Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Courses

Course Descriptions

MFT 550 Marriage and Family Therapy Systems (1)

This course is an introduction to the central theoretical underpinnings of systemic family therapy, providing a basic framework for assessment of and intervention in the problems clients bring to therapy. This course focuses on the assumptions, concepts, frameworks, and clinical guidelines through a systemic perspective. Students will develop an understanding of general systems theory, family systems theory, communications theory and cybernetics.

MFT 551 Marriage and Family Therapy Theories 1 (3)

This course is a basic introduction to the history, development and theories of the field of family therapy. The focus will be on the major theoretical models of family therapy, their similarities and differences, and conceptual foundations. Students will develop a basic understanding of family therapy concepts as applied in clinical practice, and begin to formulate their own personal framework through integration across theoretical models.

MFT 552 Marriage and Family Therapy Theories 2 (3)

This course builds on the foundations of Family Systems theory and the classical theoretical models in MFT551 and will introduce advanced and contemporary therapy models within the Marriage and Family Therapy field. Students will develop an understanding of how to conceptualize couple and family relationships using the concepts of the advanced models, how to critically assess and cohesively synthesize family models, and how to utilize current evidence-based research to formulate a personal framework to work with couples and families. Prerequisite(s): MFT-550 and MFT-551.

MFT 553 Ethics and Professional Issues (3)

This course provides an in-depth exploration of ethical principles, legal regulations, and professional responsibilities that guide the practice of marriage and family therapy, such as issues of confidentiality, informed consent, professional boundaries, multiple relationships, and other considerations of working with couples and families and implications for working with diverse populations. Students will critically examine ethical dilemmas within the context of family systems and explore the current ethical challenges posed by emerging technologies, such as teletherapy and social media.

MFT 554 Individual and Systemic Diagnosis (3)

This course provides an exploration of a wide range of diagnostic tools, including standardized assessments, clinical interviews, genograms, and ecomaps, while considering the reciprocal relationship between individual functioning and the larger systemic context for therapists working with all modalities in treatment (individuals, couples and families). Students will learn how to conduct both individual and systemic assessments to arrive at diagnoses and conceptualizations of client systems that will inform effective treatment.

MFT 602 Family Development through the Lifespan (3)

This course is designed as an introduction to key concepts in human development paradigms; family life cycle theory and clinical applications; lifespan development issues within one's own family of origin experience; and relevant transgenerational theories about family growth and resilience. Theoretical and practical interventions for working with families across developmental ages and stages will be explored, as well as ethical and legal responsibilities. Students will learn about how important developmental events impact and shape family functioning and ways to address them in family treatment.

MFT 603 Microskills, MFT Principles & Practices (3)

This course prepares students for beginning clinical practice by increasing their practical knowledge, clinical microskills, and clinical judgment. Throughout the semester students demonstrate competencies in clinical practice including the process of informed consent, initial systemic assessment of a client system, joining and developing therapeutic alliance, embodying therapeutic presence, treatment planning, clinical documentation and administration, and treatment termination.

MFT 611 Group Therapy Facilitation Skills (3)

This course prepares students for the facilitation of group process by increasing their practical knowledge, skills, and clinical judgment within group therapy. Throughout the semester students demonstrate competencies in group management and facilitation including the process of informed consent, opening, closing and structuring groups, utilizing group interventions, co-facilitating groups, assessing group dynamics, and constructing a group manual.

MFT 616 Stat Analysis in Quantitative Research (3)

Students will learn how to utilize quantitative methods of data analyses to test hypotheses and arrive at testable conclusions as it relates to knowledge within the field of marriage and family therapy.

MFT 617 MFT Research Methods & Research Writing (3)

This course is an introduction of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research approaches, including study design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation in the application and integration of marriage and family therapy outcome and process research. There is an emphasis on developing knowledge necessary to understand the results of and apply the methods of marriage and family research through an exploration of applied research methods, and relevant research findings, and the expansion of a research writing style. This course emphasizes the ethical and cultural considerations required in conducting research with diverse populations. Students will develop proficiency in critically evaluating research literature, formulating research questions, designing studies, and research writing techniques.

MFT 736 Diversity in Family Therapy (3)

This course serves as an introduction to thinking critically about the clients’ and therapist’s group memberships and identifications, and the effects of these memberships and identities on the therapeutic relationship and interventions. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding both enduring and changing human diversity contexts through the use of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model and genograms as assessment and intervention techniques. This course emphasizes the convergence and divergence of memberships and identities for individuals and families, and the effects of these similarities and differences for the person, family, therapy relationship, organizations, and the culture(s) at large. Students will explore their process of understanding the client and delivering sensitive and competent interventions.

