Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy

Practicum Specific Requirements

First Year Review

The MA in Marriage and Family Therapy is a clinical degree. In addition to academic performance, students are expected to demonstrate clinical readiness competencies in the following areas for consideration for readiness for advanced coursework and clinical training:

• Maturity
• Insightfulness
• Capacity for establishing appropriate boundaries
• Reflection
• Professionalism
• Empathy and Compassion
• Interpersonal and relational skills

After completing 15 credits and in good academic standing, each student will obtain First Year Review evaluations for the First Year Review from two MFT instructors of their completed courses.

Also, the MFT student will complete a self-evaluation on the above clinical readiness competencies. After the evaluations have been submitted, the student will meet with their Faculty Advisor to review their overall performance to date. The performance review includes both academic progress, professional behavior, clinical readiness, culture & diversity, along with the completion of a minimum of 18 hours of required personal therapy. After successful completion of this process, the student will be eligible to begin the process of clinical training preparation.

Academic Progress

• The student has demonstrated graduate-level mastery in their course work with a 3.0 minimum GPA.
• The student has been consistent in engaging in the classroom discourse and collaborating as a team member.
• The student has come prepared for the class.
• The student demonstrates an understanding of MFT theories, and Evidence Based practices, and their application.
• The student has completed all their assignments as required for the course, as outlined in the syllabus.
• The student has contributed to the learning environment of the class.

Professional Behavior

• The student has consistently demonstrated their capacity to behave responsibly and professionally in their student role, and in relation to their learning community.
• The student has demonstrated sound professional judgment.
• The student has demonstrated the capacity to be on time and meet deadlines.
• The student is respectful of the learning community and the ground rules.
• The student has demonstrated the capacity as a team member in the learning community.
• The student is one who honors their word.
• The student is one who is capable of responsible and respectable communication and openness to feedback.
• The student is ethical and accountable for their actions and their behavior in the classroom and in relation to their academic colleagues.
• The student is insightful, reflective, and compassionate.

Clinical Readiness

• The student has demonstrated a capacity for reflection and insight.
• The student has demonstrated an ability to empathize.
• The student has a solid grasp of their own process.
• The student has been capable of setting boundaries.
• The student can monitor their own behavior (self-monitoring).
• The student has demonstrated the capacity for intentional listening.
• The student has demonstrated the capacity for relational learning.

Culture and Diversity

This section addresses the student’s intent, engagement, and capacity to integrate an understanding of the culture and diversity issues addressed in the program. The student must demonstrate sufficient mastery in the following areas:

• The student demonstrated a willingness to explore issues of diversity in relation to their own life experience.
• The student actively pursues knowledge and experience that enhances their capacity for cultural competency.
• The student is open to diverse ways of learning.
• The student’s respect for cultural diversity is manifested in their writing, discussions, and behavior, including the following characteristics:
  1. Capacity for insight, reflection
  2. Ability to listen effectively and empathically
  3. Openness to feedback and new ideas and situations
  4. Commitment to self-growth
  5. Professional behavior in the classroom

If the student does not meet all the requirements for First Year Review after completing a minimum of 15 credits, the advisor and Dean may recommend several options for the student, including but not limited to academic and non-academic remediation or program dismissal.

First Year Review Coursework

MFT Clinical Training Program

Practicum Requirement

The MFT programs are clinical programs. These programs have academic standards/requirements, clinical readiness, and professional competencies, in addition to in vivo clinical training. Each student will be evaluated for their clinical readiness via the First Year Review process.

The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Program maintains relationships with clinics, county and community-based agencies, and schools throughout the greater Los Angeles area to provide students with extensive opportunities for supervised clinical training as an MFT Trainee. The College follows the guidelines and regulations outlined by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to ensure students are prepared for licensure eligibility in California as a Marriage and Family Therapist. As part of the MFT program, you will gain supervised counseling experience in approved clinical settings and earn the minimum practicum requirement of 225 hours of the total 3,000 hours of experience required for the MFT license eligibility. Some of these BBS requirements are outlined below, and include but are not limited to:

The Board requires 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience and 104 weeks of supervision to qualify for MFT licensure. —Statutes and Regulations cited: B&P Code Section 4980.43; CCR Section 1833
Trainees cannot work in a private practice setting. —Statutes and Regulations cited: B&P Code Section 4980.43; CCR Section 1833 (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=4980.43.)

