COAMFTE requires an accredited program to provide Student Achievement data, starting with the year the program becomes accredited. The following table provides all Student Achievement Data for the Master in Marriage and Family Therapy Program.

Marriage and Family Therapy, California Licensure Track

For many working Californians, the traditional graduate school model and on-campus classroom schedules prevent highly qualified individuals from pursuing a Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy in California. Northcentral University’s California Licensure Track option is pre-approved by the Board of Behavioral Sciences in California (CA). and meets all the educational requirements set by the state to earn a qualifying degree towards licensure. Since NCU is a regionally accredited university, this degree meets the licensing requirements in many other states. All courses are taught by professors who possess significant experience in the field of MFT, and many are also currently practicing clinicians.

Couples Therapy

With the changing definition of marriage, along with social expectations, marriage and long-term relationships often face challenges that call for the help of a trained third party. NCU’s Couple Therapy specialization is designed to prepare you to work with couples in therapeutic settings, primarily using a family therapy, systems perspective. Students in this specialization are required to complete two content courses in this area, a research course focused on issues related to working with couples, and at least 100 hours of clinical experience in an approved setting with a qualified local clinical supervisor.

LGBTQ Couples and Family Therapy

Same-sex couples face many of the same relational issues as heterosexual couples, but the attendant differences can create unique challenges as well. The LGBTQ Couple and Family Therapy specialization is designed to prepare you to work with clients in the LGBTQ community and to specialize in working with couples and families using a family therapy, systems-oriented approach. In this specialization, you will be required to complete two content courses focused in this area, a research course focused on issues related to working with LGBTQ couples and families, and at least 100 hours of clinical experience in an approved setting with a qualified local clinical supervisor.

Military Family Therapy

Members of the military and their families are typically strong, but that strength sometimes needs the reinforcement that only a trained counselor can provide. Military families also face unique challenges, such as long periods of separation during deployments. The Military Family Therapy specialization prepares you to work primarily with individuals, couples, and families that are affiliated with the military, using a family therapy, systems perspective. In this specialization you will be required to complete two focused content courses, a research course focusing on issues related to working with military families, and at least 100 hours of clinical experience in an approved military setting with a qualified local clinical supervisor.

Systemic Treatment of Addictions

This specialization is designed for students that are interested in working with individuals and families facing addiction issues and co-occurring disorders. Courses in this specialization examine the historical and theoretical foundations of addictive disorders, the philosophies of co-occurring disorders and various systematic theories and evidence-based models for treatment. Students will also learn methods for assessing substance-related and addictive disorders in the context of family therapy and ethical issues related to working in the field of addictions as a Marriage and Family Therapist.

Obtaining a specialization at the master’s level allows students to focus their education and become subject matter experts in their particular area of study.

Child and Adolescent Family Therapy

When divorce and other strife enters the lives of children and teens, it often takes a sensitive professional to help them and their families weather these storms. The Child and Adolescent Family Therapy specialization is designed to prepare you to work in therapeutic settings with children and adolescents using a family therapy, systems approach. In this specialization you will be required to complete two focused content courses, a research course focusing on issues related to working with children, adolescents and families, as well as complete at least 100 hours of clinical experience in an approved setting under the guidance of a qualified local supervisor.

General Family Therapy

According to the 2012 Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment in the Marriage and Family Therapy field is expected to grow 41% in the next decade. The Master’s in General Family Therapy prepares you to meet this growing demand. There is no physical residency requirement, which means you are able to complete all of your coursework online and secure a clinical placement site in your local community to complete the face-to-face clinical training component of the program. All courses are taught by professors who possess significant experience teaching in the field of MFT as well as working as MFTs.

Northcentral University pursues programmatic accreditation whenever appropriate. The Master’s and PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy are COAMFTE and IACSTE accredited.

Medical Family Therapy

Medical challenges can often overwhelm a family emotionally. But the guidance of a trained professional can make a difference. The Medical Family Therapy specialization is designed to prepare you to work with individuals, couples and family who are facing chronic and acute medical difficulties. Medical Family Therapy incorporates a family therapy, systems perspective in helping clients to understand and manage their medical difficulties. In this specialization you will be required to complete two focused content courses, a research course focused on issues related to medical family therapy, and at least 100 hours of clinical experience in an approved medical setting with a qualified local clinical supervisor.

Northcentral University pursues programmatic accreditation whenever appropriate. The Master’s and PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy are COAMFTE and IACSTE accredited.

Trauma Informed Systemic Therapy

This specialization is designed for students that are interested in helping individuals and families cope with the effects of traumatic events. Courses in this specialization are aligned with the International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP) and cover a range of topics such as the nature and impact of psychological trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder and the human capacity for healing. Students will also learn about the historical and theoretical foundations of trauma, crisis-related issues in marriage and family therapy and system-based theories and models in the context of family violence.

Obtaining a specialization at the master’s level allows students to focus their education and become subject matter experts in their particular area of study.

