Fieldwork

The fieldwork process is an integral and mandatory part of the graduate program in Marriage and Family Therapy. It bridges the gap between classroom learning and the field. A traineeship provides an opportunity to begin putting into practice what you have learned with both the support of a practicum teacher at the university and a supervisor at your chosen field site.

Each student must find their own placement. Students can use this page to find an appropriate and fulfilling field site.

Fieldwork Requirements

600 Hours Fieldwork Requirement = Minimum of 500 Clinical Hours and 100 Supervision Hours

500 Clinical Hours Includes:

0-200+ Individual Therapy Hours (no minimum or maximum)

  • Individual therapy with adults and children

  • Process group therapy with individual adults or children

100+ Relational Hours (100 minimum)

  • Couple therapy

  • Family therapy

  • Process groups with couples or families

100 Alternative Hours (100 maximum)

  • Reflecting teams

  • Client-centered advocacy with families, social workers, other professionals, etc.

  • IEP or similar meetings.

  • Rape crisis accompaniments, suicide hotlines, and similar activities through Strength United or other approved site.

100 Supervision Hours Includes

  • Must include 50 hours of live supervision (audio, video, or observation in individual or group supervision format)

Approved Sites

The MFT program must “approve” a site before students can legally see clients as an MFT Trainee. There are two types of approved sites:

  • Comprehensive Sites: Sites that are able to provide all hour requirements for the degree

  • Hour-Specific Sites: Sites that are able able to provide only certain types of hours (e.g., individual but not relational).


Students may only work at sites that have a contract in good standing with the university. You can find a list of currently approved sites on your cohort's dedicated Canvas page.

MFT Trainee Regulations

What is the difference between an MFT Trainee and an MFT Associate?
An MFT Trainee is still in graduate school and completing his/her hours to fulfill a requirement both for school as well as for the BBS. Once a trainee has received a qualifying degree, he/she can apply to the BBS for an Associate number and begin working under the title MFT Associate.

How many hours should an MFT student expect to be working at his/her field site?
Students are expected to be at their field sites for 15-20 hours per week for a minimum of 15 months. This will vary based on the field site the student has chosen and their specific site requirements.

Can I begin work in a Private Practice setting without having an Associate registration number?
A private practice setting is a place of business that lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy and is owned by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed psychologist, a licensed physician, and surgeon, or a professional corporation of any of these professions. Trainees CANNOT work in a private practice setting. Registered Associates may be employed in a private practice setting.

Traineeship Timeline

YEAR ONE
Fall Semester

Apply for CSUN-affiliated sites if interested:

Spring Semester
1. Attend Spring Advising Session in Jan/Feb.
2. Apply and interview at field sites based on the approved list, available on the cohort's private Canvas page.

Before seeing clients, you must have:

1. Complete a formal Field Site Contract, which must be signed by your site and CSUN practicum instructor
2. Complete a BBS Supervisor Agreement Form

YEAR TWO
Summer & Fall Semester:
Begin fieldwork as negotiated at your site

Spring Semester

Continue at your same site. If you negotiated a contract for one year and finished all required hours, this is the earliest you could finish fieldwork. Most students continue through their third year

YEAR THREE
Fall and Spring Semesters

Finish fieldwork hours