UMass Global 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 UMass Global MA in Marriage and Family Therapy program page, the UMass Global MFT program details page, the UMass Global MFT state licensure page, the UMass Global MFT Student Handbook 2025-2026 (https://www.umassglobal.edu/sites/default/files/documents/admissiondocuments/umassglobal-mft-handbook.pdf), the UMass Global MFT Clinical Handbook 2025-2026 (https://www.umassglobal.edu/sites/default/files/documents/admissiondocuments/umassglobal-mft-clinical-handbook.pdf), the UMass Global Graduate Admission page, the UMass Global Tuition and Costs page, and the UMass Global Accreditations page. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

Fully Online Asynchronous Coursework: Didactic coursework is delivered online in 8-week sessions, allowing students to complete most course activities on their own schedule.

Synchronous Practicum Sessions: Per the UMass Global MFT program page, practicum courses meet synchronously on a weekly basis during afternoon (3:00 to 5:30 p.m. Pacific) or evening (6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Pacific) time blocks.

Rolling Admissions and Sessions: Per the UMass Global Graduate Admission page, new sessions start approximately every 8 weeks. Applications are recommended about two weeks before the desired session start date.

Concentrations and Specializations

MA in Marriage and Family Therapy: 60-credit base curriculum aligned to California LMFT licensure requirements.

MA in Marriage and Family Therapy with Professional Clinical Counselor Emphasis: 69-credit configuration available only to California students, designed to prepare graduates for dual California LMFT and LPCC licensure.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Clinical Hours: Per the UMass Global MFT Clinical Handbook, students complete 400 total practicum hours during the clinical year, including 300 direct client contact hours (with a minimum of 100 relational hours) and 100 supervision hours.

Training Clinic: UMass Global does not operate an in-house training clinic. Students secure their own practicum sites at community-based agencies.

Practicum Placement Process: Per the Clinical Handbook, students are responsible for identifying and securing approved practicum sites. Before registering for practicum courses, students must complete an Advancement exam and have secured an approved clinical placement.

Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Not required. Per the MFT Student Handbook, personal therapy is strongly encouraged as a learning experience but is not a program requirement.

Curriculum Structure

Per the UMass Global MFT program page and Student Handbook, the curriculum emphasizes systemic and relational therapy, evidence-based practice, multicultural competence, and law and ethics. The Psychology program sits within the UMass Global School of Arts and Sciences.

Core Coursework: MFT theory and systems, human development, assessment and psychopathology, multicultural counseling, couples therapy, child and adolescent therapy, trauma, substance use, research methods, and law and ethics.

Clinical Sequence: Pre-practicum preparation, the Advancement exam, followed by the practicum course sequence (MFT Practicum I through VI) during the final clinical year.

Culminating Requirements

Per the UMass Global MFT Student Handbook, the culminating requirements include the Advancement exam (taken before clinical practicum begins) and three capstone case studies completed during MFT Practicum IV, V, and VI. There is no separate thesis requirement.

Application Process

Application Deadlines: Rolling admissions. Per the UMass Global Graduate Admission page, applications are recommended approximately two weeks before the intended 8-week session start date.

Start Terms: Multiple start points per year on the 8-week session calendar.

GPA Requirement: Minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA in the most recently completed degree per the Graduate Admission page. Enrolled MFT students must maintain a 3.0 GPA during the program per the MFT Student Handbook.

Prerequisites: A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution is required. No specific undergraduate course prerequisites are listed for the MFT program. Courses completed more than seven years prior to admission may be subject to evaluation.

Application Components: Online application, official transcripts from the institution awarding the highest completed degree, and documentation supporting BBS licensure eligibility requirements. Applicants in the clinical pathway complete an application meeting with a Clinical Faculty Reviewer before being advanced to the clinical year.

Interview: A formal admissions interview is not listed as a universal requirement. An application meeting with a Clinical Faculty Reviewer is referenced in the Clinical Handbook as part of the clinical advancement process.

What This Program Says About Itself

✓ Per the UMass Global MFT program page, the program is designed by practicing therapists and emphasizes systemic and relational approaches to clinical practice.

✓ The program is delivered fully online with synchronous practicum sessions to support students who cannot relocate or commute to a campus.

✓ The PCC emphasis option is available to California students seeking dual LMFT and LPCC licensure within a single MA degree.

✓ Per the UMass Global Accreditations page, the institution holds WSCUC regional accreditation.

✓ As an affiliate of the University of Massachusetts system, UMass Global offers a nonprofit distance-learning option historically rooted in serving working adult and military-connected students.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Students seeking a fully online MFT master's degree: UMass Global delivers didactic coursework asynchronously with synchronous practicum sessions in defined afternoon or evening Pacific time blocks.

✓ Students interested in dual LMFT and LPCC licensure in California: The 69-credit MA MFT with PCC emphasis is structured to support dual California licensure preparation.

✓ Career changers entering the field: The GRE is not required, no specific undergraduate prerequisites are listed for the MFT program, and the minimum undergraduate GPA is 2.75.

✓ Working adults seeking flexible pacing: The 8-week session calendar and up-to-7-year completion window allow part-time progress while maintaining continuous enrollment options.

✓ Active-duty military members and military spouses: A reduced tuition rate of $420 per credit is listed for the master's level on the UMass Global tuition page.

✓ Students who prefer securing their own community practicum site: UMass Global's clinical placement process puts the student in the lead on identifying and securing approved California sites.

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 UMass Global MFT program, visit their official website at the UMass Global MA in Marriage and Family Therapy 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