Point Loma Nazarene University MFT Program: Comprehensive Profile and Student Fit Analysis
Point Loma Nazarene 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 PLNU Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling program page, the PLNU 2025-2026 graduate academic catalog entry for the MA in Clinical Counseling, the PLNU Graduate Student Handbook, the PLNU graduate tuition and fees page, the PLNU institutional accreditation page, and BBS records. A dedicated MFT or Clinical Training Handbook was not located on the public web; prospective students should request this directly from the Department of Graduate Psychology. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.
Program Snapshot
University: Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU)
Official Degree Name: Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MACC). The integrated curriculum is designed to meet California BBS educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure without requiring students to select between the two.
Campus Location: Face-to-face instruction is delivered at the PLNU Mission Valley Regional Center in San Diego, California. The online format is delivered remotely with no residency requirement. Prospective students should confirm the current Mission Valley address directly with the program. See the Point Loma Nazarene University home page.
Institution Link: Point Loma Nazarene University.
Modality: Two formats are offered. The face-to-face format meets in person at the Mission Valley Regional Center two evenings per week. The online format combines synchronous Zoom sessions (typically one to three days per week) with asynchronous coursework.
Licensure Track: California LMFT and LPCC (dual). The program's integrated curriculum is designed to meet California BBS educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure simultaneously; students are not required to choose between the two.
Accreditation: Regional institutional accreditation through the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Program-specific accreditation through COAMFTE or CACREP is not currently held per the program's public materials. The program states that it complies with California BBS educational requirements for LMFT and LPCC licensure.
Program Length: 63 to 65 units, typically completed in 24 to 32 months depending on pacing and emphasis. Program length for full licensure also depends on post-degree supervised experience, which is completed after graduation.
Estimated Total Program Tuition (effective 2025-2026): Approximately $53,400 to $55,120, calculated as 63 to 65 units at $848 per unit per the PLNU graduate tuition and fees page. Tuition is subject to annual adjustment. Books, fees, background check costs, and living expenses are additional. Students should verify current rates directly with PLNU.
GRE Requirement: Not required per the PLNU MACC program page.
Religious Orientation: Christian (Church of the Nazarene). PLNU is a Nazarene Christian institution, and the MACC curriculum integrates faith and spirituality with clinical training, including coursework in psychotherapy and theology integration and counseling theories with faith integration.
Entering Class Size: The program describes typical class sizes of approximately 15 to 20 students per course section per the PLNU MACC program page. A specific entering cohort size is not publicly listed.
Concentrations: Single integrated curriculum that prepares graduates for both LMFT and LPCC licensure in California.
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
Job placement rate: Not published
Licensure rate: Not published
Licensure exam pass rate: Not published
Point Loma Nazarene University is institutionally accredited by WSCUC and approved by the California BBS, and is not COAMFTE- or CACREP-accredited. It does not publish graduation, job placement, licensure, or exam pass rates for the MA in Clinical Counseling. (PLNU publishes board pass rates for some health programs, but not for this program.)
Cost and Regional Pay
Approximate placement of this program’s total cost (about $53,000 to $55,000, tuition only) against the directory’s lowest and highest published totals.
Estimated total tuition: approximately $53,400 to $55,120 in tuition (63 to 65 units at about $848 per unit for 2025-2026; fees, books, and background-check costs are additional).
Regional pay context: In the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area, marriage and family therapists earn a median of about $49,610 per year (mean about $65,440), with the middle half earning roughly $49,610 to $74,390 (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 Diego LMFT salary guide.
Schedule and Format Details
Face-to-Face Format (Mission Valley, San Diego): Classes meet in person two evenings per week at the PLNU Mission Valley Regional Center. Specific class days and times are not published on the program's public pages; prospective students should confirm current scheduling details with the program.
Online Format: The online program combines synchronous Zoom class sessions with asynchronous coursework. Per the program page, the online curriculum includes a mix of synchronous and asynchronous classes, with synchronous sessions typically meeting one to three days per week. Specific meeting days and times are not published; confirm with the program.
Practicum Scheduling: Students complete an on-campus practicum experience during the clinical phase of the program. The practicum involves approximately 20 to 24 hours per week on site. Prospective students planning to work while enrolled should discuss practicum scheduling with the program.
Clinical Training and Fieldwork
Clinical Hours: Per the PLNU graduate academic catalog, students must complete 700 total hours of supervised clinical training, of which at least 300 hours must be direct client contact. These minimums are graduation requirements; additional post-degree supervised experience is required for California LMFT or LPCC licensure.
Training Clinic: The program operates in primary partnership with the Center for Enriching Relationships (CER), located at the Mission Valley campus, where pre-practicum and initial clinical training take place. Additional externship and community placement opportunities are also available.
Practicum Arrangement: Initial clinical training is completed at the Center for Enriching Relationships on the Mission Valley campus. Students may complete additional fieldwork at community-based externship sites coordinated through the program.
Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Yes. Per the PLNU graduate academic catalog entry for the MA in Clinical Counseling, students are required to complete a personal therapy component (PSY 6093), which includes a minimum of 20 hours of personal psychotherapy with a licensed mental health professional during the program.
Curriculum Structure
The 63 to 65 unit MACC curriculum integrates clinical training, systemic theory, and faith integration per the PLNU graduate academic catalog:
Core Coursework: Counseling theories, human development across the lifespan, psychopathology, multicultural counseling, ethics and law, assessment and testing, group counseling, research methods, and psychotherapy and theology integration.
