Degree REQUIREMENTS

Students must meet the following requirements to complete a Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy:
  • Completion of required 51 credit hours with a with a cumulative B average (3.0 GPA) or better
  • Completion of all clinical requirements with a minimum of 500 direct client contact hours, with at least 250 of these hours being with couples and families (in at least 12-months of clinical practice)
  • Completion of all clinical supervision requirements with a minimum of 100 clinical supervision hours, with 50 hours of observational data (video or live supervision).
  • Passing of the MFT Program Comprehensive Exam​
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Degree Timeline: Students typically complete their M.S. degree in an average of two-years. The normal course load for MFT students is 9-12 hours in the Fall/Spring semesters and 9 hours in the Summer term. The UA Graduate School states that students have a maximum of six years to complete their degree.

​Clinical Training

​​​During clinical training students are required to conduct at least 500 hours of therapy, with individuals, couples and families. Students receive at least 100 hours of supervision from approved supervisors while they are in clinical training. The supervision consists of individual, group, and live observations.  
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Throughout the clinical portion of their training, students carry a caseload at the Capstone Family Therapy Clinic, the MFT Program’s on campus, state of the art, training clinic. The clinic has four therapy rooms that are fully equipped with one-way mirrors and digital recording equipment to facilitate supervision and student learning. In addition, after demonstrating clinical competence in the on-campus clinic, advanced students will be assigned an off-campus clinical placement in the community.

Required Coursework

The curriculum includes coursework in human development, marital and family studies, marriage and family therapy, professionalism and ethics, cultural diversity, research and statistics, and supervised practicum. Students are required to follow an organized sequence of study, in which academic and practicum coursework are integrated. Total semester hour requirement for graduation is 51 hours.

Curriculum Sequence

YEAR 1
​Fall I, (12 credits)
HD 500 (3) Life Span
HD 567 (3) Prepracticum
HD 664 (3) Family Therapy
HD 641 (3) Ethics and Professional Issues in MFT
 
Spring I, (12 credits)
HD 665 (3) Advanced Family Therapy
HD 568 (3) Practicum I
HD 640 (3) Couple and Sex Therapy
HES 509 (3) Research Methods
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May Interim (3 Credits)
HD 642 (3) Systemic Assessment and Diagnosis of Psychopathology in MFT

Summer Semester I, (9 credits)
HD 645 (3) Cultural Diversity in MFT
HD 667 (3) Practicum II
 
​YEAR 2
Fall (9 credits)
HD 562 (3) Dynamics of Family Relations 
HD 668 (3) Internship
BER 540 (3) Stats I
 
Spring (9 credits)
HD 668 (3) Internship
Elective Course (3)
Elective Course (3)
*one elective must be a HD graduate course  

MFT Program Courses 

​ HD 500 - Lifespan Human Development
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HD 562 - Dynamics Of Family Reltn

 HD 567 - Pract Marriage Family Therapy

 HD 568 - Pract I Marriage Family Therapy

 HD 640 - Couple and Sex Therapy

 HD 641 - Ethics and Professional Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy

 HD 645 - Cultural Diversity in Marriage and Family Therapy

HD 664 - Family Therapy

HD 665 - Advanced Family Therapy

 HD 667 - Pract II Marriage Family Ther

 HD 668 - Intern Marriage Family Therapy

 HES 509 - Research Methods

 HD-642 - Systemic Assessment and Diagnosis of Psychopathology in MFT