May 16, 2025  
2012-2013 Argosy University Academic Catalog—Graduate Programs | Volume 3, Issue 4 
    
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2012-2013 Argosy University Academic Catalog—Graduate Programs | Volume 3, Issue 4 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy Degree Program—Argosy University, Hawai’i

Program Overview

The Master of Arts (MA) in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program has been designed to educate and train students to function effectively as marriage and family therapists. Argosy University, Hawai‘i provides for its master’s degree program students an educational program that is designed to provide the necessary theoretical and clinical elements that will allow them to be effective therapists of couples, families, groups and individuals. The program introduces students to therapeutic foundations of systemic theory and the development of appropriate clinical relationships. Coursework in addiction studies and substance abuse counseling is designed to prepare students to work with families affected by the burgeoning substance abuse problem in Hawai‘i and elsewhere.

Course Delivery Formats

The MA in Marriage and Family Therapy degree program at Argosy University, Hawai‘i is offered in a cohort model. Coursework must be completed in the order specified by the campus. To meet the needs of working adults, all courses with the exception of practicum, are offered on the weekends and online.

Attendance Policy

The intensive weekend format of the program makes attendance crucial. Any amount of class time missed negatively impacts the grade. More than four hours (cumulative) of missed class time will result in automatic loss of one full letter grade. More than eight hours missed will result in automatic failure for the class. Instructors may have more stringent requirements that will be supported by the program administration.

Students who have emergencies or other circumstances that prevent them from attending or from being able to fully participate in class will be encouraged to withdraw from the class. Students are required to notify instructors concerning any anticipated absences.

Eligibility for Licensure

While the program attempts to prepare students to become eligible for licensure as marriage and family therapists, eligibility requirements by the state of Hawai‘i may require additional coursework or clinical contact hours beyond the scope of the current program design. It is the student’s responsibility to determine the requirements for professional licensure in the state they wish to practice.

In addition, the program is designed to prepares students to pursue certification as certified substance abuse counselors (CSAC) in the state of Hawai‘i. As eligibility requirements may change, it is the student’s responsibility to determine requirements for CSAC certification.

Admission Requirements

Please see the section under general program description for requirements for admission.

Application Deadlines

Applications are accepted for the fall and spring semesters. Early application is encouraged.

Applications will be considered as they are received, based on the applicant’s qualifications. Admission of later applicants may be limited by space availability.

All admission materials for the Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program must be submitted by the following dates:

Fall Admission

July 15 Final deadline

Spring Admission

November 15 Final deadline
 

Deadlines may be extended at the discretion of the program chair.

Enrollment Requirements

Students in the MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program enroll for the equivalent of 6 credit hours per semester with possible exception during practicum. Students should complete the coursework in a lock-step sequence. Any student who wishes to take a course or courses out of sequence must have the permission of the program chair.

Requirements for Academic Progress

To maintain academic progress towards a degree, students must maintain the required cumulative GPA and meet cumulative maximum time frames for the program.

All students are reviewed each academic year at the completion of the spring semester by the Student Services Department to determine if students meet requirements for the following criteria:

  • Cumulative Maximum Time Frame Students must complete the program within five years after matriculation. Students who have temporarily withdrawn from Argosy University will have five years plus the length of time that they were not enrolled, not to exceed one year, to complete the program.
  • Incremental Maximum Time Frame Schedule The minimum amount of work that a full time student must complete by the end of each year in the program following matriculation to successfully complete the program appears below.

Students should complete 51 semester credit hours within the suggested incremental maximum time frame requirement listed below:

Suggested Incremental Time Frame Completion Rates
End of Year One 12 credit hours
End of Year Two 24 credit hours
End of Year Three 33 credit hours
End of Year Four 42 credit hours
End of Year Five 51 credit hours
 

The incremental maximum time frame requirements are not a replacement for the specific program sequencing and enrollment requirements, which may be stricter than the incremental maximum time frame requirements.

Students who achieve a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or below will not be permitted to continue in the program. Students with a grade point average above 2.5 but below 3.0 will be advised of their status and may request in writing to the program chair to remain in the program.

Students with favorable evaluation for potential success may be permitted to take additional courses at the discretion of the program chair. Students who are given permission to continue must achieve a 3.0 GPA during the next semester of study and meet all further academic and other requirements of the program.

