Mount Saint Mary's 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 Mount Saint Mary's University MS in Counseling Psychology MFT specialization page, the MSMU 2024-2026 academic catalog entry for the MFT and LPCC curriculum, the MSMU ¡Enlaces! Certificate 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: Mount Saint Mary's University, Los Angeles
Official Degree Name: Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy Specialization
Department/School: Department of Psychology, Graduate Programs.
Campus Locations: Chalon Campus at 12001 Chalon Road, Los Angeles, CA 90049 (West Los Angeles) and Doheny Campus at 10 Chester Place, Los Angeles, CA 90007 (Downtown Los Angeles).
Program Page Links: MS in Counseling Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy page, ¡Enlaces! Certificate page, and 2024-2026 MFT and LPCC catalog entry.
Modality: In person, with some hybrid components. The ¡Enlaces! bilingual certificate track is available in a synchronous online evening format.
Licensure Track: Dual LMFT and LPCC preparation. The curriculum is designed to meet California Board of Behavioral Sciences educational requirements for both licenses, with LPCC students completing additional clinical hours during practicum.
Accreditation: Regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). 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: 60 units. Offered in two pacing options. The daytime track is completed in two years (Monday through Wednesday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM). The evening track is completed in three years (Monday through Thursday, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM). The ¡Enlaces! online evening format is completed in three years.
Estimated Total Program Tuition (effective 2025-2026): Approximately $66,480 for the 60 unit curriculum, at roughly $1,108 per unit, per publicly available program directory materials. Student services fees, books, practicum related costs, and living expenses are additional. Tuition is subject to annual adjustment and should be verified directly with MSMU.
GRE Requirement: Not required.
Religious Orientation: Catholic heritage, inclusive in practice. MSMU was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and is a Catholic institution, but the MFT curriculum does not require religious coursework and the program welcomes students of all faith backgrounds and none.
Entering Class Size: Approximately 60 to 100 students admitted each year across the MFT specialization, with class sections typically running 20 to 25 students, per publicly available program materials.
Concentrations: The MFT specialization offers the ¡Enlaces! Certificate, an embedded bilingual Spanish and English track for applicants who are conversationally proficient in Spanish and wish to prepare for clinical work with Spanish speaking clients and families.
Schedule and Format Details
Daytime Track: Two year full time schedule with classes meeting Monday through Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Chalon Campus. Suited for students who can commit to full time study during business hours.
Evening Track: Three year schedule with classes meeting Monday through Thursday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The evening track follows a foundational year, a clinical coursework year, and a fieldwork year in the third year.
¡Enlaces! Online Evening Track: Three year synchronous online evening format delivered bilingually in English and Spanish, designed for students who intend to serve Spanish speaking communities.
Concentrations and Specializations
¡Enlaces! Bilingual Certificate: A bilingual Spanish and English certificate embedded in the MFT specialization. Students complete coursework that addresses culturally responsive clinical practice with Latino and Spanish speaking communities and complete clinical work bilingually in practicum.
Clinical Training and Fieldwork
Clinical Hours: MFT candidates must complete a minimum of 250 hours of direct client contact during the practicum year, per the MFT specialization page. Students on the LPCC pathway complete 280 direct service hours as required by California BBS regulations.
Practicum Structure: Practicum placements run 15 to 20 hours per week at approved community based clinical training sites. The program provides placement support for fieldwork.
Training Clinic: A standalone in house training clinic operated under the MFT program name is not publicly listed on the MSMU program page. Students complete practicum hours at approved community clinical placement sites.
Practicum Arrangement: Community based placements arranged through the program. The Department of Psychology maintains relationships with approved Los Angeles area sites for MFT and LPCC fieldwork.
Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Personal therapy is required during the fieldwork year, concurrent with the PSY 269A and PSY 269B clinical courses, per publicly available program materials.
Curriculum Structure
The 60 unit curriculum integrates foundational psychology coursework, systemic and relational clinical theory, and supervised practicum experience. The three year evening curriculum typically delivers foundational classes in the first year, clinical coursework in the second year, and fieldwork with concurrent practicum courses in the third year. The two year daytime curriculum compresses foundational and clinical coursework into the first year and completes clinical coursework and fieldwork in the second year. Core areas covered include counseling theories, human development, psychopathology, systems and family therapy, multicultural and diversity competence, law and ethics, research methods, assessment, addiction and co occurring disorders, trauma, and clinical practicum.
Culminating Requirements
A specific named culminating academic requirement such as a thesis, comprehensive examination, or capstone project is not publicly detailed on the MSMU MFT specialization page. Clinical competence is demonstrated across the fieldwork year through the PSY 269A and PSY 269B practicum courses. Prospective students should confirm the current culminating structure directly with the program.
Application Process
Application Deadlines: Priority application deadline March 1 for the following Fall term, with rolling admissions thereafter until the cohort is filled.
Start Terms: Fall only.
GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Prerequisites: A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution is required. Specific undergraduate course prerequisites are not publicly listed.
Application Components: Online graduate application, official transcripts from all institutions attended, statement of purpose, resume or curriculum vitae, and two letters of recommendation from academic or non academic sources.
Interview: Required. Applicants who advance past the initial review complete an interview with program faculty; interview invitations are not a guarantee of admission.
What This Program Says About Itself
✓ Per the MSMU MFT specialization page, the program prepares students for MFT or LPCC licensure in California through a 60 unit curriculum grounded in evidence based practice.
✓ The MFT specialization offers two pacing tracks, a two year daytime format and a three year evening format, giving students flexibility to align the program with work and family responsibilities.
✓ Per the ¡Enlaces! Certificate page, the embedded bilingual certificate prepares students to serve Spanish speaking clients through coursework and clinical work delivered bilingually.
✓ MSMU emphasizes the recovery model of care, focused on client empowerment, individualized treatment, and hope as a clinical orientation throughout the curriculum.
✓ The Department of Psychology delivers the program across the Chalon and Doheny campuses in Los Angeles, offering students access to a wide network of Los Angeles area practicum sites.
This Program May Be a Good Fit For
✓ Working professionals seeking schedule flexibility: The three year evening track meets Monday through Thursday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, and the ¡Enlaces! format is delivered as a synchronous online evening program.
✓ Students interested in dual licensure (MFT and LPCC): The curriculum prepares students for both LMFT and LPCC educational requirements, with LPCC students completing additional direct clinical hours.
✓ Students seeking an accelerated path: The daytime track completes the 60 unit program in two years of full time study.
✓ Students interested in serving Spanish speaking and Latino communities: The embedded ¡Enlaces! bilingual certificate is one of the most developed bilingual MFT training pathways in Southern California.
✓ Students who value personal therapy as part of training: Personal therapy is required during the fieldwork year alongside the PSY 269A and PSY 269B practicum courses.
✓ Career changers entering the field: The GRE is not required and no specific undergraduate psychology prerequisites are publicly listed, supporting applicants from diverse academic backgrounds.
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 Mount Saint Mary's University MFT program, visit the MFT specialization 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