Marriage and Family Counseling

Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) are highly-trained mental health professionals who bring a family-oriented perspective to health care. They evaluate and treat mental and emotional disorders and other health and behavioral problems, and address a wide array of relationship issues within the context of the family system. MFTs believe that individuals and their problems must be seen in context, and that the most important context is the family. Marriage and family therapy's prominence in the mental health field has increased due to its brief, solution-focused treatment, its family-centered approach, and its demonstrated effectiveness, as well as, from renewed public awareness of the value of family life and concern about the increased stresses on families in a rapidly changing world. Demand for marriage and family therapists will remain strong for the future. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates an almost 30% increase in employment for MFTs during 2006-2016. The BLS reports that median earnings for MFTs in 2006 was $43,210. However, experience, type of practice and education levels are a few of the factors to affect salary.

Clinical Psychology / Marriage & Family Therapy - MA
(Offered at these campuses: Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area)
The Clinical Psychology / Marriage & Family Therapy Master's program introduces students to basic clinical skills and theoretical foundations of marital and family therapy and clinical psychology, and enhances student prepartation for those considerirng application for transfer into a Doctral program.

Counseling Psychology / Marriage & Family Therapy - MA
(Offered at these campuses: Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area)
The Counseling Psychology specialization prepares students to practice as licensed psychologists who work with clients to promote functional relationships, healthy lifestyles, and positive career choices and roles. Counseling psychologists facilitate growth and development by building on client strengths. Counseling psychologists work with clients of all ages in various therapeutic settings.

Marriage & Family Therapy - MA
(Offered at these campuses: Denver, Hawaii, Salt Lake City, Sarasota, Tampa, Twin Cities)
The Master of Arts (MA) in Marriage & Family Therapy program introduces students to basic skills that integrate systemic theoretical foundations of marriage and family therapy into appropriate client interaction and intervention skills. The program emphasizes the development of attitudes, knowledge, and skills essential in the formation of marriage and family therapists who are committed to the ethical provision of quality services. The MA in Marriage & Family Therapy curriculum is designed to integrate basic therapy, and practicum/field experience into appropriate client interaction and intervention skills for utilization in a wide variety of settings with diverse clients.

Marriage & Family Therapy - DMFT
(Offered at these campuses: Denver, Twin Cities)
The Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT) is a 60-credit-hour terminal, practice-oriented degree for licensed marriage and family therapists or professionals who can meet state requirements for license as a marriage and family therapist (meeting the Commission on Accreditation of Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) criteria for clinical practice prior to admission). The program seeks to build upon students’ prior learning and professional experience by expanding and deepening their knowledge of human development, family dynamics, systemic thinking, interactional theories, traditional and contemporary marriage and family therapy theories and practices, and the cultural contexts within which these are embedded.

The DMFT curriculum provides opportunities for advanced study and research of systemic concepts and methods as applied to clinical work with children, couples, individuals, and families, as well as to larger systems of organizations and communities. In addition to supporting the continuing development of clinical skills, the focus of the curriculum includes the development of skills related to leadership and service to the field in the areas of teaching and supervision.

Human Services / Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling & Therapy - MS
This CACREP-accredited master's specialization in Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling/Therapy is a rigorous program that includes online course work, residencies, and field experiences designed to prepare you for state licensure eligibility. Students will learn to apply family systems theories and therapeutic techniques to address a wide range of relationship issues and to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders and problems within the family system.

Family Therapy - MS
The Master of Science in Family Therapy offered by UMass online prepares its graduates to a vision of strengthening healthy families. The courses lead students to view families as entities within larger social systems and promote collaborative, inclusive, and integrative systems approaches. The aspirations of the family therapy program are consistent with the university and college mission and goals that reflect a commitment to serve urban communities. The program also prepares students to meet the academic requirements for licensure in family therapy (LMFT) by the Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in other states.