Texas is a huge state with a very large population that’s rapidly growing and diversifying. What’s more, Texas is home to an expansive higher education system with six university systems and dozens of public colleges and universities across the state. There are also many popular schools offering psychology programs in Texas.
What that means for you as a prospective marriage and family therapy student is that there are ample opportunities in Texas to get the education you need to begin your career. Furthermore, as a graduate of a marriage and family therapy program, you will have the skills and training needed to work specifically with Texas’ growing and changing population.
Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Programs in Texas
Below is a list of popular schools offering marriage and family therapy programs in Texas:
- Texas Woman’s University
- Grand Canyon University
- Texas Wesleyan University
- Capella University
- Texas State University
- Texas Tech University
- Pepperdine University
- Lamar University
Texas Woman’s University
School Information
Texas Woman’s University was founded in 1901 as the Girls Industrial College. Over the years, the types of programs offered by the school expanded. That’s not all that changed, either. In 1972, the first male students were admitted to the college.
Texas Woman’s University is a public doctoral degree institution with a main campus and two health science centers. The University also has online degrees and programs for students that prefer to learn remotely.
As a Texas Woman’s University student, you can study in many different degree areas, including business, nursing, and health sciences. Professional education and the arts and sciences are additional colleges that grant degrees at Texas Woman’s University.
Marriage and Family Therapy Program Information
Texas Woman’s University offers a Master of Science in marriage and family therapy at its Denton campus (with some online course options as well). It’s a 60-credit program that takes around three years to complete. Courses include:
- Systemic Couple and Sex Therapy
- Statistics for Family Sciences
- Collaborative Healthcare in Marriage and Family Therapy
A thesis is optional for this degree. If you want to continue your studies in a doctoral program, opting for the thesis track (which requires you to complete an additional six credits) is the better bet. However, if you plan to begin your career after completing your graduate degree, the non-thesis track is a viable option. This program prepares you for marriage and family therapist licensure in Texas.
You don’t need to take the GRE to apply to this program, nor do you need to provide letters of recommendation.
This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).
Texas Wesleyan University
School Information
Texas Wesleyan University was founded in 1890 as a private school. Its affiliation with the United Methodist Church helps inform and guide the education provided to students. However, you don’t have to be a member of the Methodist church to attend the university.
This is a very small school with fewer than 3,000 students. That translates to a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1, giving you the individual attention you need to fully develop your academic knowledge and skills.
The school offers more than 30 undergraduate majors and 11 types of graduate degrees, including the master of science in marriage and family therapy discussed below.
Marriage and Family Therapy Program Information
This 60-hour Master of Science program in marriage and family therapy from Texas Wesleyan University is COAMFTE-accredited and focuses on research-based interventions for couples and families. To develop the skills required for competent practice, you will take courses that include:
- Family Systems
- Techniques of Appraisal & Assessment
- Crisis Intervention Counseling
- Advanced Psychopathology
- Multicultural/Cross-Cultural Counseling
Additionally, you will take part in a three-semester practicum to gain real-world experience working with couples and families in a clinical setting.
If you like, you can extend your learning and add a professional counseling concentration to your master’s program. This concentration requires the completion of 12 additional credits in counseling theory, group counseling, crisis skills, and career development/assessment.
This program requires three years of study to complete. If you pursue the professional counseling concentration, you’ll need an additional year to finish your studies.
Texas State University
School Information
Texas State University was founded in 1899 to prepare future teachers for their careers. Today, Texas State is a comprehensive four-year public university with more than 33,000 undergraduate students at campuses in San Marcos and Round Rock.
Texas State offers hundreds of majors and minors for undergraduate studies. The school also has a robust graduate program with master’s and doctoral degrees in a wide range of subjects, including psychology, business, nursing, and legal studies. The marriage and family therapy concentration discussed below is yet another option.
Texas State offers everything you need to prepare for a long career with respected research facilities, a collection of student support programs, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Marriage and Family Therapy Program Information
Texas State University’s marriage, couple, and family counseling (MCFC) concentration track prepares you to work with individuals, couples, and families in a clinical setting. This master’s degree program focuses on a systems perspective, meaning you will learn how problems within a marriage or family can be explained through the lens of the family unit and other systems.
You will take foundational, intermediate, and clinical courses as part of your study. This includes:
- Counseling Diverse Populations
- Marital, Couples, and Family Theories
- Dynamics and Processes in Group
- Assessment and Treatment in MCFC
- Clinical Practicum
You must also participate in a two-part internship.
This program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP).
Texas Tech University
School Information
Texas Tech University was originally known as Texas Technological College when it opened in 1925. The school had just six buildings and 914 students back then. Today, Texas Tech has more than 40,000 students, of which about 7,500 are graduate students. There are 1,600 full-time faculty and nearly 200 part-time faculty as well.
There are 13 academic colleges and schools at Texas Tech that offer more than 150 degrees for undergraduate students. There are 100 degree programs for graduate students and 50 doctoral degree programs as well.
Texas Tech is consistently recognized for being a high-value school. It tops the list of the best colleges for the money in the southwest and also ranks second among Big 12 schools for return on investment.
Marriage and Family Therapy Program Information
Texas Tech’s master’s program in couple, marriage, and family therapy gives you the option of pursuing a non-thesis or a thesis track. The non-thesis track requires the completion of 65 credits, while the thesis track requires 69 credits. In either case, you will be well-prepared to counsel couples and families upon graduation.
To help you develop the needed skills to be an effective marriage and family therapist, you will take courses like:
- Couple and Family Dynamics of Addiction
- Intergenerational Family Therapy
- Family Systems
- Statistics
- Research Methods in Marriage and Family Therapy
Additionally, this program includes a practicum component. As such, you will be eligible for licensure as a marriage and family therapist associate in Texas upon your graduation.
This program is accredited by COAMFTE.
Work Opportunities for MFTs in Texas
As noted earlier, Texas’ population is growing rapidly, and with it, opportunities to work as a marriage and family therapist are growing. This is especially true in metropolitan areas like Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin, where an influx of families is increasing the population of potential clients for marriage and family therapists.
While many marriage and family therapists work in private practice, this isn’t the only option available to you in Texas. State agencies like the Department of Family and Protective Services might offer positions for therapists with a background in marriage and family issues. Likewise, you might find employment in academic settings as a teacher or professor.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that the number of marriage and family therapy jobs will increase by 14 percent through 2031, which is much faster than average. This being the case, there is a strong likelihood that you will be able to find employment in Texas (and other states) after you graduate.
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