According to the BBS, a Trainee can only count hours of experience if both requirements are met: (1) the student must have completed at least 12 semester or 18 quarter credits in a qualifying MFT degree program. (2) The Trainee must have a written agreement between the school and each work site that details each party’s responsibilities, including the methods by which supervision shall be provided.

The clinical training process is developmental and has four major steps, (1) Completion of Personal Therapy Hours, (2) Completion of First Year Review, (3) Pre-practicum Courses, and (4) Practicum Courses. Each step and its components/requirements must be completed before moving on to the next steps of the clinical training process.

(1) Completion of Personal Therapy Hours

All Pacific Oaks MFT students must complete 36 hours of personal therapy with a licensed mental health professional (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Psychiatrist). A student can also meet with an unlicensed Associate or Psychological Assistant supervised by a licensed mental health professional. Hours gained in this manner must be cosigned by the licensed professional. Hours may be counted from the time of enrollment in the MFT program at Pacific Oaks College. Personal therapy hours will be documented on the Personal Therapy Verification Form and submitted to the Clinical Training office. 

A minimum of 18 hours must be gained through individual therapy. The remaining 18 hours can be individual, group, couples, or family therapy, or a combination thereof. 

Note: Of the 36 hours, at least 18 hours of personal therapy must be completed before practicum training begins.

(2) First Year Review Process- Students are expected to demonstrate clinical readiness competencies (as outlined in each course’s SLOs) that cover the following areas:

1. Maturity
2. Insightfulness
3. Capacity for establishing appropriate boundaries
4. Reflection
5. Professionalism
6. Empathy and Compassion
7. Interpersonal and relational skills

After completing 15 credits, students will complete the First Year Review, which includes a Self-Evaluation and First-Year Review Evaluations from two previous instructors. These results will be reviewed in a meeting with their Faculty Advisor to receive feedback on their overall performance to date. At the end of this process, the Faculty Advisor will sign a First Year Review Validation form forwarded to the Clinical Training Office indicating approval to move forward in the practicum process.

(3) Pre-Practicum Courses- To assist students with moving through the clinical training preparation process, students will take two courses designed to guide students step-by-step.  Every CFP-MFT student must complete these two courses which serve as prerequisites for moving forward to placement in Practicum sites. These two courses formalize already required non-academic program graduation requirements, such as Clinical Training Orientation, personal therapy hours, first year review, etc.  The two online courses are: (1) MFT 600 Clinical Training Orientation, and (2) MFT 605 Pre-practicum and Professionalism in the Field.  Both courses will follow the 16-week model for Fall and Spring, 12 weeks for Summer, and will require some in-person meetings as scheduled by the Clinical Training Coordinator/Course Instructor.  These two courses are both zero credits and will be graded on a credit/no credit basis.  Students MUST receive credit in these courses to continue with the clinical training process, including starting at a practicum site required to register for the MFT 626 Practicum 1 course.

(4) Practicum Courses

Enrollment in each of the three practicum courses is required by the BBS while the student earns their mandatory clinical training hours. Practicum class grades are based on the student’s classroom activities/assignments and their clinical training requirements. Students must complete a minimum of 225 face-to-face clinical traineeship hours (minimum of 280 face-to-face hours for LPCC) during a 10-12-month training commitment at an approved site as part of their master’s degree requirements. The traineeship experience is to be completed concurrently and while enrolled in the following classes:

• MFT 626-Practicum I   
• MFT 628-Practicum II 
• MFT 667-Practicum III: Clinical Portfolio

The above three classes fulfill the BBS requirements of being enrolled in a practicum course while collecting hours as a trainee. If a student has not earned a total of 225 BBS clinical training hours (280 for LPCC) while enrolled in these courses one of the following will apply:

(1) If the student has completed fewer than 185 of their 225 total hours, they must enroll in MFT 685-Practicum Continuation to complete their clinical training requirement.

(2) If the student has completed 225 hours but has not completed the contract with the training site or simply wishes to continue seeing clients and accruing hours until graduation, the student must enroll in MFT 685-Practicum Continuation as per BBS regulations.

