Program Overview
The Master of Arts (MA) in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program is designed to educate and train students to function effectively as marriage and family therapists. Coursework and practicum experiences integrate individual and relational foundations of therapy into appropriate client interaction and intervention skills within the context of marriage, couples, and family systems.
Students in the MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program may choose an optional concentration in Forensic Counseling.
Eligibility for Licensure
Licensure eligibility requirements for marriage and family therapists vary by state. It is the student’s responsibility to determine the requirements for professional licensure in the state he or she wishes to practice. Further information may be obtained from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Directory of MFT Licensure and Certification Boards, http://www.aamft.org/resources/Online_Directories/boardcontacts.asp.
Marriage & Family Therapist Training Overview
Practical training is the supervised out-of-class contact of students under supervision in a mental health delivery setting. Through this contact, students apply their theoretical knowledge, implement therapy techniques based on this knowledge, and develop the professional and personal attitudes important to the identity of a professional therapist. By the end of training, graduate students possess effective intervention skills and are able to practice in a highly ethical manner.
Student Professional Development
The faculty regularly reviews student progress and evaluates any special academic, ethical or professional problems that may arise. The major goals of the review are to identify student problems early and to initiate remediation efforts, where appropriate, as soon as possible. Please refer to “Student Professional Development Committee ”.
Additional Graduation Requirements
In addition to graduation requirements stated previously, students must also complete the following requirements:
- Satisfactory completion of 48 semester credit hours, which must include
- 36 credit hours of required courses
- 3 credit hours of Professionalization Groups I, II, and II
- 9 credit hours (45 weeks) of required practicum and practicum seminar groups
- Successful completion of both the Portfolio and the Clinical Competency Examination
- Completion of all requirements within four years of matriculation into the program
- Submission of a Completion of Coursework Audit Form to the Student Services Department
Foundation Course Requirements
As a foundation for graduate study in marriage & family therapy, students are required to demonstrate successful completion of the following undergraduate level courses:
PSY 400 Counseling Theories *
PSY 304 Human Sexuality **
Notes
*To be taken concurrently with first semester MA in Marriage & Family Therapy courses
**To be taken concurrently with second semester MA in Marriage & Family Therapy courses
Program Requirements
The MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program requires the satisfactory completion of 48 semester credit hours distributed as follows: course requirements, 36 credit hours; professionalization group requirements, 3 credit hours; and practicum and practicum seminar requirements, 9 credit hours.
