Child and adolescent counseling requires more than a general understanding of psychotherapy. Clinicians working with younger clients need training in development, family systems, assessment, trauma, school environments, caregiver involvement, legal and ethical issues, and interventions that are appropriate for a child’s age and developmental stage.
California does not issue a separate state license called “child and adolescent counselor.” Clinicians who provide psychotherapy to children and teens typically enter practice through another professional license, most commonly Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). School counselors follow a different pathway through the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) School Counseling Credential.
That makes degree selection especially important. A program can have strong youth-focused coursework but lead toward a different professional credential than another program with a similar title.
This ranking prioritizes California graduate programs with a real child or adolescent specialization, concentration, emphasis, required youth-treatment coursework, or substantial clinical preparation with children and families. The first three programs have the clearest dedicated youth focus. The remaining programs are broader clinical degrees with meaningful child and adolescent training.
Students still comparing degree types can also review the broader counseling degree types available in California.
Best Child and Adolescent Counseling Programs in California at a Glance
| Rank | School and program | Child/adolescent focus | Main California pathway | Format / length | Current cost reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Azusa Pacific University, M.S. Counseling Psychology with Specialization in Children and Adolescents | Entire 60-unit degree is youth-focused; optional Play Therapy Certificate | LPCC | Synchronous online; 60 semester units | Official APU pages currently list $800-$815 per unit; program page lists $48,900 base cost |
| 2 | Santa Clara University, M.A. Counseling Psychology with Child and Adolescent Mental Health concentration | Eight-course concentration covering infancy through adolescence | MFT, LPCC, or joint MFT/LPCC | 90+ quarter units | $816 per quarter unit |
| 3 | Antioch University Los Angeles, M.A. Clinical Psychology, Child Studies Specialization | 17-credit specialization; at least 50% of clinical training hours with children/adolescents | MFT; PCC/LPCC coursework can be added | 90 quarter credits; in-person or low-residency options | $956 per quarter credit |
| 4 | Palo Alto University, M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Marriage, Family and Child Counseling emphasis | MFCC emphasis includes child/adolescent counseling and family systems | MFT + LPCC | Online or hybrid; approximately 9 quarters | $717 per quarter unit including per-unit fees |
| 5 | CSU Northridge, M.S. Marriage and Family Therapy | Required Therapy with Children, Adolescents, and Their Families course plus youth-focused fieldwork options | LMFT + LPCC | 72 semester units, about 2.5-3 years | About $10,038 for two full-time resident semesters in 2026-27 |
| 6 | Pepperdine University, M.A. Clinical Psychology with MFT emphasis | Required Clinical Interventions with Children and Adolescents course; youth training opportunities | LMFT + LPCC | 60-66 units; daytime, evening, or online formats | Evening format: $1,655 per unit; daytime: $2,060 per unit |
| 7 | University of San Francisco, M.A. Counseling Psychology, MFT Concentration | Required Child and Adolescent Development plus school/community fieldwork | LMFT + LPCC education | 60 semester units; 2- or 3-year formats | $1,350 per unit; about $81,000 at current rate |
Costs are planning references, not guaranteed total degree prices. Tuition can change during enrollment, and clinical programs may also involve fees, transportation, books, personal therapy, background checks, practicum expenses, and reduced paid work hours.
How We Ranked California Child and Adolescent Counseling Programs
There is no standardized dataset that supports a credible mathematical ranking formula for youth counseling programs. This ranking is editorial.
The strongest weight went to programs where child and adolescent mental health is a defined specialization rather than a single elective. We also considered:
- required coursework in child and adolescent development
- therapy methods designed specifically for younger clients
- training in family and caregiver involvement
- play therapy or other developmentally appropriate approaches
- child and adolescent assessment
- trauma-informed care
- school-based mental health preparation
- clinical fieldwork with children, adolescents, or families
- California LPCC or LMFT alignment
- current programmatic accreditation
- program length and format
- current tuition
Programmatic accreditation is identified only when it applies to the exact program. Institutional accreditation and specialized counseling accreditation are not treated as the same thing.
What Should a Child and Adolescent Counseling Program Teach?
