CSU Stanislaus MFT Program: Comprehensive Profile and Student Fit Analysis
CSU Stanislaus is one of 71 BBS-approved MFT programs in California. Compare all 71 in our directory. Program data collected April 2026 from publicly available sources including the CSU Stanislaus academic catalog, the Department of Psychology graduate programs page, the Advanced Studies in Education program page, the CSU Stanislaus tuition and fee schedules, WSCUC records, and BBS records. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.
Program Snapshot
University: California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State)
Official Degree Names: CSU Stanislaus offers two distinct master's programs that lead to California behavioral health licensure. Program 1: Master of Science in Psychology, Concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy (offered with two tracks: Counseling Track and Behavior Analysis Track). Program 2: Master of Arts in Counseling, Professional Clinical Counselor Option.
Campus Location: Turlock main campus at 1 University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382, and the Stockton Campus at 612 E. Magnolia Street, Stockton, CA 95202. Per the catalog, the MS Psychology MFT program is housed at the Turlock campus. The MA Counseling PCC Option is offered at both Turlock and Stockton. See the CSU Stanislaus home page.
Institution Link: CSU Stanislaus.
Modality: The MS Psychology MFT concentration is primarily in-person at Turlock; specific day/evening scheduling is not publicly listed in the catalog. The MA Counseling PCC Option catalog entry indicates late afternoon and evening courses with in-person, hybrid, and online delivery across Turlock and Stockton.
Licensure Track: California LMFT track through the MS Psychology MFT concentration. LPCC track through the MA Counseling PCC Option. Both programs appear on the California Board of Behavioral Sciences approved program lists per BBS LMFT and BBS LPCC applicant resources.
Accreditation: Regional accreditation for the university through the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) per the CSU Stanislaus accreditation page. Program-specific accreditation with COAMFTE or CACREP is not publicly listed on the catalog pages for either program.
Program Length: MS Psychology MFT Counseling Track: 60 semester units. MS Psychology MFT Behavior Analysis Track: 61 semester units. Both typically completed in approximately 2.5 years full-time per the catalog. MA Counseling PCC Option: 60 units with the Comprehensive Examination culminating option, or 67 to 69 units with the Thesis culminating option.
Estimated Total Program Tuition (effective 2025-2026): CSU Stanislaus uses California State University systemwide graduate tuition. Per the CSU Stanislaus fee schedule, graduate tuition for the 2025-2026 academic year is approximately $4,032 per semester for students enrolled in more than 6 units and approximately $2,340 per semester for students enrolled in 6 units or fewer. A California resident completing the 60-unit MS Psychology program full-time over five semesters can expect tuition of roughly $20,000 before mandatory campus fees, books, and living expenses. Non-resident supplemental tuition and annual adjustments apply. Students should verify current rates directly with the CSU Stanislaus Office of Financial Services.
GRE Requirement: Not publicly listed in the catalog for either program.
Religious Orientation: None. CSU Stanislaus is a public, secular institution of the California State University system.
Entering Class Size: Not publicly listed for either program.
Concentrations: Within the MS Psychology MFT concentration, students choose between the Counseling Track and the Behavior Analysis Track. The MA Counseling program offers the PCC Option (clinical counseling) and a separate Pupil Personnel Services Credential option for K-12 school counseling.
This profile is one of 71. See how every California MFT program compares on tuition, format, accreditation, practicum, and clinical training. No ads, no paid placements.
Compare All 71 →Student Outcomes
Outcomes are shown only as published by the program or its accreditor. Where a value is not published, we say so rather than estimate it.
Graduation rate: Not published
Job placement rate: Not published
Licensure rate: Not published
Licensure exam pass rate: Not published
CSU Stanislaus offers two BBS-approved pathways, an MS in Psychology with a Marriage and Family Therapy concentration for the LMFT and an MA in Counseling with a Professional Clinical Counselor option for the LPCC, both institutionally accredited through WSCUC and neither COAMFTE- nor CACREP-accredited. Neither program publishes a graduation, job placement, licensure, or exam pass rate on its own website.
Cost and Regional Pay
Approximate placement of this program’s total cost (about $20,000, California resident estimate, tuition only) against the directory’s lowest and highest published totals.
Estimated total tuition: approximately $20,000 in tuition for a California resident completing the 60-unit MS Psychology program full time over five semesters, before mandatory campus fees. CSU Stanislaus charges the CSU systemwide graduate tuition (about $4,032 per semester for more than six units in 2025-2026); non-resident students pay an added per-unit surcharge.
Regional pay context: In the Modesto area, which includes Turlock, marriage and family therapists earn a median of about $69,680 per year, with a typical range of roughly $49,160 to $94,800 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). These figures cover all marriage and family therapists in the area at all experience levels, not this program's graduates. For more, see our California LMFT salary guide.
Schedule and Format Details
MS Psychology, MFT Concentration (Turlock): A traditional cohort-based, primarily in-person master's program within the Department of Psychology. Specific weekly class schedule details are not publicly listed in the catalog. Prospective students should contact the Psychology Department to confirm typical class days and times.
