Daybreak University MFT Program: Comprehensive Profile and Student Fit Analysis
Daybreak University 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 Daybreak University MFT program page, academic information page, admissions and tuition pages, distance education policy page, the Child, Couple, and Family Therapy Center page, the Daybreak University accreditation page, the COAMFTE directory, TRACS records, and BBS records. Daybreak's MFT Program Student Handbook (2025-2026) is referenced on the website but the PDF link was not publicly downloadable at the time of research, so clinical hour minimums and personal therapy requirements are reported as not publicly accessible. Prospective students should request the handbook directly from admissions and verify all details with the program before applying.
Program Snapshot
University: Daybreak University
Official Degree Name: Master of Arts in Counseling with a Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy, per the Daybreak University academic information page. A Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling with an MFT specialization is also offered for students continuing at the doctoral level.
Department / School: Southern California School of Couples and Family Therapy.
Campus Location: 321 South State College Boulevard, Anaheim, CA 92806. See the Daybreak University home page.
Institution Link: Daybreak University.
Modality: Traditional in-person at the Anaheim campus, fully online (with synchronous and asynchronous components), and hybrid formats. All courses are delivered in 10-week quarterly terms (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer). Daybreak states that students may complete the entire degree online. State authorization language on Daybreak's general admissions materials currently references California and Maryland, while the MA in Counseling MFT program page states that applicants must reside in the United States or Canada. Prospective students should confirm eligibility for their state of residence directly with admissions.
Licensure Track: California LMFT. The program meets California Business and Professions Code §4980.36 and is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences for LMFT licensure. A dual LMFT/LPCC track is not listed. Specializations within the MA in Counseling degree include MFT, Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT), Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy (HST), and a general Counseling (MAC) track.
Accreditation: Institutional accreditation by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), a CHEA- and U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor, with most recent Reaffirmation of Accreditation as a Category IV institution dated April 28, 2025 (valid through June 30, 2035), per the Daybreak University accreditation page. Program-specific accreditation for the MA in Counseling with MFT specialization by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Daybreak also holds California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) approval and is an AASECT Organizational Provider for its Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy specialization.
Program Length: 90 quarter units, typically completed in approximately 2.5 years full-time, with a maximum time-to-completion of 5 years.
Estimated Total Program Tuition (effective 2025-2026): Approximately $31,500 at $350 per quarter unit for 90 units, per the Daybreak University tuition page. With mandatory fees (application, matriculation, comprehensive exam, graduation, and per-term IT/library fees), the total program cost is approximately $36,100. Financial aid (Title IV) is not currently available; Daybreak's website indicates FAFSA approval is in process.
GRE Requirement: Not required for either the MA or the PhD program per the Daybreak University apply page.
Religious Orientation: Christian values-informed but not a Christian school. Daybreak's published statement explains that the university was founded on Christian values but is not sectarian, and that student diversity is respected and valued. TRACS is a Christian college accreditor, and the institution draws historically on a strong Korean-American student base.
Entering Class Size: Not published as a fixed cohort size. Fall 2024 total MA Counseling headcount (across all specializations) was 83 students, and total institutional enrollment was 134 per the Daybreak Student Achievement Data. Typical class sizes range from roughly 6 to 50 students per the program FAQ.
Concentrations: Marriage and Family Therapy, Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT), Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy (HST), and general Counseling (MAC).
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 yet reported (the program is newly COAMFTE-accredited and all cohorts in its Graduate Achievement Data are still in process)
Job placement rate: Not yet reported (newly accredited; cohorts still in process)
Licensure rate: Not yet reported (newly accredited; cohorts still in process)
Licensure exam pass rate: Not published (the COAMFTE Graduate Achievement Data reports licensure attainment, not a separate exam pass rate)
Daybreak University's MA in Counseling with an MFT specialization became COAMFTE-accredited in 2024. Because accreditation is recent, every cohort in its COAMFTE Graduate Achievement Data table is still marked in process, so no graduation, job placement, or licensure rates have been reported yet. COAMFTE master's reporting does not include a licensure exam pass rate.
Cost and Regional Pay
Approximate placement of this program’s total cost (about $31,500, tuition only (about $36,100 with fees)) against the directory’s lowest and highest published totals.
Estimated total tuition: approximately $31,500 in tuition (90 quarter units at $350 per unit for 2025-2026 per Daybreak); with mandatory fees the total is about $36,100. Federal Title IV financial aid is not currently available (the university indicates FAFSA approval is in process).
Regional pay context: In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area, marriage and family therapists earn a median of about $71,110 per year, with a typical range of roughly $49,860 to $98,450 (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 Los Angeles LMFT salary guide.
Schedule and Format Details
Quarterly Calendar: All courses are delivered in 10-week quarterly terms across Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, which supports a four-start-per-year admissions cycle.
In-Person Format (Anaheim): Traditional face-to-face coursework at the Anaheim campus.
Online Format: Fully online with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous courses. The program page states that students may complete the degree entirely online.
Hybrid Format: Combination of face-to-face and online coursework for students who want flexibility with some on-campus engagement.
Clinical Training and Fieldwork
Clinical Hours: Specific direct client contact, relational, and supervision hour minimums are defined in the MFT Program Student Handbook (2025-2026). The handbook is referenced on the Daybreak website but the PDF was not publicly downloadable at the time of research. Prospective students should request the current handbook from admissions for the full numerical breakdown.
Training Clinic: Daybreak operates an in-house training clinic, the Child, Couple, and Family Therapy Center (DBU-CFTC), where MA and PhD trainees provide supervised therapy services.