LMFT Emphasis Coursework: Systemic and relational theory, couples and family therapy, child and adolescent therapy, and family life cycle development.
LPCC Emphasis Coursework: Career counseling and development, advanced clinical counseling, and additional counseling-specific requirements.
Clinical Sequence: Practicum and internship courses completed in sequence at the PLNU on-campus practicum clinic and approved community sites, with concurrent individual and group supervision.
Culminating Requirements
Per the PLNU graduate academic catalog, the culminating academic requirement is a comprehensive examination administered as a computerized mock license exam designed to reflect the coursework and clinical knowledge required for California state licensure. Students must also complete the personal therapy requirement (PSY 6093) and an exit survey.
Application Process
Application Deadlines: For Fall 2026 entry, the priority deadline listed on the program page is February 27, 2026, and the final deadline is August 14, 2026. The program accepts Fall and Spring starts for the face-to-face format and Fall, Spring, and Summer starts for the online format. Prospective students should confirm current deadlines on the program page.
Start Terms: Fall and Spring (face-to-face); Fall, Spring, and Summer (online).
GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale. Applicants below this threshold may consult with an admissions counselor about exception pathways per the program page.
Prerequisites: General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and Human Development coursework. Prerequisites may be waived for applicants with an undergraduate degree in psychology per the graduate academic catalog.
Application Components: Online application with a $50 non-refundable fee, official transcripts from regionally accredited institutions, a professional resume, a 500 to 600 word statement of purpose responding to program prompts, three professional references, an MMPI-2 or MMPI-3 personality assessment, and a background check (LiveScan).
Interview: Yes. An interview with faculty in the Department of Graduate Psychology is required as part of the admissions process per the program page. Interviews may be conducted individually or in a panel format.
Concentrations and Specializations
Integrated LMFT and LPCC Curriculum: Rather than separating students into distinct emphasis tracks, the MACC curriculum combines the coursework needed for both California LMFT and LPCC licensure into a single integrated program. Students graduate with the academic preparation required for either or both licenses per the PLNU MACC program page.
Faith Integration: All students complete coursework on integrating Christian faith and theology with clinical counseling practice, reflecting PLNU's Nazarene Christian identity.
What This Program Says About Itself
- Per the PLNU Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling page, the program prepares graduates to provide clinical mental health care grounded in evidence-based practice and integrated with Christian faith and values.
- The integrated curriculum is designed to meet California BBS educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure in a single degree, without requiring students to choose between the two tracks.
- Students begin clinical work at the Center for Enriching Relationships on the Mission Valley campus during the program.
- Two delivery formats are available: a face-to-face program in San Diego and a fully online program for students elsewhere in California.
- The curriculum explicitly integrates faith and theology with counseling practice through dedicated coursework in psychotherapy and theology integration.
This Program May Be a Good Fit For
Students seeking faith-integrated clinical training: PLNU's Nazarene Christian identity shapes the curriculum through coursework on the integration of faith, theology, and clinical counseling.
Students in the San Diego area seeking in-person training: The Mission Valley Regional Center offers evening face-to-face instruction accessible to working adults throughout San Diego County.
Students elsewhere in California seeking an online option: The online format combines synchronous and asynchronous coursework and delivers the same curriculum without a campus residency requirement.
Working adults who need evening coursework: The face-to-face format meets two evenings per week.
Students interested in dual California licensure: The integrated curriculum is built to meet California BBS educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure simultaneously, so graduates can pursue either or both credentials.
Students who value early hands-on clinical experience: The on-campus practicum clinic provides direct client contact opportunities during the program.
Students who value personal therapy as part of training: The program requires a documented personal psychotherapy component during the degree.
Career changers entering the field: The GRE is not required, and psychology prerequisites may be waived for applicants with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
Related California MFT Programs
If you are weighing Point Loma Nazarene University, you may also want to compare these nearby and similar programs in our directory:
- University of San Diego: Same San Diego metro, faith-based, dual option
- San Diego State University: Same San Diego metro, public comparison
- California Baptist University: Christian university, dual LMFT/LPCC option, Southern California
- Loma Linda University: Faith-based, dual option, COAMFTE-accredited
- National University: San Diego, online option, dual LMFT/LPCC
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 Point Loma Nazarene University's MFT program, visit their official website at pointloma.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 Point Loma's MFT program accredited?
PLNU is institutionally accredited by WSCUC and the MA in Clinical Counseling is approved by the California BBS for both LMFT and LPCC educational requirements. It is not COAMFTE- or CACREP-accredited.
Does Point Loma require the GRE?
No. The GRE is not required per the MA in Clinical Counseling program page.
Does it prepare students for both the LMFT and LPCC?
Yes. The integrated MA in Clinical Counseling curriculum is designed to meet California BBS educational requirements for both LMFT and LPCC licensure, without requiring students to choose between the two.
How long is the program and how many units?
It is a 63 to 65 unit program, typically completed in 24 to 32 months depending on pacing, offered face-to-face at the Mission Valley Regional Center or fully online.
Does Point Loma publish MFT outcome rates?
No. The program does not publish graduation, job placement, licensure, or exam pass rates, and it is not COAMFTE-accredited.
When is the application deadline?
For Fall 2026 entry, the priority deadline is February 27, 2026 and the final deadline is August 14, 2026, with Fall and Spring starts available.
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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