Systemic Sex Therapy

This specialization is designed for students that are interested in working with individuals and couples that are facing sexual difficulties. Courses in this specialization cover the historical and theoretical foundations of systemic sex therapy, including how religion, culture and society have informed sexual behaviors. Students will learn about sexual disorders, models of therapy and assessment, creating a non-judgmental therapeutic alliance with clients and ethical issues specific to this field of practice. Additionally, students will learn how to apply this knowledge within the practice of marriage and family therapy.

Obtaining a specialization at the master’s level allows students to focus their education and become subject matter experts in their particular area of study.

• Family / Behavioral Therapist
• Family/ School / General Social Work
• Medical Office / Practice Manager
• Mental Health / Behavioral Counselor
• Social / Human Services Manager
• Substance Abuse Counselor
• And many more, in public and private facilities of all different sizes!

*Positions may require additional experience, training and other factors beyond successfully completing this degree program. Many roles may also require state licensure, and it is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all licensure requirements are met.

The MAMFT degree requires a minimum of 45 credit hours at the graduate level beyond the bachelor’s degree. While not required for graduation, students who need to complete a program requiring more than 45 credits and up to 60-credits or who need specific additional courses for their state licensure requirements will be allowed to complete optional elective courses to meet these requirements, which will constitute the total credit requirements for graduation from the program.

The University may accept a maximum of 15 semester credit hours in transfer toward the master’s degree for graduate coursework completed toward a graduate degree at an accredited college or university with a grade of “B” or better. Transfer credit is only awarded for course work that is evaluated to be substantially equivalent in content to the required course work in the MAMFT program. Transfer credit is only awarded for course work that is evaluated to be substantially equivalent in content to the required course work in the MAMFT program. See the Transfer Credit Policy for additional information.

The MAMFT program has the following graduation requirements:

• A minimum of 36 credit hours of graduate instruction must be completed through NCU
• Successful completion of all required degree program courses with a Grade Point Average of 3.0 (letter grade of “B”) or higher
• Official documents on file for basis of admission: a conferred bachelor’s degree from an accredited academic institution
• Official transcripts on file for all transfer credit hours accepted by the University
• All financial obligations must be met before the student will be issued their complimentary diploma and/or degree posted transcript

Beyond these standard graduation requirements, the MAMFT program has the following degree requirements:

Online Video Conferencing – In order to complete some of the course requirements and to participate in the online supervision process that is used during the practicum and internship courses, students are required to participate in several online video conferencing meetings throughout their time in the program. In order to participate in these video conference sessions, students are required to own or otherwise have access to a computer, a web cam, a headset, a video recording device, and a high-speed internet connection.

Client Contact – MAMFT students will be required to complete 300 hours of direct client contact, which includes conducting face-to-face therapy with individuals, couples, families, and groups. At least 150 hours of client contact must be relational (e.g., couple or family). See section below for new client contact requirements starting January 1, 2022. For more information, please read the practicum and internship course descriptions or the Clinical Training Handbook.

Supervision – In conjunction with client contact, MAMFT students must receive a total of 100 hours of supervision, at least fifty-two (52) of which must be individual supervision conducted by an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, AAMFT Supervisor Candidate, or state-approved supervisor. At least 50 of the supervision hours must also involve a supervisor’s review of the student’s therapy with clients via video/audio recording or live observation. See section below for new client contact requirements starting January 1, 2022. In some cases, students may be required to pay for local supervision. This will depend on the clinical placement location and/or local supervisor they contract with to complete their practicum and internship requirements. The decision and responsibility to pay for local supervision is entirely up to the student and not a requirement of NCU.

Liability Insurance – Prior to beginning any clinical experience, students are required to submit proof of professional liability insurance. This is included with a student membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (for California students it is also included in the student membership in the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists).

Clinical Hours Tracking – the MAMFT program uses a web-based system to document completion of clinical hours. Students, local approved clinical supervisors and NCU faculty training supervisors all have access to the system in order to support the successful completion of the clinical training requirements for the program. Students will be allowed access to the system upon request after they have completed at least six courses.

Basic 45-credit hour Program (this is the basis for all degree plans except California)

Foundation Courses

MFT-5101 - Foundations for Graduate Study in Marriage and Family Therapy
MFT-5104 - Treatment Planning and Traditional Family Therapy
MFT-5105 - Recovery-Oriented Care and Postmodern Family Therapy

Fundamental Courses

MFT-5103 - Systemic Evaluation and Case Management
MFT-5102 - Legal, Ethical and Professional Development in Marriage and Family Therapy
MFT-6102 - Psychopathology, Diagnosis, and Systemic Treatment

Specialization and Research Courses

MFT-5106 - Research Methods and Evidence Based Practice
MFT-6101 - Human Development and Family Dynamics Across the Lifespan
MFT-6103 - Cultural Diversity, Gender, and Family Development
MFT-6105 - Couple and Sex Therapy
Specialization/Elective Course 1
Specialization/Elective Course 2
Additional Elective courses as needed for state licensure

Clinical Experience Requirements

MFT-6951 - MFT Practicum I
MFT-6952 - MFT Practicum II
MFT-6991 - MFT Internship I
MFT-6992 - MFT Internship II
MFT-6995 - MFT Internship and Capstone Presentation