Admission

The Marriage and Family Therapy masters program admits students on a yearly basis with a Fall semester start.  The program welcomes applicants from diverse ethnic, cultural, religious, sexual orientation, age, and ability backgrounds. Applications for Fall 2025 opened September 5, 2024 and the deadline for completed applications is February 1, 2025 (9:00 PST). Our graduate programs use PSYCAS, a centralized application service for graduate psychology.

Admissions Criteria (due February 1st)

• Completed PSYCAS application. Incomplete applications may not be reviewed.
• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants are required to submit final official transcripts for all prior coursework directly to PSYCAS.
• A minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required.
• Prerequisite courses (minimum C-/credit grade): Introduction to Psychology and Abnormal Psychology.
• Statement of purpose.
• Curriculum vitae or resume.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• International students must submit proof of proficiency in the English language via a satisfactory total TOEFL or Duolingo score. The minimum required TOEFL total score for the 3 versions of the TOEFL are as follows: 600 (paper-based version), 250 (computer- based version), and 100 (internet-based version). Duolingo English Test score of 120 or higher.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to have at least one year of volunteer or paid experience working with families, children, couples, or students. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to demonstrate their commitment to working with underserved populations. 

Statement of Purpose

Please prepare a three page statement of purpose (APA style) that is focused on your long term professional goals, specific interests in our MFT program, relevant clinical or volunteer experience, and commitment to working with underserved populations.

International Students

International students must demonstrate English language proficiency through a satisfactory TOEFL or Duolingo score, such as TOEFL 100 iBT, IELTS 6.5, or Duolingo English Test 120 (see full requirements). Applicants with non-US education must submit their coursework for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report from a U.S.-based evaluation service, to be sent directly to PSYCAS (click here for more details).

Review Process

Following receipt and review of application materials by the MFT Admissions Committee, applicants who are being considered for admission will receive an invitation for an online interview held via Zoom. Applicants will interview with faculty members in February and March. Applicants will receive notification of their admission status in April and admitted students must respond no later than May 15.  Only admitted students may enroll in MFT courses.

Prior to enrolling in the fall, admitted students must provide an official transcript indicating the completion of their undergraduate degree and required prerequisites. Simultaneous enrollment of prerequisites and MFT courses is not permitted. Applicants who fail to complete all required prerequisites before the start of the Fall semester are not allowed to register for their courses.

Transfer Credit for Previous Graduate Work

Students who completed previous graduate work may request transfer credit for this work during their first semester in the program only. Request for transfer of academic credit and coursework will be reviewed by the MFT Program Chair on a case-by-case basis for currency and applicability. Only completed courses from a regionally accredited university, with a grade of B (3.0) or better may be considered for transfer. The maximum number of transfer credits is 12 semester hours.

Application Timeline: