Admission

The Marriage and Family Therapy masters program admits students to the Fall semester only.

To qualify for admission into the Marriage and Family Therapy program, applicants must meet certain criteria and submit certain documents. Minimum expectations follow. A completed application must be submitted to PSYCAS no later than February 1 at 9:00pm PST.

Requirements

• PSYCAS application.
• Completion of an autobiography and a statement of purpose  that address all required content areas from the guidelines (i.e., relevant clinical or volunteer experience, long-term professional goals, specific interest in our MFT Program, knowledge of MFT as a profession, commitment to working with underserved populations, being a consumer of research, etc.). The length of the autobiography and statement of purpose each should not exceed three typed, double-spaced pages (i.e., no more than six pages total).
• Official transcripts from a regionally accredited institution (for all prior coursework). A bachelor’s degree is required and completion of the following three pre-requisite courses: introduction to psychology, abnormal psychology, and psychological research methods or experimental psychology. A bachelor’s degree in psychology is not required. Undergraduate course work is evaluated on an individual basis for its currency and appropriateness for the MFT program.
• A minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
• A current Curriculum Vitae.
• Three letters of recommendation are required from professors and other professionals who are qualified to objectively assess the applicant’s ability to succeed in graduate-level study and potential to function competently as professional Marriage & Family Therapist. At least one letter should be from a professor and letters from friends or family members are not allowed.
• International students: official TOEFL scores of 100 iBT, IELTS of 6.5, or Duolingo English test of 120 (see full list of requirements at https://laverne.edu/admission/international/english-proficiency/).
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to have at least one year of volunteer or paid experience working with families, children, couples, or individuals.
• Applicants are also strongly encouraged to demonstrate that they are consumers of research and demonstrate their commitment to working with underserved populations.

Following receipt and review of application materials by the Admissions Committee, applicants who are being considered for admission will receive an invitation for an interview. Applicants will interview with faculty members and complete a writing examination in March. Applicants will receive notification of their admission status in April and admitted students must respond no later than May 15. Applicants may solely defer their admission for one year.  

How to apply

Apply online at PSYCAS. Learn more about the centralized application system by visiting PSYCAS.

The MFT program will contact applicants to set appointments for personal interviews and other screening. Questions regarding the admissions process to the MFT program can be directed to Natalie Brown,  Psychology Department Manager, at (909) 448-4179. Applicants to the MFT program should not contact the university’s graduate admission office for any application questions or updates.