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Master of Arts (MA) in MCFT Degree

The Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy program offers a Master of Arts degree path.

Application Requirements and Deadlines Request Info Apply

Program Overview

The Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy (MCFT) Program is designed to lead graduates to eventual licensure and employment as marriage and family therapists in a variety of clinical and agency settings. The MCFT program curriculum provides the knowledge and skills necessary for practitioners to provide high-quality, effective therapy using active, positive approaches that help individuals, couples, and families build on their strengths, improve their relationships, and generate solutions to mental health and relational problems. The program is unique in its emphasis on taking a social justice perspective in the practice of family therapy.

The program is generally designed to take full-time students three years and part-time students four years to complete.

Graduates of this program will have met the academic requirements needed to become licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT) and clinical members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

Program Details

Master of Arts

Credits: 60 semester hours
Program Length: 9 semesters, minimum
Start: Fall only
Program Director: Lana Kim, PhD: lkim@lclark.edu

Current p rogram of study in course catalog
A dmissions requirements and deadlines

Specializations

MCFT students can include a special concentration in addictions treatment in the context of families, sex therapy, or ecopsychology.

Cohort Model and Classroom Experience

The MCFT program uses a cohort model which encourages students to build relationships and help each other develop over time. Throughout the program, students complete readings and assignments to prepare for active participation and application exercises in the classroom. Course material is continuously applied through practice, with the goal of integrating theory, research and practice into a total learning experience. Practice skills are integrated throughout courses and students complete an extensive supervised clinical internship during the last 15 months of their program in order to develop core practice competencies. Emphasis is placed on approaches that are strength-based, brief, critical, and contemporary.

Skills

The Masters programs in Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy at Lewis & Clark prepare competent and effective professionals who practice relational therapy in ways that demonstrate: (a) integrity, compassion, and a sincere commitment to working with members of diverse groups, (b) excellent therapeutic skills with individuals, couples, and families, and (c) dedication to social justice and global citizenship. Students learn family therapy approaches and related theory from general systems, social constructionist, and critical theory perspectives.