The marriage and family therapy degree online offers advanced clinical education and training, research coursework and opportunities, and supervision training and experience. Graduates of the marriage and family therapy degree online doctoral program will be prepared to carry out advanced clinical work and supervision and/or education and research in the field of marriage and family therapy.

MFT5311 - Intergenerational Family Therapy Models

This course is designed to facilitate a more in depth awareness of systems theory and other fundamental theoretical ideas in the field of marriage and family therapy. The primary focus of the course material is on intergenerational influences on family life and therapeutic models that purposefully address such influences.

MFT5312 - Traditional Marriage and Family Therapy Models

This course will provide a thorough understanding of traditional models of marriage and family therapy. Course content will be focused on application of these clinical models to common clinical concerns and will address a wide variety of presenting clinical problems. Material and assignments in the course will address family therapy practice and be related conceptually to theory.

MFT5313 - Contemporary Models of Marriage and Family Therapy

This course focuses on postmodern trends and models in marriage and family therapy including social constructionism, feminism, reflecting teams, and the narrative, solution-focused, and collaborative models of therapy. Course content will enable students to conceptualize and distinguish recent epistemological issues in the profession of marriage and family therapy. Discussions of course material will address a wide variety of presenting clinical problems and will address contemporary conceptual directions of the field of marriage and family therapy.

MFT5321 - Family Therapy with Children

This course is designed to provide clinically relevant background information, theory, and therapeutic models and interventions for a wide variety of presenting clinical problems relevant to children. Course material will address family therapy practice and be related conceptually to theory. Specific methods of therapy with children and facilitating parental and family involvement will be discussed. Facilitating child involvement in the therapeutic process for families will be addressed as well.

MFT5322 - Couple and Sex Therapy

This course will address several models of couple and sex therapy. Within each model there will be a focus on assessment of couples’ dynamics, goal setting, and potential interventions. Specific attention will be given to the development of a personal theory of working with couples based on a foundation of existing models.

MFT5340 - Ethics and Professional Development

This course will include content regarding professional identity, including professional socialization, scope of practice, professional organizations, licensure, and certification. The course will focus on ethical issues related to the profession of marriage and family therapy and the practice of individual, couple, and family therapy. Specifically, Learners will address the AAMFT Code of Ethics, confidentiality issues, the legal responsibilities and liabilities of clinical practice and research, family law, record keeping, reimbursement, and the business aspects of practice. The course will inform Learners about the interface between therapist responsibility and the professional, social, and political context of treatment.

These courses are integral for the marriage and family therapy degree online program.