Marital and Family Therapy Program

Online Application:

• The University of San Diego Graduate School Admission Application and $45 application fee

  • Upload the following to submit your online application
    • Statement of Purpose
    • Resume
    • Recommenders’ Contact Information

Transcripts:

Official transcript from the university where you earned your bachelor’s degree is required at the time of application.

Note:

• Official E-Transcripts are acceptable only if emailed to grads@sandiego.edu.
• Transcripts from study abroad courses and transfer credits are not required.

Degrees Earned Outside of the United States:

• Students who earned their bachelor’s or master’s degree from an institution outside the United States must submit a course-by-course degree evaluation conducted by World Education Services (WES) at the time of application.  
  • Applications for students educated outside the United States will not be considered complete nor can an admissions decision be made until this degree evaluation has been submitted.

Letters of Recommendation:

• A minimum of two professional letters of recommendation from professors or employers

Resume:

• A current resumé or curriculum vita

Statement of Purpose:

• 500-words maximum: Please include a brief narrative describing yourself, your career goals, and the importance of graduate study in marriage and family therapy at this point in your life. You may discuss influences on your intellectual development, educational and cultural opportunities (or lack of them) that have been available to you, and the ways in which these experiences have affected you. This should not be a recording of facts already listed on the application; it should give the Admissions Committee a better sense of who you are and why you are applying to the marriage and family therapy program at the University of San Diego. If you are in a graduate program at another university, please explain why you wish to leave.

English Proficiency Exam for International Applicants:

• Official score reports for the  Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)or the  International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required of all international applicants and may only be waived if English is the applicant’s primary language or if he or she obtained a bachelor’s degree in the U.S., Great Britain, Canada or Australia.
  • TOEFL minimum scores:
    • Internet-based test: 83
    • Computer-based test: 237
    • Paper-based test: 580
  • IELTS minimum score:
    • Band score 7

Education Requirements:

• Applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree prior to beginning the program. Applicants may apply prior to completing their bachelor's degree. In this case, please submit your most up-to-date transcripts, and if admitted, submit a second set of official transcripts after your degree is conferred.
• The minimum cumulative Grade Point Average is 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in all undergraduate and graduate coursework.

Experience Requirements:

Interview Requirements:

After an initial review of applications to the Marital and Family Therapy program, the most qualified candidates will be invited to USD for a group interview with the MFT faculty.

If Admitted:

• The program requires the three pre-requisite courses for students to enroll in their second semester of courses: (1) Human or Life Span Development, (2) Counseling or Personality Theories, and (3) Research Methods.
• Students who have not taken these courses in their undergraduate studies can complete these requirements by taking a course prior to beginning the program or during their first semester at USD, either through an online program or in a traditional classroom setting. 
  • An affordable option to fulfill this course work can be found at study.com