Simpson 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 Simpson University Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program page, the Simpson University 2025-2026 academic catalog, and California regulatory records. A standalone clinical training handbook is referenced in the catalog but is not publicly posted; the 2025-2026 catalog serves as the primary public institutional document. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

Evening Classes: Coursework meets two evenings per week, approximately 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., on the Redding campus. Some courses are delivered in online or hybrid formats.

Dual Cohort Model: Simpson describes the program as operating through a "dual cohort model," in which LMFT-track and LPCC-track students enter together each September and move through the curriculum in tandem as a supportive student community.

Clinical Field Training Scheduling: During the final year, students complete clinical field training at approved community sites, typically requiring a minimum of 10 to 15 hours per week at the site during standard working hours. Prospective students who plan to work while enrolled should factor the daytime clinical hour requirement into their planning.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Clinical Hours: Per the 2025-2026 catalog, students must complete a minimum of 225 direct client contact hours for the LMFT track or 280 hours for the LPCC track. Supervision is provided at a ratio of one hour of individual supervision or two hours of group supervision for every five hours of client contact.

Training Clinic: Simpson does not operate an in-house MFT training clinic. Clinical field training is completed at community mental health agencies, private group practices, or other approved settings.

Practicum Arrangement: Students secure clinical field training placements at approved community sites in coordination with the program. Placements at a student's current employer are not permitted.

Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Yes. Per the catalog, students must complete 25 hours of individual personal psychotherapy, or a combined 20 hours consisting of 10 individual and 10 group hours, with a licensed mental health professional. Completion must occur before clinical field training clearance.

Curriculum Structure

The 67.5-credit MACP curriculum is delivered as a lockstep cohort program per the Simpson University 2025-2026 catalog:

Core Coursework: Counseling theories, human development, psychopathology and diagnosis, multicultural counseling, professional ethics and California law, assessment, group counseling, marriage and family systems, research methods, and spirituality and counseling.

Capstone Sequence: Four half-credit Master's Capstone courses (CP 6610, 6620, 6630, 6640) completed over nine terms culminate in the capstone project.

Clinical Sequence: Clinical field training during the final year at approved community sites, with concurrent individual and group supervision.

Culminating Requirements

Per the 2025-2026 catalog, the culminating academic requirement is a Master's Capstone Project, with a thesis option available. Students also complete a Clinical Evaluation Project during the final clinical training term.

Application Process

Application Deadlines: Priority deadline December 1 (with interviews held in January); final deadline May 1 (with interviews held in late May or early June).

Start Term: Fall (September); one cohort per year.

GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA calculated across the last 60 semester credits (or 90 quarter credits) of undergraduate work. Provisional admission is available at the admissions committee's discretion for applicants with a 2.5 to 2.99 GPA, subject to a 3.25 GPA requirement across the first 12 graduate credits.

Prerequisites: Introduction to Psychology, Theories of Personality or Theories of Counseling, Research Methods, Statistics (a higher math course may be accepted in lieu of Statistics at the admissions committee's discretion), and Human Development. Prerequisites are required only when the undergraduate degree is not in psychology or a related field or was earned more than 10 years prior.

Application Components: Online application via simpsonu.edu/apply, official transcripts, three reference forms with letters from professionally qualified recommenders, a personal statement addressing relevant circumstances, and participation in an admissions interview.

Interview: Yes. A group interview with the Graduate Professional Studies Admissions Committee is required; priority applicants interview in early January and other applicants interview in late May or early June.

What This Program Says About Itself

✓ Per the Simpson University MA in Counseling Psychology page, the program prepares students for California LMFT or LPCC licensure within a Christ-centered learning community.

✓ The single curriculum satisfies California BBS educational requirements for either the LMFT or LPCC pathway, allowing students to choose their licensure focus.

✓ Classes meet two evenings per week to accommodate students who work during the day.

✓ The program includes a required personal psychotherapy component and a low supervision ratio during clinical field training.

✓ The cohort model supports relationship-based learning and peer development across the program.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Students in far Northern California seeking an in-person program: Simpson's Redding campus serves Shasta County and the broader North State, an area with relatively few graduate counseling options.

✓ Students seeking a Christian educational environment: Simpson is affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and integrates spirituality into counselor training while leaving doctrinal affiliation open for students.

✓ Working adults who need evening coursework: Classes meet two evenings per week during the first two years.

✓ Students interested in either LMFT or LPCC licensure: The program is designed to satisfy California BBS educational requirements for either pathway, with students choosing between them based on their career goals.

✓ Students who value personal therapy as part of training: The program requires a documented personal psychotherapy component before clinical field training.

✓ Career changers entering the field: The GRE is not required, and prerequisite psychology coursework can be completed after admission when needed.

✓ Students seeking close clinical supervision: Supervision is structured at one hour of individual or two hours of group supervision for every five hours of client contact.

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 Simpson University MFT program, visit their official website at the Simpson University Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology 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