MA Counseling, PCC Option (Turlock and Stockton): The catalog notes that courses are generally scheduled in the late afternoon and evening, with courses offered in-person, hybrid, and online formats. Students can pursue the degree at either the Turlock or Stockton campus.
Clinical Training and Fieldwork
Clinical Hours (MS Psychology, MFT Concentration): The catalog lists PSYC 5510 Practicum in Counseling and Diagnostics as a required clinical training course, typically taken as 3 units and repeated for a total of 6 units. Specific direct client, relational, and supervision hour thresholds are not quantified in the catalog. Students should request the current practicum handbook from the Department of Psychology for a complete picture of clinical hour requirements.
Clinical Hours (MA Counseling, PCC Option): The catalog lists a sequence of practicum and fieldwork courses required for LPCC preparation. Exact direct service, supervision, and relational hour totals are not publicly listed in the catalog entry. The program references alignment with California BBS educational requirements for LPCC licensure.
Training Clinic: A dedicated in-house MFT training clinic is not publicly listed for either program. Practicum placements occur at community-based partner sites in the Central Valley region.
Practicum Arrangement: The catalog indicates that practicum and fieldwork placements are coordinated through the program. Prospective students should confirm the current placement process directly with the department.
Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Not publicly listed in the catalog entries for either program.
Culminating Requirements
MS Psychology, MFT Concentration: Master's thesis, completed through PSYC 5990 with a minimum of 3 thesis units. Students maintain continuous enrollment in at least one thesis unit after completing coursework until the thesis is defended and filed.
MA Counseling, PCC Option: Students choose between a Comprehensive Examination pathway (60 units) and a Thesis pathway (67 to 69 units, with oral defense).
Application Process
Application Deadlines: The Department of Psychology graduate programs page lists a Fall 2027 application deadline of December 15, 2026 for the MS Psychology program. Individual program deadlines may differ from university-wide deadlines. For the MA Counseling PCC Option, the catalog does not publish a fixed deadline; applicants should contact the program coordinator directly.
Start Term: Fall, cohort-based, for both programs.
GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA for both programs. The MA Counseling PCC Option uses the last 60 units for GPA calculation and requires students to maintain a 3.0 throughout the program, with no more than a limited number of courses graded below B (or below C, depending on program rules).
Prerequisites (MS Psychology, MFT Concentration): A bachelor's degree in psychology, or an introductory psychology course plus a minimum of 16 upper-division psychology units with grades of B or better. Track-specific coursework in Experimental Psychology, Learning Theory, Abnormal Psychology, and Counseling Theory or Techniques is expected.
Prerequisites (MA Counseling, PCC Option): The catalog does not list a fixed list of undergraduate prerequisite courses and instead relies on the First Interview and departmental review.
Application Components (MS Psychology): Three letters of recommendation, a satisfactory writing sample, departmental assessment or examination materials, and departmental approval. Related clinical or research experience is preferred.
Application Components (MA Counseling, PCC Option): A written statement indicating suitability for the counseling program, a successful First Interview (in-person), an application for the First Interview with payment, a program application fee, a Certificate of Clearance, and two letters of recommendation.
Interview: The MA Counseling PCC Option requires a First Interview as a formal part of the application process. An interview is not publicly listed as a required component for the MS Psychology MFT concentration, though departmental review is part of admission.
Concentrations and Specializations
MS Psychology, Counseling Track: A 60-unit pathway within the MFT concentration designed to prepare students for LMFT licensure. Coursework emphasizes counseling theory and technique, diagnostics, assessment, and practicum experience.
MS Psychology, Behavior Analysis Track: A 61-unit pathway within the MFT concentration that integrates applied behavior analysis coursework with MFT training. Intended for students who want to combine behavioral expertise with marriage and family therapy practice.
MA Counseling, PCC Option: A separate degree program for students pursuing LPCC licensure, housed in the Advanced Studies in Education department. Students can complete it with either a Comprehensive Examination culminating option (60 units) or a Thesis culminating option (67 to 69 units).
What This Program Says About Itself
- Per the Department of Psychology Graduate Programs page, the MS Psychology MFT concentration prepares students for California LMFT licensure with a research-informed, thesis-based master's curriculum.
- The MFT concentration offers two tracks, Counseling and Behavior Analysis, allowing students to tailor the degree to different clinical interests per the catalog entry.
- Per the MA Counseling PCC Option catalog page, the program prepares graduates to obtain a California BBS license and practice as independent clinical counselors in the community.
- The PCC program is offered at both the Turlock and Stockton campuses with late afternoon and evening classes, intended to accommodate working adults across the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
- As a California State University campus, CSU Stanislaus emphasizes access and affordability for students in a historically underserved region, with a large proportion of first-generation graduate students.
This Program May Be a Good Fit For
Students prioritizing affordability: Estimated in-state graduate tuition for the MS Psychology MFT program is in the low $20,000 range, well below the $45,000 benchmark used in this directory.
Students in the Central Valley seeking geographic accessibility: CSU Stanislaus is one of the few LMFT- and LPCC-preparing programs based in the Turlock, Modesto, and Stockton corridor.
