University of San Diego 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 USD SOLES MA in Marital and Family Therapy program pages, the program curriculum and pathway page, the tuition and financial aid page, the practicum page, the admissions requirements page, the SOLES accreditation page, and BBS records. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

Full-Time Cohort Format: Students enter together and progress through the program as a cohort. Classes are held during the day on the USD campus. Full-time students complete the degree in two years; part-time students complete in approximately 2.5 years.

Practicum Sequence: A 12-month, three-semester practicum takes place in the second year at pre-approved community sites.

International Experience: All SOLES master's students are required to complete a program-approved international experience as part of the degree, reflecting USD's emphasis on developing globally competent clinicians.

Concentrations and Specializations

Family-Based Care: Training focused on systemic assessment and treatment of families across developmental stages.

Integrated Behavioral Health: Training focused on behavioral health integration within primary care and medical settings.

Culture, Diversity, and Global Mental Health: Training focused on culturally responsive and cross-cultural clinical practice.

Training and Education: Training focused on clinical supervision, teaching, and professional development pathways.

Couples Therapy: Training focused on assessment and treatment of couple relationships.

Interpersonal Neurobiology: Training focused on integrating attachment, neuroscience, and relational theory in clinical practice.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Clinical Hours: Per the USD MFT practicum page, students complete a minimum of 400 hours of direct client contact, of which a minimum of 200 hours must be with couples or families. Students complete at least 100 hours of supervision, with a minimum of 50 hours based on raw data (video or live observation), and a supervision ratio of at least 1 hour per 5 hours of clinical work, consistent with COAMFTE standards.

Training Clinic: Not publicly listed as a dedicated in-house MFT training clinic. Practicum is completed at community-based partner sites.

Practicum Arrangement: Students complete the 12-month practicum at pre-approved community sites in the San Diego region, including family therapy centers, child and adolescent mental health settings, trauma-focused therapy programs, behavioral health clinics, school-based mental health, and substance abuse and domestic violence programs. Supervisors are AAMFT Approved Supervisors or hold equivalent certification. Practicum positions are typically unpaid.

Personal Psychotherapy Requirement: Not publicly listed on the program's web materials.

Curriculum Structure

The 60-unit non-thesis curriculum consists of core coursework and a 12-month practicum sequence per the USD MFT curriculum and pathway page:

Core Coursework: Approximately 51 units of systemic theory, clinical methods, human development, assessment, law and ethics, research, and cross-cultural practice.

Practicum Sequence: Approximately 9 units of supervised practicum completed across three consecutive semesters in the final year.

International Experience: A required program-approved international study experience, completed during the program.

Culminating Requirements

The culminating requirement is a comprehensive written examination. Per the USD MFT program materials, the exam includes three sections covering Theory and Application, Assessment, and Law and Ethics, with approximately two hours allotted per section. Students must pass the comprehensive exam to graduate. The program is non-thesis.

Application Process

Application Deadline: January 15 for Fall admission. Application fee: $45.

Start Term: Fall only.

GPA Requirement: Minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale.

Prerequisites: Three prerequisite courses must be completed before the second semester of enrollment: Human or Lifespan Development, Research Methods, and Counseling Theories or Theories of Personality. A prior psychology degree is not required.

Application Components: Online application, official transcripts from all institutions attended, a current résumé or CV, two letters of recommendation (one academic and one from a professional mentor preferred), and a Statement of Purpose of no more than 500 words describing the applicant's background, professional goals, and relevant experience. International applicants must submit TOEFL scores of at least 83 (internet-based) or IELTS Band 7.

Interview: Required for qualified candidates. Invited applicants participate in a group interview with MFT faculty.

What This Program Says About Itself

✓ Per the USD SOLES accreditation page, the MA in Marital and Family Therapy has been continuously COAMFTE-accredited since 1992.

✓ The program emphasizes systemic, relational, and culturally responsive training within USD's Marianist Catholic educational tradition and the Ignatian value of care for the whole person, per the USD MFT program page.

✓ All SOLES master's students are required to complete a program-approved international experience, per the SOLES international experience page.

✓ The program is structured around six clinical emphasis areas including Family-Based Care, Integrated Behavioral Health, Culture Diversity and Global Mental Health, Training and Education, Couples Therapy, and Interpersonal Neurobiology.

✓ The program reports approximately 30 new students per year with class sizes of 15 to 20 students, per the USD MFT FAQ page.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Students seeking a COAMFTE-accredited MFT degree with a long accreditation history: USD has been COAMFTE-accredited continuously since 1992, one of the longest-tenured COAMFTE accreditations among California programs.

✓ Students planning to practice in multiple states: COAMFTE accreditation supports portability across U.S. jurisdictions that recognize COAMFTE-accredited MFT degrees, and supports AAMFT supervisor pathways.

✓ Students seeking a small-cohort learning environment: Classes of 15 to 20 students support close faculty-student interaction and peer cohesion.

✓ Students seeking a systemic, relational training model: The curriculum is anchored in MFT systemic theory with dedicated emphases in Couples Therapy and Interpersonal Neurobiology.

✓ Students interested in global and cross-cultural clinical training: The required international experience and the Culture, Diversity, and Global Mental Health emphasis provide structured cross-cultural training.

✓ Students interested in integrated behavioral health: The Integrated Behavioral Health emphasis prepares students for collaborative practice in primary care and medical settings.

✓ Career changers entering the field: No prior psychology degree is required, the GRE is not required, and the three prerequisite courses may be completed before or during the first semester.

✓ Students seeking faith-integrated training: USD is a Catholic Marianist university with an educational tradition rooted in cura personalis.

✓ Students in the San Diego region: The program is based on the USD campus with community practicum placements across San Diego County.

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 University of San Diego MFT program, visit their official website at the USD MA in Marital 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