Marriage and family therapist schools: Just like every other profession, there are schools to study marriage and family therapy. I will focus more on the study of marriage and family therapy rather than talking about the schools that offer the course, that’s not the aim and objective of the article. Marriage is a special institution that needs special attention likewise the family. These two institutions involve both mental and psychological investment to sustain and maintain.
To study to become a professional in marriage and family therapy, you need to set aside some hours of study as an undergraduate or graduate degree. Earning an undergraduate degree is your first step to becoming a marriage and family therapist, which means you are already prepared to become a professional therapist in such a field of career. The next step is earning a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. The doctorate in this aspect of knowledge is not necessarily compulsory but advisable to garner more knowledge in advance level about the subject matter. There are online programs for Ph.D. as well as the normal offline programs.
I shall be discussing the basic requirements to study and become a marriage and family therapy professional. As usual, there is no way you can escape the steps.
READ MORE on: How To Become A Counselor Online
Marriage And Family Therapist Schools: Steps to becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist
Bachelor Degree
Firstly, you will have to search for an accredited institution either traditionally or online to study accredited bachelor programs in a related field such as psychotherapy, would prepare a student for a master’s or doctorate degree in marriage and family therapy. Remember, it is mandatory that all practicing marriage and family therapist must be a master’s degree owner.
Bachelor level student should have a field practical experience which will serve as the provision of hands-on experience as well as giving them an upper hand while applying for a professional school such as master’s degree honor. Remember, if you want to enter into the field as a Marriage and Family Therapist, there are three options available for you namely:
• Master’s degree: 2-3 years to complete
• Doctoral program: 3-5 years to complete
• Post-graduate clinical training programs: 3-4 years to complete
While in the master’s level, there are some specific numbers of specializations which include:
• General family therapy
• Couple therapy
• Medical Family Therapy
Marriage And Family Therapist Schools: Types of course Requirements
There are courses that are required under Marriage and Family Therapy and they include:
• Human Sexuality
• Couple Therapy
• Research Methods
• Developmental Science
• System Theory
You may also enroll in some programs that offer students the opportunity to per take in faculty research teams, which helps students to identify an area of interest such as domestic violence, young adult behavior or the methods for treatment.
Marriage And Family Therapist Schools: Core Courses in Becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist
It is generally known that every course in the university or any other body of knowledge has its core courses separated from the elective courses. Just like it is compulsory to climb some steps to reach the top, the same is applied in becoming the Marriage and Family Therapist of your dream. I will list and explain some core courses you must take to be a renowned therapist in both marriage and family psychology.
General Psychology
This has to do with the study of the mind, along with such aspects of mind as perception, cognition, emotion, and behavior.
History and System of Psychology
You will learn about modern psychology and how to apply it. The topics include functionalism, Gestalt, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, and phenomenological approaches.
Statistical Reasoning in Psychology
You will be taught or introduced to applied statistics with the emphasis of psychology.
Biological Foundations of Psychology
You will be studying physiological psychology, which deals with the relationship between human biological systems and behavior.
Life Span Human Development
This handles the personality, social, intellectual and physical development and the major theoretical literature used to explain how human changes through its life span.
• Theories of Personality: this explores the general approaches which give the understanding of human personality.
Abnormal Psychology
it involves in addressing the occurrence of abnormal behavior of different types; how abnormal behaviors are identified and classified into various diagnostic categories; their causes of psychological disorders; and different types of methods that are used in providing treatment.
Psychological Tests and Measurements
It deals with the basic principles, research, and theories for testing and measuring of psychological constructs.
Elements of Clinical Psychology
This has to do with the provision of the overview of the theory and practice of clinical and counseling psychology. It also discusses the major theories of personality, assessment, and psychotherapy.
Masters’ Degree Program
Depending on your school of choice, different schools offer different courses in master’s programs in marriage and family therapy. Every course or programs takes a minimum of two years or a maximum of three years to complete. The period of the program offers both class theoretical aspect of the program and the community practice aspect of the program.
The following core courses as outlined below are offered in the master’s level of marriage and family therapy.
Life Span Development and Long-Term Care
This core course observes the developmental stages from birth to death, perceptual and cognitive processes, psychosocial crisis and familial interpersonal relationships are focused on. As a student, your research will vary in theoretical viewpoints and develop as various and principled professional.
Couples’ Counseling and Domestic Violence
This is what holds an overview of current trends in couples’ therapeutic treatment. This presents the concept of divorce, remarriage, blended families, domestic partnerships, domestic violence, and foreign families.
The Theory and Practice of Marital and Family Therapy
This centralizes on various therapeutic modalities in the practical approach to marriage and family therapy. It also explains indirect methods for initiating and sustaining change in systems of the family. It equally evaluates research related to theory and practice.
Marriage And Family Therapist Schools: A brief requirement
I called this a brief requirement not that it is brief, but to quickly highlight the fact that without a license for MFT, you cannot practice what you learned in school.
