National 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 National University MA in Counseling Psychology (California MFT/LPCC) program page, the MA in Marriage and Family Therapy program page, the MAMFT Program Handbook, the National University MFT FAQ page, California MFT program directories, the COAMFTE directory, and BBS records. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

Online Format: Coursework is delivered online with weekly course starts. Didactic courses have no scheduled lecture hours and no group assignments; students complete weekly assignments on their own schedule within each monthly course block. Most coursework is asynchronous, with synchronous webcam attendance required during clinical courses (practicum and internship).

Pacing: Students can elect full time or part time pacing. The MA in Counseling Psychology can be completed in 22 to 23 months at full time pace. The MAMFT California Licensure Track recommends six to eight courses per year for a three to four and a half year completion.

Start Terms: Monthly rolling starts. Students may begin a course any month of the year.

Concentrations and Specializations

Within the MA in Counseling Psychology, students choose between the Marriage and Family Therapist Option and the Combined MFT/LPCC Option. Within the MAMFT program, students pursuing California licensure complete the Marriage and Family Therapy California Licensure Track and may add one of the ten specializations listed above by completing two specialization courses, a specialization research project, and at least 50 hours of clinical experience in the specialization area.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Clinical Hours (MA in Counseling Psychology): Students complete a minimum of 225 face to face counseling hours during practicum for the MFT Option and a minimum of 280 face to face counseling hours for the Combined MFT/LPCC Option, per publicly available program materials.

Clinical Hours (MAMFT California Licensure Track): Per the MAMFT Program Handbook, students complete a minimum of 300 hours of direct client contact as a primary therapist, of which at least 150 hours (50 percent) must be relational therapy hours with couples, families, or others sharing a residence. Students complete 100 hours of supervision, including at least 52 individual supervision hours, at least 50 hours using observable data (video, audio, or live supervision), and a minimum of 12 in-person supervision hours.

Practicum Structure: Practicum and internship are completed sequentially across the clinical training sequence. The MAMFT sequence includes Practicum I, Practicum II, MFT Internship I, MFT Internship II, and the final MFT Internship and Capstone course.

Training Clinic: National University does not operate a centralized in house training clinic. Students complete direct client contact at approved local community clinical training sites in their region.

Practicum Arrangement: Students identify and secure clinical placements in their local community under the guidance of the Director of MFT Clinical Training, using an hours tracking system that allows Local Clinical Supervisors to verify and sign off on client contact and supervision hours.

Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Students in the MA in Counseling Psychology are required to complete a minimum of 25 hours of personal psychotherapy: at least 10 hours of individual, marital, family, or group psychotherapy before beginning the clinical sequence (PSY 611B), and an additional 15 hours before graduation, per publicly available program materials.

Curriculum Structure

The curriculum integrates three credit didactic courses in systemic theory and clinical content with a sequence of one to two credit practicum and internship courses. Core didactic areas include systemic theory and family therapy models, human development and lifespan, psychopathology, couple therapy, child and family therapy, multicultural and diversity competence, law and ethics, assessment, research methods, substance use and co occurring disorders, trauma, and sexuality. The Combined MFT/LPCC Option adds career counseling, research, and assessment coursework. The clinical sequence culminates in the MFT Internship and Capstone presentation.

Culminating Requirements

The culminating academic and clinical requirement is the Theory of Therapy Final Evaluation Capstone. Students present their theoretical orientation and clinical work to at least two program faculty members or fellow students during the final MFT Internship and Capstone course. A passing Capstone presentation plus completion of the required direct client and supervision hours are required to complete the program. Students also complete an AATBS practice exam during internship to prepare for the national AMFTRB licensure examination. National University does not require a traditional thesis.

Application Process

Application Deadlines: Rolling monthly admissions. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis across monthly start dates.

Start Terms: Monthly rolling starts.

GPA Requirement: A minimum undergraduate GPA is not publicly listed as a hard cutoff; applicants with lower GPAs may be considered with additional supporting materials.

Prerequisites: A bachelor's degree from a regionally, nationally, or approved international institution is required. No specific undergraduate course prerequisites are listed.

Application Components: Online graduate application, official transcripts from all institutions attended, statement of purpose, and resume or curriculum vitae. Letters of recommendation and standardized test scores (including the GRE or GMAT) are not required.

Interview: Interview requirement is not publicly listed. Prospective students should confirm with the program.

What This Program Says About Itself

✓ Per the MA in Marriage and Family Therapy program page, National University was the first distance education MFT program to receive COAMFTE accreditation, providing rigorous training to develop competent, ethical, and culturally sensitive systemic therapists.

✓ The MA in Counseling Psychology offers a Combined MFT/LPCC Option that meets California BBS requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure, giving California students a direct path to dual licensure.

✓ The MAMFT program offers ten specialization options, giving students the ability to focus their training in areas such as Medical Family Therapy, Military Family Therapy, LGBTQ Couple and Family Therapy, Trauma Informed Systemic Therapy, and Systemic Sex Therapy.

✓ Per the program page, National University offers weekly course starts and asynchronous didactic coursework, with no scheduled lecture hours and no group assignments, designed for working adults.

✓ The program integrates an AATBS practice exam during internship, preparing students directly for the national AMFTRB licensure examination required for LMFT licensure.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Students interested in a fully online format: Didactic coursework is delivered online with weekly course starts and no scheduled lectures, and practicum and internship are completed at local community sites.

✓ Working professionals seeking schedule flexibility: Monthly rolling starts, asynchronous didactic coursework, and flexible pacing accommodate students balancing work or family responsibilities.

✓ Students interested in dual licensure (MFT and LPCC): The Combined MFT/LPCC Option within the MA in Counseling Psychology is designed to meet California BBS educational requirements for both licenses.

✓ Students planning to practice in multiple states: The MAMFT California Licensure Track is COAMFTE accredited, which can support portability of the credential across states that recognize COAMFTE accredited training.

✓ Students prioritizing affordability: Total program tuition is below the California MFT program average for both the MA in Counseling Psychology and the MAMFT California Licensure Track.

✓ Career changers entering the field: The GRE is not required, no specific undergraduate psychology prerequisites are listed, and letters of recommendation are not required.

✓ Students who value personal therapy as part of training: The MA in Counseling Psychology requires 25 total hours of personal psychotherapy (10 before the clinical sequence and 15 before graduation).

✓ Students interested in serving specific populations: The MAMFT's ten specializations allow students to focus clinical and research training on Medical, Military, Child and Adolescent, Couple, LGBTQ, Trauma, Addictions, or Sex Therapy populations within a systemic MFT frame.

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 National University's MFT programs, visit the MA in Counseling Psychology page or the MA in Marriage and Family Therapy 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