Online MFT Programs in California

BBS-approved online and hybrid Marriage and Family Therapy programs · 32 programs · Updated June 2026

California recognizes online and hybrid Marriage and Family Therapy master's degrees for LMFT licensure, as long as the program is approved by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) and meets the coursework requirements of Business and Professions Code Section 4980.36. This page lists the 32 BBS-approved programs that deliver coursework fully online, in a hybrid format that combines online classes with periodic in-person residencies, or that offer an online or hybrid track alongside an on-campus option. Every program here is drawn from the same independent directory Sentio University maintains for all 71 California MFT programs, with no ads, affiliate links, or paid placements.

"Online" means different things from one program to the next. Fully online programs deliver all coursework remotely, often asynchronously with rolling start dates, which works well for people balancing a job or caregiving. Hybrid programs deliver most coursework online but ask you to attend campus for periodic intensives or residencies, which preserves flexibility while keeping some in-person training. California Southern, National University, and Touro University Worldwide run fully online, while Sentio University, Palo Alto University, and Pacifica Graduate Institute use a hybrid model. Several established universities, including the University of Southern California, Pepperdine, Alliant, and Loma Linda, offer a fully online or hybrid track alongside an on-campus option, and those online and hybrid tracks are included here as well.

One part of an MFT degree is always hands-on clinical work with real clients: the supervised practicum. Under Business and Professions Code Section 4980.36, the degree practicum requires at least 150 hours of face-to-face counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups, plus 75 more hours that may be additional counseling or client-centered advocacy. The BBS counts face-to-face as either in person or two-way, real-time video, so depending on the program, your placement, and current BBS rules, you may see clients in person, by telehealth, or both. Programs also differ sharply in whether they place you in a site or expect you to find your own, and that single difference can add months to your timeline. Confirm a program's practicum model before you enroll. Sentio University, for example, guarantees placement at its own Sentio Counseling Center and builds toward more than 400 clinical hours.

Use the cards below to compare each program on total cost, timeline, GRE requirement, and practicum model. Always confirm a program's current BBS approval directly on the BBS website before applying, because regional accreditation is not the same as BBS approval for California licensure.