Additional Requirements for Successful Completion of Clinical Training

1. Students must be in Satisfactory Academic Standing with the college.
2. Successful completion of MFT 626, MFT 628 and MFT 655 courses, which also requires satisfactory progress at agency site, as documented per semester, by the agency clinical supervisor on file. Satisfactory evaluations from the clinical supervisor at the clinical placement site at the end of each semester or when course requirements are completed.
3. Satisfactory completion of all the clinical training requirements as a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee as outlined by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and as mandated by the Pacific Oaks MFT program requirements in the School of Cultural and Family Psychology.
4. Submission of copies of:
   1. MFT Responsibility Statement for Supervisors (BBS form)
   2. MFT Weekly Summary of Hours of Experience (BBS Form)
   3. MFT Experience Verification (BBS Form) C/ Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of a MFT trainee or Intern (BBS Form)
   4. MFT Trainee Practicum Evaluation Form
   5. Personal Therapy Hours Verification Form (to document remaining 18 hours)

Resources: Licensure and Professional Websites

• California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS): www.bbs.ca.gov
• California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT): www.camft.org
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT): www.aamft.org

Residency Requirement

The MFT degree is a minimum 60-credit program and students must fulfill a minimum of 42 credits of all degree requirements through courses offered at Pacific Oaks College. A maximum of 18 approved graduate level transfer credits can be transferred in to complete the required 60 credits for the degree. Courses taken concurrently at another institution while enrolled in the MA MFT programs at Pacific Oaks College are not transferable for credit.

Course Length

Please refer to the program course and delivery section found here: Academic Calendar.

Graduation Requirements

Students are required to complete the allocated number of credits for their MFT program of study, 60-68 credits, complete 225 practicum hours or 280 practicum hours for the LPCC specialization and complete 36 hours of personal psychotherapy hours to meet graduation requirements. The student subsequently can submit the Petition for Degree Completion and fee to the Office of the Registrar the semester before they anticipate completion of their degree requirements. Students must also settle all outstanding fees with the Student Accounts Office, satisfy any deficiencies and be in good standing in their program for the master’s degree to be awarded.

A cumulative grade point of 3.0 is required for graduation.

Curriculum

MFT Traditional Program Requirements: 60 credits

Areas of Specialization

Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy - African-American Family Studies Specialization

Through the African-American Family Studies program, students explore mental health theory and practice from a deeply culture-centered perspective. Graduates gain a broad understanding of marriage and family therapy as well as specialized knowledge of the diverse mental health needs of African- American children and families. The curriculum is informed by the UJIMA model of collective work and responsibility, with the goal of developing marriage and family therapists who are highly competent in serving and advocating for the mental health needs of African-American families.

The program prepares students to use a culturally relevant approach to therapy and utilizes an historical lens in the learning style that will help individuals, couples, and families of African descent build on their strengths, improve their relationships, and generate solutions to relational problems. Students complete their clinical training hours in community agencies serving African-American families, and are supervised and mentored, when possible, by licensed African-American mental health professionals. The faculty consist of mental health specialist and academics with intimate knowledge and experience of the African-American community’s mental health needs. The program is open to all students who wish to specialize in serving the mental health needs of African-American Families and communities.

Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy - Latinx Family Studies Specialization

The Latinx Family Studies (LFS) program is a unique “culture centered cohort” that utilizes the strengths of the Latinx culture to inform its process of educating Master level MFT students. The program seeks to develop culturally attuned marriage and family therapists with a deep respect for Latinx cultural values, social justice, and advocacy on behalf of all children and families.

The LFS program emphasizes a cultural/ developmental/relational framework in marriage and family therapy as well as a special emphasis on the diverse mental health needs of Latinx children and families. The educational experience of the ‘Comadre-Compadre’ Cohort model is used as a model of education and is culturally transformational; it is an intensely dynamic, intellectually relevant process. Faculty and students make up a learning community that attempts to replicate “la familia,”. This educational program uniquely challenges both the personal and professional development of all its participants.

The program is open to all students who are passionate about serving the Latinx community and studying MFT theories in context with the issues that impact the Latinx population such as: immigration, acculturation, trauma, culture, history, liberation psychology, and advocacy.