Licensure
All marriage and family therapist must be licensed after the completion of the master’s program. Which means you must have sat for your state’s licensing exam, sometimes you may choose to write a national exam which is normally conducted by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB). The knowledge is conducted for four hours in order to test the competence of the graduate. Mostly, such license last for two years before the renewal.
There is what is called ‘continuing education credits’ the master’s student must complete it as specified by the in which he or she has decided to practice.
Doctoral Ph.D. Degree Program
After obtaining your master’s degree in MFT, and wish to work in government agencies, or teach the higher institutions, or you wish to conduct research, you may decide to further your education as a PsyD in marriage and family therapy or apply for a doctorate degree program. The curriculum that is standard include the following:
• Theories of Family Science
• Research Best Practice in Human Science
• College Teaching Family Science
• Supervised Teaching
• Professional Development in FCS
• Theories of Child Development
These are the standard curriculum for the doctorate degree program for MFT but beyond them are some programs which include:
• Supervision methodology training
• Mentored supervision experience
• Client contact and supervision
• Integrated and progressive research training
• Advanced coursework in specialized/specialization area(s)
• Doctoral internship
READ MORE: Online Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology
Marriage And Family Therapist Schools: The Certification Needed to Practice Marriage and Family Therapy
I have said this before, but now, I am emphasizing on it that all marriage and family therapist must be licensed to practice your career in the state you chose to do so. As such, licensure requires that you have a master’s degree and two years carefully supervised clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists have sat for and passed a state-recommended exam and then complete the yearly continuing education classes. It is advisable that you make more inquiries about the requirement in the state you want to serve if your country or state has the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Board.
The Period it Takes to Become MFT Professional
Everything that has beginning surely must have an end. It depends on how dedicated you are, the following periods are necessary for the completion of school programs to becoming a school counselor.
• It takes four years for you to complete the bachelor degree program in psychology, education and other related courses.
• It will take you the minimum of two years or three to complete the master’s program including field practice, research, and internship.
• All programs may require that you go for a one-year internship with supervised practices.
Marriage And Family Therapist Schools: What about Online Programs for Marriage and Family Therapy?
You may not be that chanced to study in the traditional way but choose to be an online learner that is distance learner. There are many options for you online. All you need is to search for a reliable and recognized online platform to study. Explore the internet, and you may find the platform of your choice that offers programs in becoming a professional school, marriage or family psychologist.
Marriage And Family Therapist Schools: Will this Program Actually Cost me Money?
Yes! There is no free program online, even if through a program is called free, you won’t download any of their materials for free. You make use of your data, isn’t it? Anyway, that’s not what I mean by the cost of money in this scope. Depending on your country and the currency, you will spend some amount of money to complete your program.
I will be sighting my example based on the United States cost of a study. You may like to make inquiries based on your locality.
Depending on the type of institution you attend, the cost of completing your first requirement which is a bachelor’s degree program varies. Based on the research I made, according to College Board’s Trends in College, Pricing between 2017-2018, the annual average cost for a four-year bachelor program in preparation to become a professional counselor is $9,970 for in-state tuition and $25, 620 for out-state tuition.
The average annual cost for a private institution for the program nonprofit is $34, 740 and $16, 000 for a private for-profit school. As for the master degree program, the tuition fee yearly is $8, 670 averages while the doctorate degree program on average costs $10, 830 annually, at in-state public bodies.
If you are lucky, some accredited institutions help in financing your education; you can apply for financial aid whether your school is the normal classroom program or distance learning which mostly is carried out online.
Career Guidance
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, at 19 percent from 2014-2024, employment for MFT’s is growing much faster than the average rate for all jobs, at. Average pay in 2012 was $46,670, annually.
An MFT can work in a variety of settings (depending on degree), which may include:
• Health-related areas
• Hospitals
• Mental health facilities
• Government agencies
• Research facilities
• Academia
READ MORE: Online Masters In Mental Health Counseling
Marriage And Family Therapist Schools: Is there Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy
In the year 1978, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) established the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) COAMFTE IS KNOWN by the Department of Education as the agency for accreditation of clinical training programs in marriage and family therapy at the postgraduate, doctorate and master’s levels. In order for a program to be legitimate to practice in Federal programs, must have been commissioned by COAMFTE.
Though, you can decide to pursue an undergraduate degree in an accredited institution in relation to the professional course you are targeting. This is necessary because an accredited institution means it meets the requirement for a standard quality set by the accrediting agency.
There are two types of accreditation for education and they are namely:
• Institutional Accreditation
• Specialized Accreditation
• Institutional Accreditation: institutional accreditation is conducted by the Higher Learning Commission. It is provided by the regional and national association of schools and colleges. The six regional associations we have are listed below and are named after the region they operate.
• Middle States
• New England
• North Central
• Northwest
• Southern
• Western
Note on Marriage And Family Therapist Schools: Since the cost of the program is usually expensive, you can always apply for financial aid whether online or in the regular program done normally.
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