Phillips Marriage & Family Therapy

The Phillips Master of Marriage and Family Therapy program is designed with flexibility and academic rigor to meet the needs of both full-time and part-time students. Key program details include:

• 60-Unit Program Completed Over 5 Consecutive Terms (Including 1–2 Summer Terms)
• Designed for Completion in 2 Years
• Part-Time Option Available With a Custom Academic Plan
• Extended Plans May Take 6–7 Terms
• Part-Time Students Must Maintain Continuous Enrollment in Practicum
• Academic Plans Are Created With Your Advisor or Department Chair

The Phillips MMFT program offers a flexible schedule designed to support working adults while delivering hands-on clinical experience. Key details include:

• Classes Held One Full Day Per Week (Saturday or Weekday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
• Weekly 3-Hour Case Conference During the First Two Terms (Various Days/Times Available)
• Practicum Begins as Early as Term 2
• Students Spend 15+ Hours/Week at a Clinical Placement by Year 2
• Students Should Plan Ahead to Balance Coursework and Practicum Demands

Students who complete the program are responsive to the many aspects of diversity that exist within human relationships. They demonstrate self-awareness, a commitment to ethical practice, and relational responsibility in service to individuals, couples, and families, to their communities, and to the profession of marriage and family therapy. Students who complete the program will have met the educational requirements for MFT licensure in California.

MFT students receive guidance and hands-on experience through our Clinical Placement Office and affiliated training sites. Key highlights include:

• 375 Hours Of Required Practicum Completed At A Phillips-Approved Agency
• Support Securing Clinical Placement Through The Clinical Placement Office
• Training Opportunities At The Phillips On-Site Counseling Center, California Family Counseling Center (Cal Fam)
• Practicum Begins After Completing 13 Units And Receiving Faculty Approval
• Supervised Clinical Work In Settings Like Counseling Centers, Schools, Hospitals, And Mental Health Agencies
• Licensure Guidance Provided For California; Students Pursuing Out-Of-State Licensure Should Consult With Faculty
• Program Meets California MFT Licensing Requirements (No National License Exists)

For more details on clinical training and placement opportunities, visit our Clinical LMFT Training & Placement page.

Our faculty are committed to supporting each student’s academic and professional growth throughout the program. Advisement is built into the student experience to ensure success from start to finish.

• Academic Advisor Assigned During The First Term Of Enrollment
• Required Advisement Meetings Each Term Until Degree Completion
• Open-Door Policy Encourages Communication With Core And Adjunct Faculty
• Faculty Are Practicing Professionals Who Mentor And Model Clinical Excellence
• Additional Support And Consultation Available To Guide Students' Development

In addition to regular coursework, students participate in enriching workshops designed to enhance clinical skills and professional development.

• Occasional Daylong Workshops Required Outside Of Regular Class Days
• Scheduled In Advance To Allow For Planning
• Workshops Supplement Classroom Learning With Practical, Hands-On Experiences

The SCRP, which includes Imperial, Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tri-Cities (Claremont, La Verne, Pomona), and Ventura, has launched the Peer Support Specialist Program to expand the role of trained peer counselors in public mental health services.

Funded by a state MHSA grant, the program provides stipends to individuals completing peer counselor training and serving in county-run or contracted behavioral health facilities.

Stipend Details

• Duration: 2021–2025
• Annual Awards: 100 stipends of $500 each

Eligibility (FY 2021–22)
Applicants must be enrolled in a county-approved peer support training or internship and complete training by June 30, 2022.
Application Deadline: TBA

How to Apply
Each SCRP county will nominate candidates based on local criteria. Nominated individuals must complete the state application via OSHPD (link TBD). Approved applications will be processed for stipend issuance through Campbellsville University. A completed IRS W-9 form is required.

More information will be available on the Campbellsville University website.

The Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT) program is designed to meet the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) requirements for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Key highlights include:

• Meets BBS Requirements For Licensure As A Marriage And Family Therapist (LMFT)
• Curriculum And Clinical Experience Hours Are Designed To Align With California LMFT Licensing Standards
• Program Compliance Subject To Change Based On Current State And National Requirements
• Detailed Licensing Information Available Through The California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) Website

The degree is posted three (3) times yearly: on the last day of the fall, spring, and summer terms. All of the following requirements must be met prior to degree posting:

• Completion of all 60 units of required courses with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Completion of 375 hours of supervised clinical placement concurrent with practicum registration
• Verification of required hours in individual, couple, or family psychotherapy*
• File electronically the Graduation Application form one (1) semester prior to the date when a student expects to meet all graduation requirements
• Payment in full of financial obligations to Los Angeles Education Center of Campbellsville University and the California Family Counseling Center
• Return of all Library materials
• Completion of an exit interview with the Financial Aid Office (financial aid recipients only)

*Psychotherapy Requirement: In order to become an effective therapist, individuals must first be willing to work on their own issues in a therapeutic relationship. This experience is in keeping with the philosophy of theory, experience, and application as it represents integrated learning. Therefore, all students in the MFT program are required to engage in a minimum of 24 hours of psychotherapy during their tenure in the program. Therapy may be in individual, couples, or family sessions. 

The MFT Consortium of California brings together eight regional consortia of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) academic programs across the state. Its mission is to enhance the quality of clinical training through collaboration between educators and community clinical sites that provide practicum experiences and supervision for MFT students.Each regional consortium is hosted by a designated school, which facilitates quarterly meetings focused on improving training standards. Clinical agency directors often participate to align educational and fieldwork expectations.In Los Angeles County, the Greater Los Angeles MFT Consortium, hosted by Phillips at Campbellsville University, partners with the L.A. County Department of Mental Health (DMH) to support stipend programs for students preparing to serve in the public mental health system.

MFT Leadership Collaborative:

The MFT Leadership Collaborative is a statewide network of regional consortium hosts working together to support MFT education and public mental health service. Facilitated by Phillips, the collaborative promotes integrity in training and engagement with local and state-level mental health initiatives.In 2008, the collaborative helped secure state funding to offer educational stipends to MFT students committed to serving underrepresented communities. Though the state stipend program concluded in 2018, it awarded 812 stipends across 40 counties during its tenure.

Members of the MFT Leadership Collaborative: 

MFT Consortium of Greater Sacramento

Host: Paul Jenkins, Ph.D., National University, Sacramento, Pjenkins@nu.edu

MFT Consortium of the Bay Area

Hosts: Tiffany O’Shaughnessy, Ph.D., San Francisco State University, taosh@sfsu.edu & Lisa De La Rue, Ph.D., University of San Francisco, ldelarue@usfca.edu

MFT Consortium of the Central Valley

Host: Barbara C. Burt, Psy.D., University of Phoenix, Barbara.burt@phoenix.edu

MFT Consortium of the Central Coast

Host: Rachele Moskowitz, MA, Antioch University, Santa Barbara rmoskowitz@antioch.edu

MFT Consortium of the Inland Empire

Host: Diana Herweck, Psy.D. University of Phoenix, diana.herweck@phoenix.edu

MFT Consortium of Greater Los Angeles

Hosts: José Luis Flores, M.A., Phillips at Campbellsville University jlflores@campbellsville.edu & Michele Shepherd, M.A., San Fernando Valley CMH, Inc. mshepherd@sfvcmhc.org

MFT Consortium of Orange County  

Hosts: Mary Read, Ph.D., CSU, Fullerton mread@fullerton.edu & Kathleen Wenger, M.A., Pepperdine University, Irvine kathleen.wenger@pepperdine.edu

MFT Consortium of San Diego & Imperial Counties Central Coast

Host: Julie Hayden, Psy.D., Rhombus University gorhombus@gmail.com

Additional MFT Leadership Collaborative Members: Cathy Atkins, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, catkins@camft.org & Olivia Loewy, Ph.D., Olivia Loewy & Associates, olivia@olivialoewy.com

Review the Annual Report, SY 2019-2020. 

The MMFT Program supports and respects the dignity of every individual and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, relationship status, gender identity, socioeconomic status, disability, health status, religious or spiritual belief, religious or spiritual affiliation, or national origin in any of our activities or policies relating to students, faculty, instructors, supervisors, and staff.

The MMFT Program seeks to promote mutual respect and the understanding of diverse perspectives among students, faculty, and staff. The program seeks to address the needs of populations who are underrepresented while striving to provide access and support for all students, faculty, and staff in ways that are culturally relevant and responsible.