Meridian University MFT Program: Comprehensive Profile and Student Fit Analysis
Meridian 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 Meridian University MA in Counseling Psychology program page, the Meridian University hybrid programs page, the Meridian University accreditation page, California MFT program directories, and BBS records. A program specific student handbook was not publicly downloadable at the time of data collection; some handbook level details are drawn from the program page and secondary directory sources and should be verified directly with the program. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.
Program Snapshot
University: Meridian University
Official Degree Name: Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
Campus Location: San Francisco Bay Area Center at 47 Sixth Street, Petaluma, CA 94952 and Los Angeles Center for hybrid onsite labs. Meridian University also operates international centers in Berlin, Athens, and Johannesburg, though California licensure preparation is based on the California campuses. See the Meridian University home page.
Institution Link: Meridian University.
Modality: Hybrid and online formats. The hybrid format combines asynchronous online coursework delivered on Meridian's Pivot platform with live course video calls, synchronous peer engagement, and week long onsite residencies (intensives) at the Petaluma or Los Angeles center. The degree requires a total of four onsite residencies to qualify for graduation; annual frequency varies based on whether a student is on a two or three year track. A fully online pathway is available with optional online labs.
Licensure Track: California LMFT and LPCC (dual). The curriculum is designed to meet California Board of Behavioral Sciences educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure, and Meridian notes educational eligibility support across multiple states.
Accreditation: Regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The program is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) for LMFT and LPCC educational requirements. The program is not listed as COAMFTE or CACREP accredited.
Program Length: 103 quarter credits in total, consisting of 92 credits of coursework and 11 credits of fieldwork, per the Meridian University 2025-2026 Academic Catalog. The program is typically completed in 24 to 36 months depending on pacing, with a maximum of six years from initial enrollment to complete the degree.
Estimated Total Program Tuition (effective 2025-2026): Approximately $69,628, calculated as 103 credits at $676 per credit per the Meridian University 2025-2026 Academic Catalog. Onsite residency travel and lodging, books, and living expenses are additional. Tuition is subject to annual adjustment and should be verified directly with Meridian University.
GRE Requirement: Not required.
Religious Orientation: None. Meridian describes itself as a secular, values based institution guided by an Integral Vision rather than any particular faith tradition.
Entering Class Size: Not publicly listed. Admission is quarterly, so cohort composition varies across entry points.
Concentrations: The MA in Counseling Psychology prepares students for LMFT and LPCC licensure. Meridian offers additional concentration and certificate areas across its graduate psychology ecosystem, including Somatic Psychology, Depth Psychology, Transpersonal Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Transformative Leadership, Developmental Coaching, and Health Coaching. Prospective students should confirm with Meridian which concentrations are available within the LMFT preparing MA and which require a separate program.
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 as a single rate; Meridian posts on-time and total completion-rate charts by academic year on its Student Success page rather than one completion percentage.
Job placement rate: Not published as a rate (Meridian states it offers no guarantee of employment and that alumni pursue diverse careers).
Licensure rate: Not published
Licensure exam pass rate: Program-reported: Meridian states its students pass California's BBS Marriage and Family Therapist licensing exams at rates well above the statewide averages (six-year cumulative, BBS data through 2024). The figures appear as charts on Meridian's Student Success page rather than as a single published number.
Meridian University is institutionally accredited by WSCUC and approved by the California BBS for LMFT and LPCC educational requirements; it is not COAMFTE-accredited. Meridian publishes retention, completion, and BBS MFT licensure-exam data on its Student Success page (presented as charts), and reports that its students score well above the statewide averages on the California MFT licensing exam. It does not publish a single graduation, job-placement, or licensure rate.
Cost and Regional Pay
Approximate placement of this program’s total cost (about $69,628, tuition only) against the directory’s lowest and highest published totals.
Estimated total tuition: approximately $69,628 in tuition for the 103-credit program at $676 per credit, per the Meridian University 2025-2026 Academic Catalog. Onsite residency travel and lodging, books, and living expenses are additional, and tuition is subject to annual adjustment.
Regional pay context: In the Santa Rosa-Petaluma area, marriage and family therapists earn a median of about $84,080 per year, with a typical range of roughly $62,400 to $131,400 (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 San Francisco Bay Area LMFT salary guide.
Schedule and Format Details
Hybrid Format: Students complete asynchronous coursework on Meridian's Pivot social learning platform, attend live video course sessions with faculty, and participate in synchronous cohort community engagement. Students also attend week long onsite residencies at the Petaluma or Los Angeles center, with a fixed total of four residencies required across the program to qualify for graduation.
Online Format: A fully online pathway is available with optional online labs, for students who cannot travel to an onsite lab.
Pacing: The program can be completed in 24 to 36 months depending on course load. Students enroll on a quarter system with flexible full time and part time pacing.
Start Terms: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Meridian uses rolling admissions across quarterly entry points.
Clinical Training and Fieldwork
Clinical Hours: Students complete a minimum of 340 hours of supervised traineeship, which must include a minimum of 280 direct service hours of face to face counseling, per the Meridian University MA Counseling Psychology curriculum. Relational hour and supervision hour breakdowns are not detailed on the program page and should be verified directly with the program.