Youth counseling is not adult therapy delivered to younger clients.
A strong curriculum should address how mental health symptoms can look different across developmental stages and how treatment changes when parents, caregivers, schools, child welfare agencies, or other systems are involved.
Useful areas of preparation include:
- infant, child, and adolescent development
- developmental psychopathology
- child and adolescent diagnosis
- family systems
- parent and caregiver consultation
- trauma and adverse childhood experiences
- child abuse assessment and reporting
- suicide and self-harm risk
- play therapy
- cognitive behavioral interventions for youth
- expressive therapies
- school-based mental health
- neurodiversity and disability
- foster care and adoption
- substance use among adolescents
- legal and ethical issues involving minors
Programs do not need to cover every area equally, but a prospective youth therapist should look for more than a general lifespan development course.
1. Azusa Pacific University M.S. in Counseling Psychology with Specialization in Children and Adolescents
Azusa Pacific earns the top position because child and adolescent counseling is built into the identity of the degree rather than added as a small concentration to a general clinical program.
The 60-unit M.S. in Counseling Psychology with Specialization in Children and Adolescents is designed specifically to prepare clinicians to address the mental health needs of children and youth. APU states that graduates are prepared to pursue California LPCC licensure.
Youth Mental Health Is the Core Focus
APU describes the program around child and adolescent treatment rather than general adult counseling.
Training includes areas such as:
- evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents
- youth substance use
- childhood trauma recovery
- assessment and treatment planning
- child and youth development
- field experience with clinical populations
The degree is offered online through synchronous Zoom classes in fall and spring, so students attend live courses rather than completing a fully asynchronous curriculum.
Full-time and part-time options are available.
Optional Play Therapy Certificate
APU also offers a nine-unit Play Therapy Certificate that can be added to the graduate experience.
The certificate is taught by Registered Play Therapists and covers development, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, psychoeducation, and prevention interventions for children and youth.
APU states that the certificate’s instructional hours are designed to meet the Association for Play Therapy education requirement toward Registered Play Therapist or Registered Play Therapist Supervisor credentials. Completing coursework alone does not confer RPT status; applicants must also satisfy the Association for Play Therapy’s other credential requirements.
For a student planning to work primarily with younger children, that optional training provides a more specific clinical skill set than a standard counseling master’s.
LPCC Preparation and Accreditation
APU identifies this program as meeting California’s educational requirements for LPCC preparation.
California LPCC licensure requires additional steps after graduation, including APCC registration, supervised experience, the California Law and Ethics Examination, and the NCMHCE. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences currently requires 3,000 supervised hours over at least 104 weeks.
Azusa Pacific University is institutionally accredited by WSCUC. The M.S. in Counseling Psychology with Specialization in Children and Adolescents is not currently identified as a CACREP-accredited program.
APU Tuition Has a Current Discrepancy
APU’s official pages currently show two different 2026-27 tuition figures.
The main program page lists:
- 60 units
- $815 per unit
- $48,900 base cost
APU’s central Graduate and Professional Tuition page lists the same program at $800 per unit.
Because both are official university sources, prospective students should confirm the rate that will apply to their entering cohort rather than assuming either figure is definitive.
Best fit: students who want an LPCC-oriented degree built specifically around children and adolescents, especially those interested in play therapy.
2. Santa Clara University M.A. in Counseling Psychology with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Concentration
Santa Clara University offers one of the most extensive child and adolescent concentrations in a California counseling psychology master’s.
The M.A. in Counseling Psychology is a 90-quarter-unit degree. Students can pursue MFT, LPCC, or joint MFT/LPCC preparation and add the Child and Adolescent Mental Health concentration.
Eight Courses Focused on Youth
Santa Clara’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health concentration requires eight specialized courses.
The current concentration includes study in areas such as:
- counseling adolescents
- family therapy
- therapeutic interventions with children
- early childhood and infant mental health
- working with parents in child and adolescent therapy
- child diagnosis and clinical assessment
- school-based mental health
The university describes the concentration as preparation for work with children, teens, young adults, caregivers, schools, and communities.
The approach includes developmentally appropriate interventions, trauma-informed treatment, short-term therapies, cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy, expressive arts, and family therapy.