Student’s progress through the MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program at Argosy University, Hawai‘i is intended to be sequential. Introductory courses are offered to first year students which provide a theoretical and practical foundation for courses and practicum that follow. In addition, certain courses require the student to have the background for more basic courses in order to benefit fully from the course experience. A minimum of 18 credit hours of successful coursework including MF6300 - Professional and Ethical Issues , MF6032 - Psychopathology and Assessment , and two semesters of Professionalization Group (MF 6010  & MF 6011 ) is required for a student to be eligible to start practicum.

The student’s potential for completing the program and performing as professional marriage and family therapists will be assessed from a variety of perspectives throughout the program. Students must meet the academic requirements and demonstrate appropriate professional and personal conduct and development throughout the program to be considered for continuation in the program. At the beginning of the program, students will sign an Informed Consent Agreement that outlines personal and professional competencies they are expected to meet throughout the program.

Repeating Courses and Academic Dismissal

Students who receive a grade below “B-” or a “NC” (No Credit) in any course within their program must repeat and pass that course with at least a “B.”

All “NC” grades or grades below “B-” appearing on transcripts may be used in assessing the academic performance, however when a student retakes a course, only the grade earned for the course when it is retaken is used to calculate the student’s GPA.

Students will receive a letter of academic warning for:

  • Receipt of a grade of “F”
  • Receipt of a second “NC” grade or grade below “B-”

In addition, students placed on warning may be referred to an appropriate committee.

Students are dismissed from the program for:

  • Receipt of a second grade of “F”
  • Receipt of two grades below “B-” during the same semester, including “NC” grades
  • Receipt of a third grade below “B-” , including “NC” grades

Writing Program

Students who are identified by faculty as needing development of writing skills will be referred to their academic advisor for the development of a writing remediation plan. Written notification of the referral will be provided to students via the Writing Course Recommendation form. Students whose remediation plan requires them to take an appropriate writing course must fulfill the requirement before the end of the term following the one in which the referral was made. Proof of satisfactory completion must be submitted to the Student Services Department. Failure to fulfill this requirement within the specified time frame may result in referral to an appropriate committee. Students who continue to demonstrate deficits in writing skills after completing an approved course will be referred to the Student Professional Development Committee.

Additional Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements include:

  • 51 semester credit hours that must be completed by the end of the fourth year of matriculation. The total hours must include:
    • 42 credit hours of required courses
    • 9 credit hours of required practicum and practicum seminar
  • Satisfactory completion of the Comprehensive Examination
  • Satisfactory completion of the Practicum Seminar Final Project

Students enrolled in the MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program are required to complete all graduation requirements within five years of the date of matriculation.

All students who desire to graduate, even those who do not intend to participate in the annual commencement ceremonies, must submit the Petition to Graduate form and fees to the Student Services Department at least eight weeks prior to the date of commencement. In addition, all graduation requirements must be completed prior to the commencement, including satisfactory completion of the Comprehensive Examination.

Although commencement is held annually on O’ahu, students who complete graduation requirements at other times during the year will be recognized as a graduated student and will receive a letter of completion.

Program Requirements

The MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program requires the satisfactory completion of 51 semester credit hours, distributed as follows: required courses, 42 credit hours; and practicum requirements, 9 credit hours.

Required Courses — Students Are Required to Take the Following

 

Required Courses — 42 Credit Hours

 

Practicum Requirements — Students Are Required to Take the Following

 

Practicum Requirements — 9 Credit Hours

 Some courses in the curriculum may be delivered in an online format.

Practicum and Practicum Seminar Requirements

Prerequisites for Practicum

To be eligible to enroll in practicum, students must submit a written Petition for Practicum form. Upon receipt of the form, the student’s academic record will be audited to verify that they have successfully completed a minimum of 18 credit hours of coursework including MF6300 - Professional and Ethical Issues , MF6032 - Psychopathology and Assessment  and two semesters of Professionalization Group (MF 6010  and MF 6011 ).  Students must also attend a practicum orientation meeting with the Director of Training prior to being cleared to participate in practicum.

Additional Practicum Requirements

The practicum is a required 600-hour (minimum) 45-week training experience. Practicum carries 3 credit hours per semester. All students enrolled in practicum are concurrently enrolled in a mandatory weekly, 1.5-hour practicum seminar which meets throughout each semester and is led by a faculty member.

Students are placed in a practicum and practicum seminar during the second year of study. A student may also wait until all coursework is completed before beginning the practicum experience. For registration purposes, the practicum and seminar are treated as a single course. The practicum carries 3 credit hours per semester for three consecutive semesters. Credit is assigned on a “Credit/No Credit” basis by the seminar instructor.

