Alliant International University, now presented on current university pages as Alliant University, offers counseling-related education across three primary professional tracks: clinical mental health counseling, marital and family therapy, and school counseling. Its broader portfolio also includes peer counseling and supplemental mental health training. The broader California counseling schools directory provides additional institution-level options for comparison.
The differences among these programs are substantial. The MA in Clinical Counseling is aligned with California’s Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor pathway. The marital and family therapy degrees focus on systemic and relational practice, with different licensure implications for the master’s, post-baccalaureate doctoral, and post-master’s doctoral routes. The school counseling programs prepare candidates for California’s Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Counseling rather than an LPCC or LMFT license.
Alliant is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. WSCUC lists the main campus in San Diego and active California locations in Fresno, Irvine, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Individual counseling programs have additional forms of accreditation or state approval, including CACREP accreditation, COAMFTE accreditation, and California Commission on Teacher Credentialing approval.
This profile covers nine verified counseling-related offerings. It does not include Alliant’s clinical psychology, school psychology, or social work programs because those prepare graduates for separate professions and regulatory pathways.
Alliant counseling programs at a glance
| Program | Current format | Primary professional objective | Published 2026 tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| MA in Clinical Counseling | Online coursework with two required California residencies | California LPCC preparation | $850 per unit |
| MA in Marital and Family Therapy | Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, or online | California LMFT preparation, with an identified LPCC pathway | $1,463 per unit on campus; $1,135 online |
| PsyD in Marital and Family Therapy | Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, or online | Advanced MFT practice; initial licensure preparation through the 114-credit route | $1,463 per unit |
| PhD in Marital and Family Therapy | Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, or online | Advanced MFT research, leadership, and clinical preparation | $1,463 per unit |
| MAE in School Counseling with PPS Credential | Online courses with in-person K-12 fieldwork | California PPS School Counseling Credential | $894 per unit |
| EdS in School Counseling with PPS Credential | Online courses with in-person K-12 fieldwork | California PPS School Counseling Credential plus specialist-level study | $894 per unit |
| PPS School Counseling Credential | Online courses, school-site fieldwork, and limited residency meetings | Credential-only preparation for master’s-trained professionals | Program-specific rate not isolated in the tuition table |
| Certificate in Peer Counseling | Online | Peer counseling and support skills, not clinical licensure | $267 per unit |
| Certificate in LGBT Human Services and Mental Health | Current format not specified in reviewed materials | Supplemental competency development for clinicians and trainees | $1,463 per unit |
The listed rates exclude university fees, books, residency travel, fieldwork expenses, and future tuition changes. A per-unit rate also does not reveal total cost unless the current credit requirement is known.
MA in Clinical Counseling
The MA in Clinical Counseling is Alliant’s most direct route for applicants pursuing the California LPCC pathway. It is a 60-credit program delivered online, but it is not entirely remote: students must attend two residencies in California.
The curriculum covers clinical assessment and diagnosis, individual and group counseling, couples and family work, multicultural counseling, crisis and trauma, substance-use concerns, disability, ethics, and California professional practice. Students complete 700 hours of clinical experience, including at least 280 hours of directly supervised clinical work.
Alliant presents the degree as meeting California’s educational requirements for LPCC preparation. The program is also accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs as a Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialty. CACREP identifies Fresno and digitally delivered as accredited locations and lists an accreditation expiration date of October 31, 2030. Current university materials describe new-student delivery as online with California residencies, so Fresno is best understood here as part of the accreditation record rather than a confirmed current campus intake option.
Graduation is an educational milestone, not the LPCC license itself. Graduates pursuing practice in California ordinarily move into the Associate Professional Clinical Counselor stage and complete the Board of Behavioral Sciences’ supervised-experience, examination, and licensing requirements. The California APCC requirements and LPCC licensing guide explain those post-degree stages.
At the published 2026 rate of $850 per unit, 60 credits produce a base tuition figure of $51,000 before fees, residency travel, books, and other expenses. Eight-week terms are scheduled to begin in fall 2026, with cohorts starting in January, May, and August. This structure favors applicants seeking online coursework and a clearly defined clinical counseling curriculum, provided that two California residencies and clinical placement obligations fit their plans.
MA in Marital and Family Therapy
The MA in Marital and Family Therapy centers on relationships, couples, families, and systemic treatment. It is available at Alliant’s Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego locations and through an online pathway.
Coursework addresses MFT theories and techniques, couples therapy, parent-child therapy, family systems, group therapy, sex therapy, trauma and crisis intervention, behavioral science, diversity, ethics, and clinical practice. Training includes 300 direct-client-contact hours, at least 100 supervision hours, and at least 100 professional-development hours. Alliant reports that total applicable experience can range from 600 to 1,300 hours.
Alliant identifies both the campus and online MA pathways as accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education. COAMFTE programmatic accreditation is separate from Alliant’s WSCUC institutional accreditation and from eventual California licensure.