That breadth is a major reason the program ranks near the top.
Several California Licensure Tracks
Santa Clara’s Counseling Psychology program offers separate MFT and LPCC tracks as well as a joint MFT/LPCC option.
The 90-unit base program can support either license pathway. Students combining the joint MFT/LPCC track with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health concentration currently need approximately 91.5 quarter units to fit all required coursework.
Those licenses remain separate. Graduates still need to complete the supervised experience, registration, examination, and application requirements associated with the license they pursue.
Current Tuition
For 2026-27, Santa Clara lists Counseling Psychology tuition at $816 per quarter unit plus a $55 Graduate Student Association fee each term.
At the current rate:
| Curriculum | Current-rate tuition calculation |
|---|---|
| 90 quarter units | About $73,440 |
| 91.5 quarter units | About $74,664 |
These are simple calculations using the current tuition rate and do not include term fees or future increases.
Santa Clara is more expensive than a CSU program, but the concentration includes substantially more dedicated child and adolescent coursework than most general MFT or LPCC degrees.
Best fit: students seeking extensive child and adolescent coursework while preserving MFT, LPCC, or dual-license options.
3. Antioch University Los Angeles M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Child Studies Specialization
Antioch University Los Angeles has offered its Child Studies Specialization since 1999. The program approaches youth mental health through the child’s broader environment, including family, peers, school, culture, neighborhood, and community.
The M.A. in Clinical Psychology requires 90 quarter credits. The Child Studies specialization adds a defined 17-credit sequence within that degree.
At Least Half of Clinical Training Is With Youth
Antioch requires Child Studies students to complete their clinical training at an approved site where at least 50% of their clinical training hours are spent directly with children or adolescents, either individually or through family therapy.
That requirement gives the specialization unusually strong alignment between classroom study and practicum.
The specialization coursework includes:
- Developmental Psychopathology I: Diagnosis
- Developmental Psychopathology II: Intervention
- Brain and Behavior: The Child
- Cross-Cultural Infant Observation
- Child Advocacy and Social Policy
- Child Studies electives
Additional workshops and electives can address play therapy, art therapy, foster care and adoption, attachment, parenting, trauma, eating disorders, sexual development, and evidence-based practice.
MFT Preparation With an LPCC Option
Antioch’s Clinical Psychology M.A. is designed around California MFT educational requirements.
Students who want Professional Clinical Counselor preparation can add the PCC track and the additional coursework associated with that route.
The Child Studies program page describes its students as preparing for MFT and LPCC careers, but applicants should verify the exact track they need rather than assuming the base 90-quarter-credit plan automatically includes every PCC requirement.
Cost and Time
Antioch’s 2025-26 catalog lists the Child Studies degree at 90 quarter credits with a standard completion time of 48 months. The university also offers low-residency and full-time options that can affect the schedule.
For 2026-27, Antioch University Los Angeles lists Clinical Psychology tuition at $956 per quarter credit.
A 90-credit calculation at the current rate is approximately $86,040 before quarterly fees and future increases.
The price is high compared with public programs, but the required youth-specific clinical placement is more intensive than what many general counseling degrees guarantee.
Best fit: students who want a dedicated child studies curriculum and substantial practicum experience with children and adolescents.
4. Palo Alto University M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Marriage, Family and Child Counseling Emphasis
Palo Alto University combines a CACREP-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree with a Marriage, Family and Child Counseling emphasis that adds preparation for work with couples, families, and younger clients.
The university offers both online and hybrid formats, generally designed for completion in about nine quarters.
Family and Child Preparation Within a CMHC Degree
The MFCC emphasis includes additional family-system and child-focused content beyond the standard Clinical Mental Health Counseling curriculum.
Current course sequences include Child and Adolescent Counseling alongside Family Systems Theory, Couples Counseling, crisis and trauma training, diagnosis, assessment, and practicum.
PAU states that the MFCC emphasis meets California educational requirements for MFT licensure and can also support dual MFT/LPCC preparation.
That makes it a useful option for someone who wants a nationally accredited clinical mental health counseling foundation while adding family and youth practice.