Practicum Evaluation

The practicum is the primary mechanism of applied training and evaluation in the MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program. The purpose of practicum training is to provide the environment and opportunity for students to apply theoretical knowledge, to implement and develop clinical techniques based on this knowledge, and to foster the professional and personal attitudes important to the identity of a marriage and family therapist. Evaluation of student progress in practicum training focuses on three areas: theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, and professional attitudes and conduct.

The foundation of student practicum training in marriage and family therapy is the accurate assessment and understanding of human clinical problems from a systemic perspective.  This assessment and understanding is the basis for the recommendation and/or implementation of effective techniques for the alleviation or resolution of these problems within a climate of absolute respect for the client. Ethical standards of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy are incorporated into student training. The Argosy University, Hawai‘i program administration closely monitors academic and clinical development during all stages of progress throughout a student’s graduate career. Monitoring includes assessment of clinical suitability as well as academic achievement. Aspects of student’s personal adjustment, interpersonal relationships, and behavior in all settings are relevant to their progress. Our aim is to assure that students are well qualified and have the potential to become competent and ethical professionals. Students who are identified as not meeting training or professional development standards will receive a plan for remediation to help resolve identified problems. Students who are removed from the practicum site because they are not meeting training or professional standards will lose credit for the term and will be required to repeat the semester of practicum. They will also be referred to an appropriate committee for further evaluation and disciplinary action, including possible dismissal from the program.

Practicum Final Project

The refinement of criteria for clinical competency and assessment of competency are ongoing institutional concerns. Assessment of students’ clinical training culminates with The Practicum Seminar Final Project, which is designed to assess each student’s ability to apply learning in the core curricular areas of systemic theory, human development, social and cultural foundations, ethics and therapeutic skills to an actual clinical case. Successful completion of the Practicum Final Project is required for graduation. The Practicum Seminar Final Project is presented during the final semester of practicum. Students who fail to successfully complete this program requirement will receive a grade of“NC” (No Credit) for the course and will be required to take an additional semester of practicum.

All students are responsible for being familiar with the information contained in the Training Manual.

Comprehensive Examination Requirements

Students in the MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program are required to successfully complete a Comprehensive Examination. The Comprehensive Examination is an in-class, essay format examination. It covers knowledge base expected of students at the conclusion of a graduate program in marriage and family therapy and is designed to assess student’s ability to use their knowledge in an integrative, reflective and critical manner to address issues relevant to marriage and family therapy. The examination covers all domains of the marriage and family therapy curriculum, including:

  • Professional and ethical issues
  • Psychopathology, assessment and case conceptualization
  • Social, cultural and human diversity
  • Interventions and clinical skills
  • Systemic theory
  • Lifespan and family development
  • Research

Prior to each exam, students will be given materials to help them prepare for the exam.

Students must successfully complete all required courses, excluding the practicum, in order to take the Comprehensive Examination. Courses transferred from another institution are considered successfully completed. Students taking the Comprehensive Examination must be students in good academic standing, having a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Students are required to turn in a completed Application for Comprehensive Examination at least two months before they intend to take the exam.

Students must pass all four questions in order to receive a “Full Pass” for the examination. Students who pass at least two of the four examination questions will receive a “Conditional Pass” for the examination. Students receiving a “Conditional Pass” will be given the opportunity to remediate the question(s) they failed.

Students must pass all questions on remediation in order to earn a full pass for the exam. Students who fail the exam, either on first attempt, or on remediation, will be given the opportunity to retake the examination two additional times. Students who need to retake the examination must do so at the time of the next regular administration at their program site. They may also retake the examination at another program site. A student who fails the comprehensive exam a second time will be reviewed by the Student Professional Development Committee (SPDC). After completion of required remediation, students may be eligible to retake the Comprehensive Examination. Any student who fails the examination a third time will be automatically dismissed from the program. Students are required to successfully complete the Comprehensive Examination within the maximum program completion timeframe.

Students who need special accommodations during the examination are required to request them in writing and provide any necessary documentation with the request.

Additional Course/Credit Transfer Information at Argosy University, Hawai‘i

The following courses are not eligible for transfer credit:

Non-Transferrable Courses

 

Transfer of Courses/Credit to the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology Degree Program from the Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy Degree Program

Overlapping coursework in the Argosy University Hawai’i MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program with the Argosy University, Hawai’i Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology degree program will be automatically transferred to the PsyD in Clinical Psychology degree program for those students who are accepted for transfer from the MA in Marriage & Family Therapy degree program to the PsyD in Clinical Psychology degree program at Argosy University, Hawai’i.