MFT 737 Child & Adolescent Diagnosis & Treatment (3)

This course provides an exploration of various evidence-based practices and therapeutic techniques applied to the improvement of child and adolescent functioning, and parent-child relationships with emphasis placed on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood and adolescent disorders, parent education, crisis intervention, and family engagement. Students will understand how to diagnose and treat a wide range of developmental, emotional, behavioral, and relational issues experienced by young clients. Prerequisite(s): MFT 602 Family Development through the Lifespan.

MFT 757 Family Therapy: Assessment and Intervention (3)

This course is a study of the family as a system of interactive elements with a focus on the therapeutic implications of treating patterns and processes rather than personalities. This course combines readings, simulations, and videotaped role-plays to increase understanding of the complexities and intricacies of a family system, focusing on how to join with and intervene with client systems. Students will develop proficiency in approaching assessment and treatment with families. Prerequisite(s): MFT-550, MFT-551, and MFT-552.

MFT 759 Family Therapy: Violence, Trauma and Healing (3)

This course is an in-depth examination of trauma within the context of family violence and is designed to facilitate an understanding of the complexities of family abuse patterns, their causes, helpful frameworks, and the effects of abuse, in addition to pathways to healing, resilience, and systemic change. Students will develop an understanding of ecological and systemic conceptualization of trauma and healing, develop a trauma-informed and evidence-based lens to approach work with cases involving family abuse. Prerequisite(s): MFT-550, MFT-551, and MFT-552.

MFT760 Couples and Relationship Therapy (3)

This course will cover theories and associated techniques for couples, marital therapy along with ethical and best practices for work within this modality. This course covers therapeutic approaches to resolving adult relationship problems, such as escalated conflict and communication issues, mistrust and infidelity, and sexual concerns among others, in addition to exploring new trends in relationship therapy. Students will learn how to approach common concerns or problems in couple relationships and the appropriate treatment strategies in relationship therapy. Prerequisite(s): MFT-550, MFT-551, and MFT-552.

MFT 762 Sex Therapy (3)

This course will explore topics within sex-related psychotherapy, ethical and professional practices, and biopsychosocial understandings of healthy and unhealthy sexual functioning, and sex-related relational problems. The course will introduce how to conduct sexual assessment interviews, as well as structuring and implementing treatment strategies for a variety of sexual concerns. Students will develop comfortability in addressing sexual concerns and learn ways to assess and treat sexual concerns in the context of couples and family therapy. Prerequisite(s): MFT-550, MFT-551, and MFT-552.

MFT 763 Medical Family Therapy and Psychopharmacology (3)

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of effective collaboration between therapists and other health care providers, the application of a biopsychosocial-spiritual model to clinical work with families dealing with acute/chronic illness, disability, and loss/grief, and familiarity with some of the issues, terminologies, philosophies, and languages of the medical world. Students will learn some basics working within the medical system, how to partner with other providers, and effective interventions for families connected to the healthcare system. Prerequisite(s): MFT-550, MFT-551, and MFT-552.

MFT 764 Family Therapy: Substance-related Diagnoses and Crisis Counseling (1)

This course will provide an overview of practical crisis-counseling skills to be used within emergent client care in addition to exploring the treatment of substance-related disorders within the context of family therapy. Students will learn how to intervene and provide immediate care for client’s experiencing unexpected loss and distressing events, and therapeutic methods of addressing drug and alcohol concerns within families.

MFT 777 Practicum 1 (1)

This course is the first of four that offers the student an opportunity to practice family systems approaches to therapy in a mental health counseling setting, under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist. Students will receive both group and individualized instruction and supervision within didactic and experiential settings. Within this course students will also complete a benchmark requirement, the Role-Play Exam. Students will spend at least 50 client contact hours at a practicum site under the supervision of a clinical supervisor and receive supervision from an AAMFT-approved LMFT Supervisor. Prerequisite(s): MFT-550, MFT-551, MFT-552, MFT-603, and MFT-611.

MFT 778 Practicum 2 (3)

This course offers the student an opportunity to practice family systems approaches to therapy in a mental health counseling setting, under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist. Students will complete their practicum in a supervised mental health setting with a variety of populations including individuals, couples, groups, children, adults, and/or families working with problems and issues as substance abuse, domestic violence, developmental disabilities and/or problems of daily living. MFT students are required to complete 350 client contact hours in order to obtain their master’s degree in MFT. These hours are distributed between Practicum 1, 2, 3 and 4, with the expectation for Practicum 1 to be lower. Ideally, there will be an equal distribution of these hours during the last 3 terms, with an average of 100 hours per 3-credit practicum course. Practicum will include the following: Client contact hours with individuals, couples and families (40% should be with couples and families), Audio/video recording as raw data to be presented in Practicum class, and a minimum of 15 (fifteen) contact hours per week. Prerequisite(s): MFT-777.

MFT 779 Practicum 3 (3)

MFT 780 Practicum 4 (3)