Read the CACREP Status Carefully
Palo Alto University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialty is currently CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2033.
The Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling specialty previously held separate CACREP accreditation, but CACREP records show that accreditation ended in 2025.
PAU’s current program page therefore makes an important distinction: the CMHC degree is CACREP-accredited, while the Marriage, Family and Child Counseling emphasis content itself is outside the scope of the current CACREP accreditation.
Applicants should not describe the MFCC emphasis as independently CACREP-accredited.
700 Hours of Field Experience
PAU requires at least 700 hours of practicum and internship experience, including at least 280 face-to-face client hours.
The university lists past fieldwork settings that include school districts and teen counseling centers, along with community mental health agencies and hospitals.
Students can work with the clinical training team to identify placements that align with their interests, but a youth-only placement is not guaranteed.
For 2026-27, new master’s students pay $652 per quarter unit in tuition plus $65 per-unit fees, or $717 per unit combined. Online students also pay residency fees for required in-person training experiences.
Best fit: students who want flexible online or hybrid study, a CACREP-accredited CMHC foundation, and an MFT/LPCC route that includes family and child counseling.
5. CSU Northridge M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy
CSU Northridge does not offer a separate child and adolescent concentration, but its MFT curriculum includes unusually explicit youth treatment training for a public university program.
The 72-unit M.S. prepares graduates for both LMFT and LPCC licensure in California and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.
A Required Course Devoted to Children and Adolescents
All MFT students take Therapy with Children, Adolescents, and Their Families.
The course addresses:
- evidence-based treatment for childhood disorders
- assessment
- play and child therapy
- child abuse treatment
- domestic violence
- self-harm and suicide interventions
- resilience
- diversity
- systemic treatment of youth and families
CSUN’s program description also identifies children and adolescents as one of the curriculum’s foundational areas of specialization.
The program’s child and adolescent faculty include clinicians with experience in infant and early-childhood mental health, parent-child relationships, trauma, foster placement, neurodiversity, and culturally responsive youth treatment.
Extensive Practicum and Fieldwork
The curriculum includes 17 units of practicum and fieldwork.
Students begin practicum preparation in the first year and move into intensive community placements during the second year. Potential training environments include public and community mental health agencies, schools, and other mental health settings.
The university does not promise that every student will receive a child-focused placement, so applicants planning to specialize in youth should ask how placements are assigned and which current sites serve children and adolescents.
Public Tuition and COAMFTE Accreditation
CSUN’s MFT program is COAMFTE-accredited, with COAMFTE’s current actions listing its next accreditation review for spring 2030.
For 2026-27, CSUN lists full-time graduate tuition and mandatory fees at $5,019 per semester, or about $10,038 for fall and spring.
The 72-unit curriculum is longer than many private MFT programs, but the public tuition makes it substantially less expensive for California residents.
Best fit: students seeking a lower-cost, COAMFTE-accredited MFT degree with required child and adolescent treatment training.
6. Pepperdine University M.A. in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy
Pepperdine’s MFT curriculum includes a required course in Clinical Interventions with Children and Adolescents across its major clinical formats.
The program is broader than the dedicated youth specializations at APU, Santa Clara, and Antioch, but child and adolescent treatment is a required part of the clinical curriculum rather than an optional elective.
Clinical Interventions With Children and Adolescents
PSY 668 examines issues specific to treating younger clients, including:
- legal and ethical concerns
- child and adolescent assessment
- theoretical approaches to youth treatment
- common childhood mental health conditions
- evidence-based interventions
- parent and family involvement
- contextual factors affecting treatment
Students also complete coursework in trauma, family therapy, diagnosis, multicultural counseling, and practicum.
The daytime format places the child and adolescent course in the first year, while evening students complete it within the core clinical sequence.
Youth-Focused Training Opportunities
Pepperdine also operates PRYDE, a Graduate School of Education and Psychology program that provides services to children, adolescents, and parents through Orange County locations, including schools and public safety partnerships.
PRYDE offers practicum and post-graduate training positions for eligible psychology, MFT, social work, and related trainees. Availability is competitive and should not be treated as a guaranteed placement for every Pepperdine student.