The degree is designed for California LMFT preparation and also identifies an LPCC-related pathway. Those are distinct licenses with separate statutory and post-degree requirements. Graduates seeking the LMFT route generally proceed through Associate Marriage and Family Therapist registration before completing the remaining experience and examination requirements. The California AMFT guide explains that transition, while the broader LMFT licensing guide covers the full California process.
The published 2026 tuition rate is $1,135 per unit for the online MA and $1,463 per unit for the campus program. That pricing difference gives the online route a lower listed per-unit cost, although clinical training remains a major time commitment regardless of course delivery.
Compared with the Clinical Counseling MA, this degree is more specifically organized around relational and family systems practice. Applicants deciding between them can start with intended professional identity: the Clinical Counseling MA directly emphasizes clinical mental health counseling and LPCC preparation, while the MFT MA places couples, families, and systemic intervention at the center of training.
PsyD in Marital and Family Therapy
Alliant’s PsyD in Marital and Family Therapy is available through two substantially different entry routes:
- A 114-credit post-baccalaureate pathway
- A 69-credit post-master’s pathway
The program is offered in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego and online. Its curriculum covers advanced systemic and relational assessment, diagnosis, intervention, clinical supervision, multicultural practice, leadership, research, and professional development.
The 114-credit pathway incorporates clinical practice and is identified by Alliant as licensure-leading in California. Its standard full-time completion period is five years. The 69-credit option is advanced doctoral study for applicants with relevant master’s-level preparation. Alliant’s regulatory disclosure explicitly identifies that post-master’s route as not independently leading to licensure or certification.
That division is central to interpreting the PsyD. A bachelor’s-level entrant seeking initial MFT licensure preparation is looking at the 114-credit curriculum. A licensed or master’s-trained practitioner seeking doctoral development may fit the 69-credit route, but that route is not a substitute for an initial qualifying clinical degree.
Alliant identifies the PsyD as COAMFTE accredited. The COAMFTE notice-of-actions directory lists applicable Alliant MFT accreditation actions and a fall 2027 next review. The listed programs were renewed with stipulations. Admissions resumed in summer 2026 after being paused for fall 2025 and spring 2026, and the next published start is August 23, 2027.
At $1,463 per unit on the 2026 schedule, either doctoral route represents a substantial financial commitment. The appropriate comparison is not simply master’s versus doctorate. It is initial licensure preparation versus advanced post-master’s education, together with the professional value of a practice-oriented doctorate.
PhD in Marital and Family Therapy
The PhD in Marital and Family Therapy uses the same broad entry structure as the PsyD: a 114-credit post-baccalaureate pathway and a 69-credit post-master’s pathway. It is offered in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego and online.
Its curriculum gives greater attention to systemic and relational research, qualitative and quantitative methods, clinical leadership, and dissertation work. Advanced MFT theory, couples therapy, diversity, sex therapy, and psychopharmacology are also included.
The 114-credit route contains 300 direct-client-contact hours, more than 100 supervision hours, and at least 100 professional-development hours. Alliant describes this pathway as meeting California licensure education requirements. The 69-credit post-master’s route is designed for advanced preparation and does not independently lead to licensure or certification.
Current Alliant materials state that the PhD is seeking COAMFTE accreditation. It must not be grouped with the currently COAMFTE-accredited MA and PsyD. Some university language and broader accreditation listings create ambiguity, but Alliant’s program-specific portfolio and PhD achievement disclosure identify accreditation as in process.
Alliant estimates about five years for the 114-credit route and approximately three years for the 69-credit route. Both are listed at $1,463 per unit on the 2026 tuition schedule. The PhD is the more research-intensive choice within Alliant’s MFT portfolio, especially for applicants interested in scholarship, program evaluation, leadership, or doctoral-level teaching in addition to advanced clinical study.
MAE in School Counseling with PPS Credential
The MAE combines a graduate degree with preparation for California’s Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Counseling. Coursework is online, while fieldwork takes place in person at approved K-12 school sites.
Candidates complete at least 900 supervised fieldwork hours:
- 100 practicum hours
- 800 internship hours
The curriculum includes child development, school safety, crisis prevention, advocacy, equity, social-emotional development, ethics, legal mandates, individual and group counseling, career development, and program evaluation.
This is a school-counselor credential pathway, not an LPCC or LMFT degree. The professional objective is service in California educational settings under the PPS School Counseling Credential. Readers comparing these roles can use the California school counselor credential guide to understand the state’s education, fieldwork, and credential framework.
Alliant’s program is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. A June 2024 CTC review found the school counseling standards met, with the clinical-practice standard rated “met with concerns.” That finding did not remove the program’s approval, but it belongs in an accurate account of the most recent reviewed evidence.
The 2026 tuition schedule lists $894 per unit. Although the academic courses are online, the 900 fieldwork hours create a schedule closer to a school-based professional preparation program than a fully location-independent online degree. Fieldwork generally occurs during regular school hours.
EdS in School Counseling with PPS Credential
The 70-credit EdS provides specialist-level school counseling study alongside preparation for the California PPS School Counseling Credential. Alliant states a minimum completion time of three years over 13 terms.
