Daybreak 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 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.
Program Page Links: Daybreak University MFT Program page, Academic Information page, Distance Education policy page, and Child, Couple, and Family Therapy Center page.
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: LMFT track. 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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Daybreak University MFT program, visit the official 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