The program nevertheless gives youth-focused students another potential avenue for supervised work beyond the standard curriculum.
Format and Tuition
Pepperdine offers several MFT formats.
The daytime program can be completed in two academic years. Evening formats are available at locations including West Los Angeles, Irvine, and Calabasas, and an online version is also available.
For 2026-27, Pepperdine lists:
- $2,060 per unit for the daytime MFT format
- $1,655 per unit for the evening MFT format
The evening curriculum generally requires 60 to 66 units depending on foundation-course waivers and the student’s plan.
Pepperdine states that the California curriculum supports both LMFT and LPCC educational preparation. The university is institutionally accredited by WSCUC; the master’s MFT program does not currently advertise CACREP or COAMFTE accreditation.
Best fit: students who want multiple delivery formats and required youth-treatment coursework within a broader MFT/LPCC curriculum.
7. University of San Francisco M.A. Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy Concentration
The University of San Francisco’s 60-unit MFT concentration is not a child and adolescent specialty, but youth and family work appears throughout the curriculum and field-training model.
Students can study at the San Francisco campus or at regional locations in Sacramento, Santa Rosa, the South Bay, and the East Bay.
Child Development and School-Based Training
The required curriculum includes Child and Adolescent Development early in the program.
Students also complete family systems therapy, trauma and crisis counseling, assessment, psychopathology, community mental health, and supervised clinical fieldwork.
During the final year, USF places students with community-based and school-based partners. That creates opportunities for work with children, adolescents, and families, although the university does not guarantee a youth-only placement.
The program’s community mental health orientation may be especially relevant to students interested in school-based services, county behavioral health, nonprofit youth programs, or other public-sector settings.
LMFT and LPCC Preparation
USF states that its Counseling Psychology MFT curriculum is consistent with California BBS educational requirements for both MFT and Professional Clinical Counselor preparation.
Students should still confirm the exact fieldwork and registration requirements for the license they intend to pursue.
The program does not currently advertise CACREP or COAMFTE accreditation. USF is institutionally accredited by WSCUC.
Two-Year and Three-Year Options
The San Francisco campus offers an intensive two-year format as well as a less compressed three-year sequence. Regional campuses generally use a three-year working-adult schedule.
For 2026-27, USF lists tuition at $1,350 per unit.
Across 60 units, the current-rate tuition estimate is approximately $81,000 before fees and future increases.
Best fit: students interested in community and school-based youth mental health who want a Bay Area MFT/LPCC curriculum with several location options.
Child and Adolescent Counselor Is Not a Separate California License
California’s Board of Behavioral Sciences does not issue a license specifically titled child counselor, adolescent counselor, or child and adolescent therapist.
The professional license depends on the graduate degree and statutory pathway.
LPCC
LPCCs provide professional clinical counseling and may work with children and adolescents when their education, training, competence, and scope of practice support that work.
The BBS currently requires LPCC applicants to complete a qualifying graduate degree, register as an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, pass the applicable examinations, and complete 3,000 supervised hours over at least 104 weeks.
APU’s child and adolescent counseling psychology degree is built specifically around the LPCC route. Santa Clara, Palo Alto, CSUN, Pepperdine, and USF also provide LPCC-related paths depending on the selected curriculum.
LMFT
Marriage and family therapists are trained to work systemically with relationships and families, which can be especially relevant when treating children and adolescents.
California LMFT applicants need a qualifying master’s or doctoral degree meeting BBS requirements and must complete the registration, supervised experience, and examination stages that follow graduate school.
The BBS currently requires 3,000 supervised hours over at least 104 weeks.
Antioch’s Child Studies specialization is based within an MFT-oriented clinical psychology degree. Santa Clara, Palo Alto, CSUN, Pepperdine, and USF also provide MFT preparation.
PPS School Counseling Credential
The PPS School Counseling Credential is different from a clinical mental health license.
A PPS school counselor works within the educational system and focuses on academic development, college and career readiness, social-emotional development, attendance, crisis support, and related school counseling functions.
A clinician providing psychotherapy to children in a community mental health agency or private practice generally follows an LMFT, LPCC, LCSW, psychologist, or another clinical licensure route rather than relying on the PPS credential alone.