Training Clinic: A freestanding in house training clinic is not publicly listed. Students complete fieldwork hours at community clinical placement sites, which can be arranged in the student's local region.
Practicum Arrangement: Students identify and secure placement at an approved site in their local region that meets California BBS requirements, with program support and oversight.
Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Per publicly available program materials, students are required to complete 40 hours of personal therapy in individual, couple, family, or group settings, which may be completed prior to or during the program.
Curriculum Structure
The 103 quarter credit curriculum (92 credits of coursework plus 11 credits of fieldwork) integrates systemic and relational clinical theory, Meridian's transformative learning model, and supervised fieldwork. Core coursework covers counseling theories, human development, psychopathology, systems and family therapy, multicultural counseling, law and ethics, research methods, assessment, addictions, trauma, and a sequenced clinical practicum. The hybrid format integrates asynchronous online modules with week long onsite labs that emphasize experiential and somatic learning.
Culminating Requirements
A specific named culminating requirement such as a thesis, comprehensive examination, or capstone project is not publicly detailed on the program page. Meridian's transformative learning model integrates clinical skill demonstration throughout the program. Prospective students should confirm the current culminating structure directly with Meridian University.
Application Process
Application Deadlines: Rolling admissions across quarterly entry points (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer). Applicants are encouraged to apply early within each cycle.
Start Terms: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.
GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Prerequisites: No specific undergraduate course prerequisites are required. A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is required.
Application Components: Online application, official transcripts, three letters of recommendation using Meridian's recommendation forms, resume or curriculum vitae, and a 5 to 7 page personal statement addressing formative experiences and motivations for pursuing the program. Attendance at a Meridian information session is expected prior to application.
Interview: Required. Admissions interviews are conducted via Zoom after initial application review.
What This Program Says About Itself
- Per the MA in Counseling Psychology program page, the program prepares students for educational eligibility toward LMFT and LPCC licensure while integrating Meridian's transformative learning model.
- Per the Meridian hybrid programs page, the hybrid format combines asynchronous online coursework on the Pivot platform, live video course sessions, synchronous community engagement, and four week long onsite residencies at the Petaluma or Los Angeles center.
- Meridian describes the program as supporting educational eligibility for licensure across multiple states, broadening career mobility for graduates who may practice outside California.
- The program emphasizes experiential and somatic learning within its onsite labs, reflecting Meridian's integral and transformative pedagogical approach.
- Meridian offers fieldwork placement support that allows students to complete practicum hours in their local region, enabling students to remain rooted in their home community.
This Program May Be a Good Fit For
Students interested in a primarily online or hybrid format: Meridian combines asynchronous online coursework with four required week long onsite residencies across the program, with a fully online pathway also available for students who cannot travel to onsite labs.
Students interested in dual licensure (MFT and LPCC): The curriculum is designed to meet California BBS educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure.
Working professionals seeking schedule flexibility: Quarterly start dates, rolling admissions, and the combination of asynchronous online coursework with periodic onsite labs accommodate students with work or family obligations.
Career changers entering the field: No undergraduate psychology prerequisites are required and the GRE is not required, supporting applicants from diverse academic backgrounds.
Students who value personal therapy as part of training: The program requires 40 hours of personal therapy in individual, couple, family, or group settings.
Students drawn to experiential, somatic, and integral approaches: Meridian's transformative learning model and its somatic and depth psychology offerings provide a distinctive orientation for students who value embodied and experiential clinical training.
Related California MFT Programs
If you are weighing Meridian University, you may also want to compare these nearby and similar programs in our directory:
- Sonoma State University: Nearby North Bay public in Rohnert Park
- Dominican University of California: Nearby North Bay private in San Rafael
- California Institute of Integral Studies: San Francisco, depth and humanistic orientation
- Sofia University: Low-residency, dual LMFT/LPCC
- Pacifica Graduate Institute: Depth-psychology, low-residency
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 Meridian University's MFT program, visit their official website at meridianuniversity.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 Meridian's MFT program accredited?
Meridian is institutionally accredited by WSCUC and approved by the California BBS for both LMFT and LPCC educational requirements. It is not COAMFTE-accredited.
How long is the program and how many credits?
The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology is 103 quarter credits (92 of coursework and 11 of fieldwork) and is typically completed in 24 to 36 months.
What is the format?
Hybrid and online: asynchronous coursework on Meridian's Pivot platform with live course video calls and week-long onsite residencies at the Petaluma center; a Los Angeles center also hosts onsite labs.
Does Meridian prepare students for the LPCC as well as the LMFT?
Yes. The California BBS accepts the Master in Counseling Psychology as meeting the educational requirements for LMFT licensure, and the program also supports the LPCC pathway.
What outcomes does Meridian publish?
Meridian posts retention, completion, and BBS MFT licensure-exam charts on its Student Success page and states its students score well above the statewide averages on the California MFT exam, but it does not publish a single graduation, placement, or licensure rate.
What does the program cost?
Tuition is about $676 per credit, roughly $69,628 for the 103-credit program per the 2025-2026 catalog, with residency travel, books, and living expenses additional.
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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