Coursework is online, with substantial in-person field experience at K-12 sites. The curriculum addresses school counseling, educational leadership, group counseling, adolescent behavior, program evaluation, crisis intervention, consultation, research, school systems, and professional counseling. A school-based mental health emphasis gives the degree a broader specialist orientation than a basic credential-only sequence.
The published 2026 rate is $894 per unit. At 70 credits, that produces base tuition of $62,580 before fees, books, fieldwork expenses, and future rate changes.
Current admissions information contains an unresolved inconsistency. One section states that applicants with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution may enter, while an FAQ characterizes the EdS as post-master’s study. The reviewed official materials do not establish one uniform entry rule. That uncertainty affects whether the EdS functions as a direct post-baccalaureate path or a specialist credential for candidates who already hold graduate preparation.
PPS School Counseling Credential-Only Program
Alliant’s credential-only route serves applicants who already hold a related master’s degree and need the coursework and field experience required for recommendation for California’s PPS School Counseling Credential.
The 49-credit program has a stated minimum completion time of two years over 11 terms. It includes online coursework, school-site practicum and internship experiences, and limited one-day residency meetings that may take place online or at a California campus.
Candidates complete 100 practicum hours and 800 internship hours. Coursework covers school counseling practice, academic and career development, crisis intervention, consultation, advocacy, ethics, family and community collaboration, data-based decision-making, and counseling techniques.
Relevant prior graduate fields can include counseling, marriage and family therapy, counseling psychology, psychology, education, and special education, subject to Alliant’s transcript and transfer-credit evaluation.
This route avoids repeating an entire master’s degree for an appropriately prepared graduate. It does not convert an existing clinical license into a school credential by itself; it provides a CTC-approved school counseling preparation sequence with extensive school-site practice. The current tuition table does not isolate a program-specific per-unit rate for this credential, so applying the MAE or EdS rate would be an unsupported estimate.
Supplemental counseling and mental health certificates
Certificate in Peer Counseling
The online Certificate in Peer Counseling covers rapport, active listening, ethical boundaries, confidentiality, advocacy, group facilitation, life skills, referrals, crisis response, mental health first aid, trauma-informed care, substance-use concerns, and work with specialized populations. Applied training includes case studies and simulations.
Alliant lists tuition at $267 per unit for 2026. Certificate credits can be applied to specified Alliant forensic behavioral science master’s study.
This is academic peer-counseling training. It does not confer LPCC, LMFT, APCC, or AMFT status, and it is not presented as California Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification. Its practical value is narrower: structured skill development for peer-support and related service roles.
Certificate in LGBT Human Services and Mental Health
The Certificate in LGBT Human Services and Mental Health develops competencies for serving LGBTQIA+ individuals, couples, and families. Current Alliant records describe content involving multicultural and intersecting identities, historical and cultural influences, assessment and treatment issues, advanced electives, and applied service experience.
Eligibility is tied to concurrent enrollment in an Alliant graduate or doctoral program and satisfaction of California School of Professional Psychology admission requirements. Alliant’s licensure disclosure states that the certificate does not lead to licensure or certification.
The 2026 tuition schedule lists $1,463 per unit. Current official records establish that the certificate remains an offering, but the reviewed materials do not specify its current delivery format or fully document the present curriculum and practice sequence. It is best understood as supplemental clinician training rather than an independent counseling qualification.
How to choose among Alliant’s counseling pathways
Begin with the professional endpoint.
The MA in Clinical Counseling provides the clearest Alliant route toward LPCC practice. It combines CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counseling coursework, 700 clinical-experience hours, and online delivery with two California residencies.
The MA in Marital and Family Therapy is the direct master’s-level choice for relational and family systems practice. Its clinical requirements and COAMFTE accreditation support an LMFT-oriented education, while Alliant also identifies an LPCC-related pathway.
The PsyD and PhD require a different analysis. Their 114-credit post-baccalaureate routes include initial licensure-oriented education, while the 69-credit post-master’s routes are advanced degrees that do not independently lead to licensure. Between the doctorates, the PsyD emphasizes advanced professional practice, while the PhD places greater weight on research and dissertation work. The PsyD is currently identified as COAMFTE accredited; the PhD is seeking that accreditation.
The MAE, EdS, and credential-only school counseling programs all lead toward the PPS School Counseling Credential. Their online coursework does not eliminate in-person obligations. Each requires extensive K-12 fieldwork, and the MAE and credential-only routes specify 900 total practicum and internship hours.
Finally, the peer counseling and LGBT mental health certificates are supplemental pathways. Neither replaces a qualifying graduate degree for LPCC or LMFT licensure, and neither confers the PPS School Counseling Credential. They fit applicants seeking targeted competencies rather than a new clinical license.
Alliant’s portfolio supports several distinct career plans, but the correct program follows from the regulator governing the intended role: the Board of Behavioral Sciences for LPCC and LMFT pathways, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing for school counseling, or a non-licensure training objective for the certificate programs. That career-first comparison is more useful than choosing by degree title alone.