages.

Practicum and Internship Sequence: Per the SFSU MFCC program page and SFSU Bulletin, fieldwork includes COUN 705 Counseling Practicum, COUN 890 Integrative Counseling and Internship, and COUN 891 Case Studies and Internship Seminar. Specialized clinical coursework includes COUN 858 and COUN 860 Couple and Family Counseling I and II and COUN 861 Seminar on Child Treatment. Placement procedures beyond course requirements are not detailed on the program's public pages.

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

Curriculum Structure

The 60-unit MS in Counseling with the MFCC concentration is structured around California BBS educational requirements for LMFT licensure and the CACREP standards the department cites on its program page:

Core Coursework: Counseling theory, human development, multicultural counseling, career counseling, assessment, research methods, group counseling, and law and ethics, drawn from the SFSU Bulletin course sequence for the Department of Counseling.

Specialized MFCC Coursework: COUN 858 and COUN 860 Couple and Family Counseling I and II and COUN 861 Seminar on Child Treatment per the SFSU Bulletin.

Fieldwork Sequence: COUN 705 Counseling Practicum, followed by COUN 890 Integrative Counseling and Internship and COUN 891 Case Studies and Internship Seminar per the SFSU Bulletin.

Culminating Requirements

Per the SFSU MFCC program page and SFSU Bulletin, the culminating requirement is COUN 892 Culminating Experience for Counselors (3 units).

Application Process

Application Deadlines: Per the SFSU Department of Counseling admissions page, applications for Fall 2027 admission are expected to open October 1, 2026, with full admission instructions posted in early September 2026. Fall 2026 admission has closed. Prospective students should confirm current deadlines directly with the department.

Start Term: Fall only (cohort-based).

GPA Requirement: Not publicly listed as a program-specific cutoff on the SFSU Department of Counseling admissions page. SFSU Division of Graduate Studies minimum GPA standards apply.

Prerequisites: Specific prerequisite courses are not publicly listed for the MFCC concentration.

Work Experience Requirement: Per the SFSU Department of Counseling admissions page, applicants are required to document a minimum of 2,000 hours of prior human services experience (paid or unpaid) before applying, which corresponds to approximately one year full-time or two years part-time. Qualifying settings include community mental health agencies, child and family services agencies, crisis centers, hospitals, schools, and domestic violence shelters.

Application Components: Per the SFSU Department of Counseling admissions page, required materials include the Cal State Apply application through the SFSU Division of Graduate Studies, unofficial transcripts, a resume, a personal statement with an affidavit of authorship, a summary of experience form, letters of recommendation, and a department processing fee of approximately $25 in addition to the Cal State Apply fee. A post-admission writing assessment is also administered for evaluation of readiness.

Interview: Per the SFSU Department of Counseling admissions page, an in-person interview may be required depending on the specialization.

What This Program Says About Itself

✓ Per the SFSU Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling program page, the MFCC specialization is accredited by CACREP and meets California Board of Behavioral Sciences educational requirements for LMFT licensure.

✓ The program emphasizes multicultural and social justice informed perspectives on couples and family systems, per the SFSU MFCC program page.

✓ Students complete specialized coursework in couple and family counseling and in child treatment, per the SFSU Bulletin entry for the Department of Counseling.

✓ Per the SFSU Department of Counseling admissions page, applicants must document at least 2,000 hours of prior human services experience, which the department describes as a way to ensure applicants enter the program with practical exposure to the field.

✓ Per the SFSU MFCC program page, students may complete the program in a two-year full-time sequence or a three-year part-time sequence.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Students based in the San Francisco Bay Area: The program is delivered in person on the SFSU main campus and draws students from across the Bay Area.

✓ Students who want a CACREP-accredited MFCC program: Per the program page, the MFCC specialization is accredited by CACREP, which can matter for licensure portability to some other states.

✓ Students who want a public-university tuition option: As a California State University campus, SFSU follows the CSU system tuition structure, which is typically lower than private institutions.

✓ Students with substantial prior human services experience: The required 2,000 hours of prior experience means the program is oriented toward applicants who have already worked in community mental health, schools, crisis services, or related settings.

✓ Students interested in working with children, adolescents, couples, and families: The MFCC concentration specifically emphasizes child and family systemic work.

✓ Students drawn to a multicultural and social justice framework: The program explicitly centers multicultural competence and social justice perspectives in its curriculum.

✓ Students open to either a full-time or part-time pacing option: The program offers both two-year and three-year sequences.

✓ Students who want a cohort-based fall-start program: Admission is offered only for Fall entry.

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 San Francisco State University MFT program, visit their official website at the SFSU Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling 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