Does CACREP or COAMFTE Accreditation Help With Youth Counseling?
Specialized accreditation can be useful, but it does not create a child and adolescent specialty by itself.
CACREP accredits counselor education programs. Palo Alto University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is currently CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2033. Its Marriage, Family and Child Counseling emphasis is an additional emphasis within that degree and is not independently covered by the current CACREP accreditation.
COAMFTE accredits marriage and family therapy programs. CSU Northridge’s MFT program is COAMFTE-accredited.
APU, Santa Clara, Antioch, Pepperdine, and USF have institutionally accredited universities and California licensure-oriented curricula, but the programs discussed here should not be labeled CACREP- or COAMFTE-accredited unless the applicable accreditor lists them.
For a student planning to remain in California, licensure alignment and youth-specific clinical preparation may be more relevant than specialized accreditation alone. Students who may move to another state should compare that state’s educational rules before enrolling.
How Much Do Child and Adolescent Counseling Programs in California Cost?
The price range is wide.
| Program | Current published cost reference |
|---|---|
| CSU Northridge MFT | About $10,038 for two full-time resident semesters |
| APU Child and Adolescent Counseling Psychology | Official pages currently show $800-$815 per unit |
| Palo Alto University CMHC | $717 per quarter unit including per-unit fees |
| Santa Clara Counseling Psychology | $816 per quarter unit |
| Antioch Los Angeles Clinical Psychology | $956 per quarter credit |
| USF MFT | $1,350 per semester unit |
| Pepperdine evening MFT | $1,655 per semester unit |
| Pepperdine daytime MFT | $2,060 per semester unit |
Quarter units and semester units are not directly interchangeable, so per-unit prices should not be compared without looking at the full curriculum.
A program with higher tuition can also become more expensive if required practicum reduces a student’s paid work schedule. Youth placements frequently operate during school or daytime agency hours, which can be difficult to combine with full-time employment.
Child and Adolescent Counseling Salary and Job Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate occupation for child and adolescent counselors.
Two broader occupational categories are relevant depending on the license and type of work.
For substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook reports a median annual wage of $59,350 in May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035.
For marriage and family therapists, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook reports a median annual wage of $66,940 in May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 14% from 2025 to 2035.
A youth therapist’s actual pay can vary significantly by license, employer, location, experience, and work setting.
Common settings include:
- community mental health centers
- children’s hospitals and healthcare systems
- school-based mental health programs
- county behavioral health agencies
- residential treatment programs
- foster care and child welfare agencies
- nonprofit youth organizations
- outpatient clinics
- group practices
- private practice after full licensure
How to Choose a Child and Adolescent Counseling Program in California
Start with the professional license.
If LPCC is the clear goal and you want the degree itself centered on young clients, APU offers the most direct structure in this ranking.
Santa Clara provides the broadest dedicated concentration while allowing MFT, LPCC, or joint preparation.
Antioch is especially youth-intensive in practicum because Child Studies students must spend at least half of their clinical training hours with children or adolescents.
Palo Alto combines a CACREP-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling foundation with a family-and-child emphasis and flexible delivery.
CSUN offers the strongest public-university value among these programs and includes required youth treatment coursework within a COAMFTE-accredited MFT curriculum.
Pepperdine and USF are broader MFT programs, but each has defined child/adolescent coursework and clinical settings where students can build youth experience.
Before applying, compare:
- how many courses are actually devoted to children and adolescents
- whether child assessment is taught
- whether play therapy is available
- how the curriculum incorporates parents and family systems
- whether youth-focused practicum placements are guaranteed, prioritized, or simply available
- whether school-based mental health is included
- LPCC versus LMFT preparation
- specialized accreditation
- online versus in-person requirements
- total tuition rather than only the per-unit rate
- whether practicum can be completed around your work schedule
A graduate degree provides the foundation. Becoming a strong child or adolescent clinician also depends on the clients you see in practicum, supervision quality, post-graduate experience, and continued training after the degree.
California licensing rules can change. Prospective students should verify current requirements directly with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences before enrolling in a licensure-track program.