Master’s in Counseling

Yes, a Master's program in Counseling is different. For California Master's programs in Counseling, the coursework revolves around fulfilling the requirements for state licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT). This means that most of the coursework is required, with room for a few electives, and specified internship hours are also required. Research is not emphasized in this type of program. Students work in practicum settings to develop their counseling skills. They must collect 3,000 hours of supervised counseling experience in order to qualify for the MFT licensing exam. Sometimes the internship hours are paid, sometimes they are not. Sonoma State offers a Master's in Counseling with MFT training.

Master's programs in Counseling also offer the Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPS). This credential is required to work as a counselor in the secondary schools. Obtaining the P.PS. credential requires an MA in an appropriate counseling program and passing the CBEST exam, a California exam required of all teachers and counselors. The Department of Counseling offers a Master's in Counseling with PPS training, as does St. Mary's. For a complete listing of graduate programs offering Master's degrees in school and educational counseling, see GradSchools.com School Counseling Graduate Programs: Masters and Phd Degrees.

Still other schools offer other specializations in counseling, such as emphases in college, career, and rehabilitation counseling. State universities such as San Francisco State and Sacramento State offer Master's programs with diverse specialization areas. San Jose State offers a Master's in Education with emphases in school counseling or adult counseling, as well as a Master's in Psychology with emphasis in Counseling. Gradschools.com has listings for Rehabilitation Counseling programs and substance abuse counseling.

The MFT (Marriage and Family Therapist) is a license that enables a Master's level therapist to practice unsupervised counseling and therapy, especially in private practice. The coursework in California Master's programs prepares students to take the California MFT licensing exam to be licensed as a practitioner in California. After individuals complete educational requirements involving coursework and training, and complete 3,000 hours of counseling internship, they take a written and an oral competency examination administered by the State of California. The exams are designed to be difficult and to have low pass rates. After passing both exams, an individual receives the MFT license.

Currently 48 of the 50 states offer some kind of license similar to the MFT Some states offer the license under the umbrella of the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). If you intend to move to another state, check the licensing requirements for that state. You may also want to acquire your Master's degree in the state in which you will sit for the license and be practicing. 

The MA, or Master of Arts, is an academic degree that the University awards after you complete a Master's Program. Some Counseling programs award an MS., or Master of Science, instead of an MA. Even with a Counseling MA or MS, you cannot practice as an independent, unsupervised counselor until you are licensed by the state. In California, the license for counselors is the Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) license. You can get more detailed information about the licensing process from the Counseling Department in Stevenson Hall 2110.

There is an MFT-oriented Master's program in the Counseling Department at Sonoma State, and also at San Francisco State, Sacramento State, San Jose State, Chico State, Dominican University of California, University of San Francisco, and St. Mary's.

Alternative Master's in Counseling programs include those at California Institute of Integral Studies, Pacifica Graduate Institute, and John F. Kennedy University.

For a complete listing of accredited California schools offering Master's level training toward the MFT, see this Board of Behavioral Sciences website. For a listing of graduate programs in marriage and family counseling, see Gradschools.com.

There are wide variations in coursework and in training. MFT therapists receive 2 years of required coursework, while PhD therapists receive from 2 to 6 years of coursework. By California law, only licensed clinical or counseling doctoral level practitioners can call themselves psychologists or clinical psychologists. Doctoral-level psychologists are trained in psychological testing and assessment, and often receive their clinical training in psychiatric facilities, where they are exposed to a broader range of treatment experiences than are MFT therapists. PhD psychologists often accumulate more post-MA internship hours than MFT therapists. They often have about 3,000 internship hours before they receive their doctorate, and then must collect 1,500 additional hours post-doctorally. MFT therapists often have more training in running therapy groups and support groups.

Many MFT therapists go on post-license to receive training and supervision in numerous areas of counseling and psychotherapy. MFT therapists work in clinic settings, run therapy groups, do forensic work, and work in many types of mental health settings. Many MFT therapists hold different positions to round out their private practice. For example, they may have a private psychotherapy practice, do some consulting around a specialty topic area, supervise the training of intern therapists, conduct groups, conduct training workshops in specialty topic areas, or work in community mental health settings.

Currently the MFT license is found in 48 of the 50 states, sometimes under the umbrella of the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Each state has their own licensing requirements, which you should be familiar with if you will not be practicing in California. The licensing requirements for clinical psychologists also vary by state, so you should check state licensing requirements if you will not be practicing in California.

In today's market of managed health care, PhD level psychologists are more recognized by health insurers and HMOs, have more privileges in the area of testing and assessment, and receive higher per-session fees. They are also more competitive in receiving teaching posts at colleges and universities.