Pepperdine 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 program's official website, the COAMFTE directory, and BBS records. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

Daytime Format (Malibu campus): Cohort-based, lock-step program. First semester: classes 2 full days and 1 half day per week (9 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 or 5:30 pm). From second semester onward: classes meet twice per week for a full day to accommodate practicum schedules. Fall, Spring, and first Summer terms only. Students begin practicum in the second term.

Evening Format (West LA, Calabasas, Irvine campuses): Evening classes on weeknights and occasional weekends. Self-paced with flexibility in start terms (Fall, Spring, Summer). Three clinical practicum placement sessions throughout program. Student begins clinical practicum in second term. Multiple start dates available per year.

Online Format: 100% online with asynchronous course content and weekly live synchronous classes. Flexible pacing for full-time or part-time students. Four start dates annually (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). Clinical rotations completed near student's community with supervision arranged locally. No campus visits required.

Latinx Communities Specialization (Evening, Irvine campus): Same evening format schedule as standard evening program but includes additional Latinx-specific courses and Spanish-language development components. Latinx courses offered only at Irvine campus.

Concentrations and Specializations

MA in Clinical Psychology with Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy with Latinx Communities: Cohort-based evening program designed to prepare students to serve Latinx individuals, couples, families, and communities as licensed marriage and family therapists or licensed professional clinical counselors. The curriculum integrates community-based, systemic, and liberation psychology perspectives within a Latinx mental health context and includes Spanish-language development components. Offered at the Irvine campus with all Latinx-specific courses held at that location.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

All students complete a minimum of 700 placement hours during the program (or begin this during the last four semesters of the online program), with a minimum of 225 to 240 direct client contact hours required per California licensure regulations, plus approximately 75 additional hours of client-centered advocacy or face-to-face counseling. For LPCC track eligibility, students must secure a minimum of 280 direct client contact hours. Practicum placements are student-found with support from the MACLP Clinical Training team, which develops and maintains relationships with 130+ approved mental health agencies throughout Southern California. Pepperdine operates community counseling centers at multiple locations (West Los Angeles, Encino, Irvine) that serve both the community and provide practicum training for MFT and PsyD students, though not all students complete training through these in-house clinics; most placements occur at external agencies. Students begin practicum in the second term of enrollment.

Culminating Requirements

This program does not require a thesis, comprehensive exam, or culminating project. Most courses include a formal paper or project and a final examination, and students are assessed through on-site clinical supervision ratings by their practicum supervisors.

Application Process

Application Deadlines (Domestic Students): Daytime (Fall 2026): Closed. Evening: Spring 2027, Early Application Deadline October 2, 2026; Complete Application Deadline October 2, 2026 (International) or November 20, 2026 (Domestic); Summer 2026, Open Admissions. Online: Multiple start dates available; specific deadline information available through the program's admissions office.

Undergraduate/Prior Degree GPA Requirement: Daytime: 3.0 GPA preferred; GPA below 3.0 may submit Exception Request Form. Evening: 3.0 GPA preferred; GPA below 3.0 may submit Exception Request Form. Online: 3.0 GPA recommended but not required.

Prerequisite Courses: Daytime: Requires an excellent foundation in psychology with either a bachelor's degree in psychology or closely related field, or completion of the following undergraduate psychology courses: Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology or Diagnosis; Behavioral Principles/Theories of Learning, Cognitive Psychology, or Clinical/Counseling Psychology; Intro or General Psychology; Human Development/Lifespan Development/Child Development/Family Development; Research Methods or Statistics in Psychology/Social Sciences. No foundation classes offered in daytime program. Evening: No prerequisite courses required before enrollment; however, applicants without recent coursework in psychology within the last seven years will be required to complete foundation courses in preparation for the core curriculum. Online: No prerequisite courses required.

Application Components: Application form, official transcripts from all colleges attended, two recommendations from individuals familiar with the applicant's academic or professional competencies (academic recommendations from professors, instructors, or academic advisors; professional recommendations from supervisors), statement of purpose (2 to 5 pages addressing training and professional interests, cultural diversity engagement, professional goals, and program interest). International students: TOEFL minimum 85 IBT (or 4.5 on new scale) or IELTS minimum 7.

GRE Requirement: Daytime: Required (taken within the last five years); waiver form available for applicants seeking exception. Evening: Not required. Online: Not required.

Interview Requirement: Evening: Personal interview may be required. Daytime and Online: Not specified as required.

Program Start Terms: Daytime: Fall only. Evening: Fall, Spring, Summer. Online: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall (four start dates per year).

What This Program Says About Itself

According to the program's website:

✓ Practitioner-Scholar Model: Pepperdine employs a practitioner-scholar model pairing rigorous coursework with in-depth clinical training, allowing students to develop key clinical skills and gain experience working directly with clients, with more than 130+ practicum sites available across Southern California (Daytime program page).

✓ Multiple Format Options: The program offers flexibility with three distinct formats (daytime, evening, and online) to accommodate different life circumstances and learning preferences, ensuring accessibility for working professionals and students with varying schedules (Evening program page).

✓ Christian Values Integration: As a Church of Christ-affiliated institution, Pepperdine integrates faith and learning throughout the curriculum, with values-based training that emphasizes spiritual and ethical dimensions of clinical practice (University faith statement).

✓ Latinx Communities Focus: The program offers a dedicated MA in Clinical Psychology with Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy with Latinx Communities, designed to prepare culturally grounded therapists to serve underserved Latinx populations with community-based and liberation psychology perspectives, including Spanish-language development (Latinx program page).

✓ Inclusive Admissions Process: The evening and online formats employ equitable admission processes that prioritize ability and commitment to succeed rather than standardized test scores, removing barriers for career changers and non-traditional applicants (Evening admission requirements).

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Working professionals seeking schedule flexibility: Evening and online formats allow students to continue working while pursuing the degree, with evening classes on weeknights and online programs offering multiple start dates and flexible pacing.

✓ Career changers entering the field: Evening and online formats do not require a psychology undergraduate degree or prerequisite courses before enrollment (though foundational coursework may be required during the program for evening students without recent psychology coursework), welcoming professionals from diverse backgrounds.

✓ Students seeking an accelerated path: All three formats (daytime, evening, online) can be completed within 2 to 3 years.

✓ Students who value small cohort learning: Daytime format enters a cohort of approximately 22 to 23 students and maintains a lock-step, cohort-based structure throughout the program, and online format maintains an average class size of 14 students.

✓ Students seeking strong practicum infrastructure: Program develops and maintains relationships with 130+ approved mental health agencies throughout Southern California and operates multiple community counseling centers that provide training opportunities; practicum is program-supported through the MACLP Clinical Training team.

✓ Students seeking faith-integrated training: Pepperdine is a Church of Christ-affiliated university that integrates Christian values and faith-learning integration throughout the curriculum and institutional culture.

✓ Students interested in serving Latinx communities: Dedicated MA in Clinical Psychology with Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy with Latinx Communities specialization includes Latinx-specific coursework, community-based and liberation psychology frameworks, and Spanish-language development.

✓ Students interested in a fully online format: Online MA in Clinical Psychology with MFT emphasis is 100% online with asynchronous content and weekly live classes, offering four start dates per year and clinical training arranged in student's community.

✓ Students in Southern California: Three physical campuses (Malibu, Calabasas, Irvine) plus West LA location serve the Southern California region with in-person instruction and clinical training through 130+ affiliated agencies.

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 Pepperdine University's MFT program, visit their official website at the daytime format page, the evening format page, or the online format 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.