a
Master’s in Couple and Family Therapy Degree Overview
a
a
Availability in our Fall cohorts is limited. Apply Today.
The nuclear family has evolved and the American household is no longer the nuclear one of days gone by, yet the family unit remains the cornerstone of our society. In this COAMFTE-accredited Marriage and Family Therapy Masters program, you’ll learn to help individuals and families, regardless of their structure or circumstance.
Many modern families and couples rely on the help of therapists to guide them through life changes and challenging times. With a family therapy education, you can help make a difference in how these people relate to one another, and provide them with the tools to make their lives better.
As a graduate from this program, when you begin your career as a couple and family therapist, you’ll have the education and skills you need to flourish. Some of the topics we touch on in our Marriage and Family Therapy Masters program consist of parent-child therapy, group therapy, trauma and crisis intervention, and more. Learn more about our course offerings below. Find out if our graduate school is the right fit for you and advance your career today!
a
a
a
Faculty and Admissions
Get the information you need in order to start your Alliant experience. Browse our list of diverse faculty members, or see the latest admission requirements for your desired program.
a
a
Program Highlights
a
A Portable Degree
Alliant offers one of only nine, on-campus, COAMFTE-accredited MA MFT programs in the state of California. MFT licensure is issued on a state-by-state basis, and a degree from a COAMFTE-accredited graduate program makes it easier to obtain licensure in a new state.
a
Online MFT Program
Coursework is offered completely online, and is one of only five such online programs in the nation to be COAMFTE-accredited. Choosing a program with COAMFTE accreditation makes it ideal if you are going to pursue becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and plan on traveling between states.
a
Hands-on Training and More
Get hands-on training through 500 hours of direct client contact, 250 supervision hours, and at a minimum, 100 professional development hours. By the time you graduate, you’ll have between 800 to 1200 hours to apply towards your license.
a
Service and Investment
If qualified, you can receive up to $50,000 of loan reimbursement from the National Health Services Corps in exchange for two years of work in an underserved area.
a
Cultural Competency
This MFT program has cultural competency at its core, and consistently adds culturally and linguistically qualified mental-health professionals into the workforce.
a
Compelling Coursework
In the master’s level program, you’ll explore areas such as Parent-Child Therapy, Couples Therapy, MFT Theories and Techniques, Sex Therapy, and more.
a
a
“I chose Alliant because they are COAMFTE-accredited, and degree portability was really important to me. My experience through the masters and doctoral MFT programs has not only prepared me to be a therapist, but also to be an advocate for my clients, and for the MFT profession as a whole.”
Nicole Sabatini Gutierrez
MFT MA and PsyD Alumna
a
Degree Information
a
a
Continuing a Legacy of Impact
MFT programs at CSPP have a long and storied history of esteemed faculty and industry luminaries that have passed through its doors to share knowledge to the next generation of family therapists. For the last 50 years, these programs have worked to produce the best marriage and family therapists and the most-respected thought leaders in the field.
a
a
Chemical Dependency Specialization Track
MFT students have the option to earn a specialization in Chemical Dependency. This CAADE-accredited chemical dependency specialization provides a unique opportunity for you to prepare to work with individuals, couples, and families facing addiction through professional development hours, directly related to chemical dependency treatment.
Understanding how to treat addiction is one of the most valuable professional tools an MFT can have. When working with families who are struggling with addiction, it’s imperative to know the best care clinical practices for treating chemical dependency.
This specialization covers how to treat families from a systemic perspective, with a focus on treating clients who are experiencing addiction and substance abuse. This will be a part of your internship hours at a residential treatment center or intensive outpatient program, not as a separate clinical internship that would require increased hours. This specialization is embedded into the MA program and does not require any additional coursework.
a
Links and Downloads
San Diego Student Achievement Criteria Data
Los Angeles Student Achievement Criteria Data
Sacramento Student Achievement Criteria Data
Irvine Student Achievement Criteria Data
Online Student Achievement Criteria Data
As part of COAMFTE requirements, we provide the diversity composition of our student body, faculty, and supervisors. Please follow the link below for the related data. We hope this information will help you make an informed decision regarding your graduate study.
San Diego Diversity Chart
Los Angeles Diversity Chart
Sacramento Diversity Chart
Irvine Diversity Chart
Online Diversity Chart
a
Frequently Asked Questions
-
What is the career outlook for graduates of the program?
Marriage and Family Therapy is one of the fastest-growing fields in psychology and behavioral sciences today. The Bureau for Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that it will grow by 23% over the next 10 years—compared to just 16% for counselor and therapist positions of all types, and 7% for all jobs in all fields. Growth is expected due to the increasing use of integrated care, which is a treatment of multiple problems at one time by a group of specialists, including couple and family therapists, working with substance abuse, behavior disorder, or mental health counseling specialists, to address patients’ issues as a team.
-
What kind of job can I expect to get with this master's degree program?
Graduates often work in outpatient care centers, inpatient care centers, hospitals, schools, social services for local, state, and federal governments, substance abuse centers, and private practices. They can also open their own clinical practice offering couple counseling, family counseling, and marriage counseling or go into fields such related to law, corrections, the military, churches and religion-based fields, and employee relations and benefits for companies both big and small.
-
What scholarship and financial aid options are available?
Private and public scholarships can help you meet the cost of your education, and Alliant International University offers institutional scholarships for many of our students. Learn more about these scholarship opportunities here. Additional Financial aid is available for those who qualify in the form of loans, grants, federal work study, and military aid. Learn more in our Financial Options Guide.
-
When does the MA in Marriage and Family Therapy degree program start?
The master’s program is offered as both a semester-long and eight-week term program and is open for enrollment during each of those respective enrollment periods. You can find our eight-week term academic calendar here.
-
How long does it take to complete the MA in Marriage and Family Therapy degree program?
The MA MFT degree program is a 60-credit program and takes a minimum of two years to complete, either across six semesters or 13 terms, depending on which calendar is applicable to you.
-
What is the modality of this graduate program?
You can earn your MA in Marital and Family Therapy degree online or on-campus at Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, or Sacramento, offering you an educational experience that is both customizable and tailored to your schedule.
Related Programs
Clinical Counseling
Clinical Counseling
Discover psychotherapeutic techniques that encourage clients to overcome disability, embrace change, and experience personal growth.
Related Blog Posts
Survival Tips for Marriage Ending
The end of a marriage can be incredibly challenging on many levels, including emotionally, mentally, and financially.
Read More
What does a Marriage and Family Therapist Do?
Navigating relational issues can be a challenging task. Family dynamics are incredibly complex, as unique personalities come together, each bringing their own perspectives, circumstances, and…
Read More
The Business Side of Becoming a Marriage and Family Counselor
Marriage and family therapists (MFT) go into the profession because they want to help people. What many don't realize is the amount of time they'll need to spend on the business side of things.
Read More
a
Program Campus Locations in California
The Master of Arts in Marital and Family Therapy program is offered both on-campus and online. Click an image below to learn more about each university campus and what each one has to offer.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Entertainment Capital of the World
Sacramento
Sacramento
California’s Capital City
Online Programs
Online Programs
Quality Programs and Degrees, Delivered Online
a
a
Why Alliant
At Alliant, our mission is to prepare students for professional careers of service and leadership and promote the discovery and application of knowledge to improve the lives of people in diverse cultures and communities around the world. Our Vision is an inclusive world empowered by Alliant alumni.
a
Why CSPP
The California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) is Alliant’s cornerstone school and was built on a legacy of thought leadership, multicultural competence, and quality of care. CSPP’s programs pair hands-on professional practice with academic rigor in order to prepare the next generation of psychologists and mental health care professionals.