Point Loma Nazarene 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Point Loma Nazarene University MFT program, visit their official website at the PLNU Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling 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