Counseling - Marriage and Family Therapy at California State University at Northridge

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Counseling with an option in Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling prepares students for licensure as both a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in California and in most other states. The state-of-the-art curriculum is designed to teach professional skills to prepare students to work in public mental health, community agencies, hospitals medical settings, schools, private agencies and private practice, and/or to pursue clinical doctoral study. The curriculum emphasizes strengths-based approaches, diversity, evidence-based practices and development of the person-of-the-therapist, while providing depth in numerous areas of clinical specialties, including children, adolescents, couples, groups, parenting, sexual abuse, substance abuse, psycho-education, severe mental illness and career interventions. Students can further develop their areas of specialty through culminating experiences, which include a master’s project, master’s thesis or individually tailored comprehensive exams. Well prepared with extensive practicum experiences in the first year, students begin intensive training in the field during the second year at community mental health agencies, public mental health, school-based and other mental health-related placements. The program’s curriculum is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences for MFT licensing and the Commission for the Accreditation of Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), the accrediting body associated with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). The curriculum also integrates the Marriage and Family Therapy Core Competencies to ensure that it adheres to the highest national standards and guidelines.