Marriage and Family Therapy Specialization, Ph.D.

The doctoral program in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) is a specialization within the Department of Family and Child Ecology. It is designed to prepare scholars to do research, teach, and supervise in a variety of academic, clinical and healthcare settings.

The program emphasizes a feminist and multicultural perspective within an ecosystemic and clinical systems framework. The program is designed to meet the clinical membership requirements of AAMFT and is accredited by the commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).

Accreditation

The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) accredits the Master's and Doctoral MFT programs at MSU.

Department of Family and Child Ecology

The MFT program provides a Master's degree and a Doctoral specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy within the Department of Family and Child Ecology (FCE). FCE is an interdisciplinary program with linkages across campus that include Psychology, Social Work, Education and the Medical colleges. Faculty in FCE are involved in national and international research in areas such as diverse families, youth development, children with disabilities, aging families and collaborative healthcare.

Academic Requirements

MFT Master's and Doctoral programs are year-round programs. Students generally enroll in six to nine credits per semester, including summers, plus one credit of lab and field experience.

Students entering the program with a master's degree from other clinical or non-clinical programs will need to complete additional coursework at MSU.

Clinical Opportunities

Master's students are required to complete 500 direct client contact hours. Doctoral students are required to complete a total of 1000 direct client contact hours with a 9-12 month clinical internship (to include 500 client contact hours from Master's work). All students will complete a portion of their hours teaming and providing clinical services in the on-campus clinic in the Olin Health Center at MSU.

Marriage and Family Therapy Master's Academic Requirements

Collateral Courses
FCE 445 - Human Sexuality
PSY 424 - Child and Family Psychopathology

Required Courses
Theoretical Foundations - 6 credits (2 classes) from the following:
FCE 830***- Survey of Marriage and Family Therapy Theories
FCE 902A - Advanced MFT Theories: Transgenerational Therapy
FCE 902C - Advanced MFT Theories: Feminist Informed & Narrative Therapy
FCE 902D - Advanced MFT Theories: Structural, Strategic and Brief Therapy
FCE 890 - Independent Study - MFT Theories

Clinical Practice - 12 credits (4 classes) from the following:
FCE 470 - Current Issues in FCE: Families and Stress
FCE 822 - Assessment of the Young Child
FCE 831 - Treatment Processes in MFT
FCE 848 - Divorce and Remarriage Interventions
FCE 891C - Topics in FCE - Individual and Family Assessments
FCE 892 - Seminar in FCE - Diverse Families & Community: Intervention Strategies
FCE 892 - Seminar in FCE - Working with the Elementary School Child
FCE 902B*** - Couples Therapy
CEP 875 - Substance Abuse and Treatment

Individual Development and Family Relations - 9 credits (3 classes) from the following:
FCE 442 - Ethnic Minority Families in America
FCE 801***- Family Ecosystems
FCE 810 - Theories of Human Development
FCE 812 - Adolescence in the Family: Ecological Perspectives
FCE 814 - Parenthood and Parent Education
FCE 842 - African American Families
FCE 845 - Foundations of Family Study
FCE 847 - Theories of the Family
FCE 892 - Seminar in Family and Child Ecology

Professional Identity and Ethics - 3 credits (1 class)
FCE 832 - Ethics, Law, and Professional Development in MFT

Research/Statistics - 6 credits (2 classes)
FCE 880***- Research Methods in Family and Child Ecology
FCE 881 - Data Analysis in FCE
Or statistics course as approved by Guidance Committee.

Supervised Clinical Practice in MFT
FCE 894*** - Lab and Field Experience 1 to 8 credits (1 credit each semester)
Minimum Total Credits: 36-44
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***COAMFTE or FCE Required Classes.

Marriage and Family Therapy Ph.D. Academic Requirements

Required Courses
Theoretical Foundations - 6 credits (2 classes) from the following:
FCE 902A - Advanced MFT Theories: Transgenerational Therapy
FCE 902C - Advanced MFT Theories: Feminist Informed & Narrative Therapy
FCE 902D - Advanced MFT Theories: Structural, Strategic and Brief Therapy
FCE 890 - Independent Study - MFT Theories

Clinical Practice - 12 credits (4 classes) from the following:
FCE 470 - Current Issues in FCE: Families and Stress
FCE 822 - Assessment of the Young Child
FCE 824 - Seminar in FCE - Working with the Elementary School Child
FCE 848 - Divorce and Remarriage Interventions
FCE 890 - Independent Study - MFT Topics
FCE 891C - Topics in FCE - Individual and Family Assessments
FCE 892 - Seminar in FCE - Diverse Families & Community: Intervention Strategies
FCE 902B*** - Couples Therapy
FCE 994 - Sex Therapy
CEP 875 - Substance Abuse and Treatment
PSY 853 - Behavior Disorders
PSY 854 - Behavior Disorders in Children
PSY, SW, PSC, CEP clinical practice topics

Individual Development and Family Relations - 12 credits (4 classes) from the following:
FCE 413 - Adult Development and Family: Middle/Later Years
FCE 442 - Ethnic Minority Families in America
FCE 454 - Family Financial Management
FCE 810 - Theories of Human Development
FCE 811 - Child Development: Ecological Perspectives
FCE 812 - Adolescence in the Family: Ecological Perspectives
FCE 813 - Adult and Aging in the Family: Ecological Perspectives
FCE 814 - Parenthood and Parent Education
FCE 842 - African American Families
FCE 845 - Foundations of Family Study
FCE 847 - Theories of the Family
FCE 850 - Theories of Management and Decision-Making in the Family
FCE 891D - Topics in FCE: Values and Family Behavior
FCE 891E - Topics in FCE: Play and Human Development
FCE 892 - Seminar in Family and Child Ecology
FCE 904 - Family Ecology Theory Construction
PSY 844 - Developmental Psychology of Women
SOC 833 - Gender and power

Clinical Supervision - 3 credits (1 class)
FCE 995*** - Supervision of MFT

Research/Statistics - 12 credits (4 classes)
FCE 983***- Advanced Research Methods in MFT
FCE 982***- Qualitative Research Methods
CEP 932 - Quantitative Methods in Education Research I
CEP 933 - Quantitative Methods in Education Research II
CEP 934 - Multivariate Data Analysis
CEP 935 - Hierarchical Linear Modeling
OR statistics course as approved by Guidance Committee.

Clinical Experience/Internship
FCE 993*** - Lab and Field Experience (1 credit each semester)

Dissertation - 24 credits required
FCE 999*** - Doctoral Dissertation Research
Minimum Total Credits: 69 - 81
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***COAMFTE or FCE Required Classes.

For a complete description of courses, please visit the Michigan State University Description of Courses web site.