Practicum Arrangement: Clinical placements are coordinated through the training clinic and through Daybreak's partnership with the International Institute for Couple and Family Relationships (IICFR), the official clinical internship site for MA and PhD students in the MFT, IRT, and HST specializations. Supervision is provided by California-licensed Marriage and Family Therapists.
Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Not listed in publicly accessible program web materials. The program handbook is the authoritative source and should be reviewed directly.
Culminating Requirements
Master's students must complete required coursework with a minimum 3.0 GPA, complete satisfactory practicum and internship work, pass a Comprehensive Examination, and settle financial obligations. The PhD program adds an advanced practical experience, a comprehensive portfolio, a dissertation, and an oral defense.
Application Process
Application Deadlines: Rolling quarterly deadlines per the Daybreak apply page: October 1 for Winter start, February 1 for Spring, May 1 for Summer, and August 1 for Fall.
Start Terms: Four per year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall), aligned with the 10-week quarterly calendar.
GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, with lower GPAs considered based on the overall strength of the application.
Prerequisites: A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution for the MA program. Specific prerequisite coursework is not listed. A master's degree in counseling or a closely related field is required for the PhD.
Application Components: Completed application form, official transcripts from all colleges and graduate institutions, a three-page double-spaced Purpose Statement, two letters of reference (from professors, pastors, or supervisors; family and friends are not accepted), proof of identification, TOEFL scores where applicable (550 paper-based or 79 internet-based, with exceptions for US or Canadian bachelor's degrees), and a $100 nonrefundable application fee.
Interview: Required. Applicants who pass initial review are scheduled for an admissions interview before a final decision is made.
Concentrations and Specializations
Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT): The primary LMFT-preparing specialization, COAMFTE-accredited within the MA in Counseling.
Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT): A distinctive specialization developed in partnership with the Imago International Training Institute (IITI). Faculty include Certified Imago Clinical Instructors, and the IRT specialization is integrated into MA and PhD training.
Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy (HST): A specialization supported by Daybreak's AASECT Organizational Provider status.
General Counseling (MAC): A Master of Arts in Counseling track for students whose goals do not require MFT specialization.
What This Program Says About Itself
- Per the Daybreak MFT Program page, the program is designed to prepare graduates for California LMFT licensure through a COAMFTE-accredited MA in Counseling with an MFT specialization.
- The Child, Couple, and Family Therapy Center provides in-house clinical training where students see clients under California-licensed MFT supervision.
- Daybreak offers specialized training in Imago Relationship Therapy through its partnership with the Imago International Training Institute, a distinctive feature among California MFT programs.
- Tuition is explicitly positioned as affordable, with the MA program listed at $350 per quarter unit per the tuition page.
- The program offers multiple delivery modalities (in-person, online, hybrid) on a 10-week quarterly schedule to accommodate working adults.
This Program May Be a Good Fit For
Students prioritizing affordability: Total MA tuition is approximately $31,500 and total program cost including fees is approximately $36,100, well below the $45,000 benchmark used in this directory.
Students interested in a fully online format: Daybreak's MA in Counseling MFT specialization may be completed entirely online, with synchronous and asynchronous courses.
Working professionals seeking schedule flexibility: Quarterly 10-week terms and online and hybrid delivery options support part-time and evening study patterns.
Students planning to practice in multiple states: The MFT specialization is COAMFTE-accredited, which many states explicitly recognize for LMFT licensure.
Students seeking strong practicum infrastructure: The in-house Child, Couple, and Family Therapy Center and the IICFR partnership provide program-affiliated training sites.
Career changers entering the field: No GRE requirement and no named undergraduate prerequisite courses.
Students interested in Imago Relationship Therapy: Daybreak is one of the few programs in California to formally integrate Imago Relationship Therapy training through a partnership with the Imago International Training Institute.
Students interested in sex therapy training: The Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy specialization is supported by Daybreak's AASECT Organizational Provider status.
Students continuing to doctoral study: Daybreak offers a PhD in Counseling with an MFT specialization as a pathway for students aiming at academic, research, or supervisory careers.
Related California MFT Programs
If you are weighing Daybreak University, you may also want to compare these nearby and similar programs in our directory:
- Chapman University: Same Orange County, COAMFTE-accredited
- Hope International University: Same Orange County, COAMFTE-accredited
- Touro University Worldwide: Online, COAMFTE-accredited
- National University: Online option, COAMFTE distance MAMFT
- Alliant International University: COAMFTE-accredited, on-campus and online
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 Daybreak University's MFT program, visit their official website at daybreak.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 Daybreak University's MFT program accredited?
Yes. The MA in Counseling with MFT specialization became COAMFTE-accredited in 2024, and Daybreak is institutionally accredited by TRACS and approved by the California BBS and BPPE. It also holds AASECT organizational-provider status for its sex-therapy specialization.
Does Daybreak require the GRE?
No. The GRE is not required for either the MA or the PhD program.
How long is the program and how many units?
It is a 90 quarter-unit program, typically completed in about 2.5 years full-time, with a maximum of 5 years. Courses run in 10-week quarterly terms.
Can the program be completed online?
Yes. Daybreak offers traditional in-person classes at its Anaheim campus, fully online delivery, and hybrid formats; the university states students may complete the entire degree online. Confirm eligibility for your state of residence with admissions.
What outcomes does Daybreak publish?
As a newly COAMFTE-accredited program (2024), Daybreak's Graduate Achievement Data table currently shows all cohorts as in process, so no graduation, job placement, or licensure rates have been reported yet. COAMFTE master's reporting does not include a licensure exam pass rate.
Does Daybreak prepare students for the LPCC?
A dual LMFT/LPCC track is not listed. The MA in Counseling offers MFT, Imago Relationship Therapy, Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy, and a general Counseling specialization; the MFT specialization is approved by the California BBS for LMFT licensure.
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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