The core values of the LFS Specializations assert that culture, history, family, and race are integral components in understanding mental health issues and practice and are the foundation for the construction of the cohort experience

MFT Latinx Family Studies Specialization Program (62 credits)

Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy - Trauma Studies Specialization

As a school dedicated to the mental health profession, Pacific Oaks College School of Cultural and Family Psychology cannot ignore the prevalence of trauma experiences. Trauma comes in many forms and can lead to an array of mental health concerns and conditions. Empirical studies agree that the prevalence of traumatic experiences continues to increase across many groups. These experiences manifest themselves in many ways from PTSD and Anxiety to Depression and Suicidality.

The Trauma Studies Specialization is 61 credits. The program integrates the standard MFT courses with the Trauma studies specialization MFT courses with an emphasis on developing in- depth understanding of trauma in the mental health field. Students will engage as a learning community in the classroom and in their training sites to foster their professional development and clinical skills in trauma work. The program forms an intimate community that engages students to address not only the clinical aspects of trauma studies, but the sociopolitical underpinnings of society that influence the incidence of violence and toxic stress and how this is addressed in our society. The Trauma Studies Specialization is an option for students who are in any of the MA in MFT programs. It is open to all students who desire a rigorous academic program that provides substantial exploration, understanding and praxis of trauma, mental health, and social justice.

Curriculum

MFT Trauma Studies Specialization Program (61 credits)

Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy - LGBTQIA+ Studies Specialization

The Marriage and Family Therapy master’s degree program with a specialization in LGBTQIA+ Studies at Pacific Oaks College equips graduates with broad preparation in marriage and family therapy as well as an emphasis on the needs of LGBTQIA+ adults, children, and families. It is designed to familiarize students with the cultural, historical, sociological, and psychological processes that occur in and impact the LGBTQIA+ Community and equips the student to be able to provide affirming mental health services to the LGBTQIA+ Community.

The MA in MFT programs satisfies all the requirements of SB 33 and the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) (Business and Professions Code Sections 4980.36c, d e 4980.39, 4980.40, and 4980.41).

The MFT programs prepare graduates to sit for the California MFT exams to earn a Marriage and Family Therapist License awarded by the California Board of Behavioral Science. Pacific Oaks MFT program coursework meets each of the following BBS requirements:

• Integrates Marriage and Family Therapy principles throughout the curriculum.
• Integrates the principles of mental health recovery- oriented care and methods of service delivery in recovery-oriented practice environments, among others, throughout the curriculum.
• Integrates an understanding of various cultures, the social and psychological implications of socioeconomic position, and an understanding of how poverty and social stress impact an individual’s mental health and recovery.
• Encourages students to develop the personal qualities that are intimately related to effective practice including integrity, sensitivity, flexibility, insight, compassion, and personal presence.
• Provides students with the opportunity to meet with various consumer and family members of consumers of mental health services to enhance understanding of their experience of mental illness, treatment, and recovery.

Curriculum

MFT LGBTQIA+ Studies Specialization Program (60 credits)

Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy - Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Specialization

Students wishing to qualify, in addition to their MFT registration, as a Professional Clinical Counselor (PCC) in the state of California, may do so via selection of the LPCC Specialization, which include the following courses, totaling 5 credits: MFT 670 Career Development Theories and Techniques  (3 credits); MFT 681 Advanced Topics in Addictions Counseling  (1 credit); and, MFT 683 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology  (1 credit). The courses in the Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy program fulfill all the course requirements to apply to sit for the LPCC exam, except for these five credits of coursework which must be added to the MFT courses. The LPCC Specialization also requires additional Clinical Contact Hours in Practicum placement of a minimum of 280 client contact hours. These 280 hours are inclusive of the MFT 225 hours requirement, allowing for students to count both for registration in California as associates.

MFT Dual Specializations

MFT with a Dual Specialization in African-American Family Studies and Trauma Studies (68 credits)

MFT with a Dual Specialization in Latinx Family Studies and Trauma Studies (68 credits)

MFT with a Dual Specialization in LGBTQIA+ Studies and Trauma Studies (67 credits)