Working professionals seeking evening coursework: The MA Counseling PCC Option schedules classes in the late afternoon and evening, with in-person, hybrid, and online delivery across two campuses.
Students interested in dual licensure (MFT and LPCC): CSU Stanislaus houses both an LMFT-eligible MS Psychology MFT concentration and an LPCC-eligible MA Counseling PCC Option, giving prospective students two distinct pathways within the same institution.
Students interested in research or academic careers: The MS Psychology MFT concentration requires a master's thesis, and the MA Counseling PCC Option offers a thesis pathway with oral defense.
Students interested in integrating behavior analysis with MFT practice: The Behavior Analysis Track within the MS Psychology MFT concentration blends ABA coursework with marriage and family therapy training.
Students interested in serving Central Valley and Northern San Joaquin communities: CSU Stanislaus emphasizes training clinicians who will practice in the region's community-based and school-based mental health settings.
Related California MFT Programs
If you are weighing CSU Stanislaus, you may also want to compare these nearby and similar programs in our directory:
- Sacramento State: Nearby public, dual LMFT/LPCC, CACREP
- Fresno State: Central Valley public, CACREP
- CSU Bakersfield: Central Valley public, dual LMFT/LPCC
- CSU Chico: Northern California public CSU
- Fresno Pacific University: Central Valley private alternative
Or compare all 71 California MFT programs side by side.
How This California MFT Directory Is Built
This is the only California MFT program directory that accepts no paid placements of any kind. No program can pay to be listed, pay to rank higher, pay to be featured, or pay to remove information, and there are no affiliate links or sponsored entries. Every program on the California BBS approved-program list is included. At Sentio University, we believe in program transparency. Every prospective student should have as much objective information about MFT programs as possible to make the best decision for themselves.
How to Choose an MFT Program in California
Meeting the BBS requirements tells you that a curriculum clears a legal bar but says almost nothing about how skilled a clinician you can become. The students who get the most out of these years treat licensure as the floor, and then ask a far more ambitious question: which program will help me reach the very top of what I am capable of as a therapist? The program you choose changes everything. By the time they reach practicum, 2 in 3 students at COAMFTE-accredited MFT programs do not feel prepared to see clients. Training built around real, performable clinical skills, rather than theory alone, is what lets you walk into your first session with genuine confidence and keep growing from there. You get to decide how high to aim, and the right program will rise to meet you.
Look closely at four things. First, Deliberate Practice: the strongest programs let you rehearse specific skills with immediate feedback, the same way world-class musicians and athletes build mastery over time. Second, clinical hours: seek out programs that give you a high volume of direct client contact, because nothing accelerates your development faster than real, supervised repetition. Third, video recording in supervision rather than student self-report, so your supervisors can coach what actually happened in the room. Fourth, routine outcome monitoring, which teaches you to track, honestly and objectively, whether your clients are getting better. A program that does all four is training you to pursue excellence, not just clear a requirement.
Also consider programs that teach you safe and ethical AI-integrated clinical training. And do not let cost quietly lower your sights. There are more scholarships and financial aid options for California MFT students than most applicants ever realize.
The purpose of these years is not simply to pass a board and collect a license. It is to become the best therapist you can be, so struggling therapy clients will trust you with the hardest moments of their lives. Hold your education to that standard. Reach for the ceiling rather than settling for the floor, and choose the program that will help you get there.
Note from the Field:
"Aim higher than the license. A degree gets you in the door, but skill is what earns a client's trust. Pick the program that takes your training as seriously as you do."
Alexandre Vaz, PhD
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 California MFT program, see our directory of all 71 BBS-approved MFT programs in California.
To learn more about CSU Stanislaus's MFT program, visit their official website at csustan.edu. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CSU Stanislaus's program accredited?
The university is accredited by WSCUC. The MS Psychology MFT concentration is BBS-approved for the LMFT and the MA Counseling PCC option is BBS-approved for the LPCC. Neither program claims COAMFTE or CACREP accreditation.
Does CSU Stanislaus require the GRE?
No. The MS Psychology program states that the GRE is no longer required.
How long is the program and how many units?
The MS Psychology MFT Counseling Track is 60 units (61 for the Behavior Analysis Track), completed full time in about five semesters. The separate MA Counseling PCC option is 60 units with a comprehensive exam or 67 to 69 units with a thesis.
Does CSU Stanislaus prepare students for the LPCC as well as the LMFT?
Yes, but through two separate degrees: the MS Psychology MFT concentration leads to the LMFT, and the MA Counseling PCC option, offered at the Turlock and Stockton campuses, leads to the LPCC.
What outcomes does CSU Stanislaus publish?
Neither program publishes graduation, job placement, licensure, or exam pass rates on its own website.
What does the program cost, and what GPA and deadline apply?
As a CSU campus it charges systemwide graduate tuition, about $20,000 in tuition for a California resident over five semesters before fees. The MS Psychology program requires a 3.0 GPA and lists a Fall 2027 application deadline of December 15, 2026.
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
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