University of San Francisco 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 USF School of Education MFT program overview, the program FAQs page, the USF MFT tuition and aid page, the USF School of Education application requirements page, and BBS records. Prospective students should verify all details directly with the program before applying.

Schedule and Format Details

San Francisco Campus 3-Year Format: Fall and spring classes meet during late afternoon (3:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.) and evening (7:20 p.m. to 9:50 p.m.) blocks. Summer sessions use a 6-week intensive schedule meeting weekdays in the evening and Saturdays during the day.

San Francisco Campus 2-Year Intensive Format: A condensed 7-semester pathway available only at the San Francisco campus for students who can commit to a faster pace.

Regional Campus Formats: Sacramento, Santa Rosa, and South Bay sites meet primarily on one weekday afternoon and evening, typically from approximately 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., with some Saturday classes.

Concentrations and Specializations

Marriage and Family Therapy Concentration: The primary concentration within the MA in Counseling Psychology degree, aligned to California BBS educational requirements for LMFT licensure.

LPCC Pathway: Students may complete additional fieldwork and coursework to qualify for LPCC or dual LMFT/LPCC licensure, per the program FAQs page.

School Counseling Combination: Students may combine the MFT concentration with the School Counseling concentration, per the program FAQs page.

Clinical Training and Fieldwork

Clinical Hours: Specific direct client contact, relational, and supervision hour requirements are not detailed on USF's public MFT program pages. The program states that clinical training complies with California BBS educational requirements for LMFT and LPCC licensure. Students should request current fieldwork requirements directly from the program.

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

Practicum Arrangement: Students complete a traineeship during the final year of the program at Bay Area community-based and school-based partner sites coordinated through the program.

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

Curriculum Structure

The 60-unit curriculum is designed around USF's Jesuit mission of social justice and cultural responsiveness, per the USF MFT program overview page:

Core Coursework: Systemic and relational theory, counseling psychology, human development, multicultural and social justice practice, assessment, law and ethics, and research methods.

Fieldwork Sequence: Traineeship and concurrent supervision courses completed in the final year at community-based and school-based partner sites.

Culminating Requirements

The specific culminating requirement (thesis, comprehensive examination, or portfolio) is not detailed on USF's public MFT program pages. Students should confirm current culminating requirements directly with the program.

Application Process

Application Deadlines: Specific deadline dates are not listed on the program's public pages; as of April 2026 the program's main page indicates it is still accepting applications for Fall admission. Prospective students should confirm current deadlines with the USF School of Education.

Start Term: Fall (cohort-based).

GPA Requirement: The USF School of Education lists a recommended minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Program-specific cutoffs are not listed separately.

Prerequisites: No specific prerequisite courses are listed on the program's public pages.

Application Components: Online application, official transcripts, two current letters of recommendation, a current résumé, and a statement of intent. Specific prompts for the statement of intent are made available through the application portal.

Interview: Not publicly confirmed as a required component on the program's public pages.

What This Program Says About Itself

✓ Per the USF MFT program page, the program prepares graduates to deliver culturally responsive, community-oriented mental health care rooted in the Jesuit mission of social justice.

✓ The program offers multiple Bay Area locations (San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, South Bay, and the East Bay) to serve students across Northern California.

✓ Both a 3-year standard pathway and a 2-year intensive pathway (San Francisco only) are available to accommodate different student needs, per the USF MFT program overview page.

✓ The program maintains a partnership with the Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Scholars Academy, per the USF MFT program page.

✓ The program emphasizes community mental health through traineeship placements at Bay Area community-based and school-based partner sites.

This Program May Be a Good Fit For

✓ Students in Northern California seeking geographic flexibility: USF offers MFT coursework across five Bay Area and Sacramento area locations.

✓ Working professionals seeking evening coursework: Both the San Francisco campus and regional sites meet primarily in late afternoon and evening hours.

✓ Students interested in social justice-oriented training: USF's Jesuit mission shapes the program's emphasis on cultural responsiveness and community mental health.

✓ Students who want to complete the degree faster: The 2-year intensive format (San Francisco only) compresses the program into 7 semesters.

✓ Students interested in dual licensure (MFT and LPCC): Additional coursework and fieldwork allow students to qualify for LPCC or dual LMFT/LPCC licensure.

✓ Students interested in combining MFT and School Counseling: USF allows students to pursue both concentrations within the MA in Counseling Psychology.

✓ Career changers entering the field: The GRE is not required and specific prerequisite courses are not listed.

✓ Students who value a Jesuit educational environment: USF's Jesuit Catholic identity informs the mission of the broader institution and the School of Education.

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 Francisco MFT program, visit their official website at the USF MA in Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy Concentration 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