As a Missouri student interested in becoming a marriage and family therapist, you have many different avenues for achieving your goals. On the one hand, you can pursue a master of science or master of arts program and get a complete education to prepare you for work as a therapist. On the other hand, you might already have significant schooling or experience and enroll in a graduate certificate program to complete the necessary requirements for licensure.
Additionally, you can get your degree or certificate on campus at one of several schools in Missouri. But there are also online options for getting your master’s in this field if you need a more flexible schedule.
Below are some of the popular options for completing your studies in marriage and family therapy. Read each program’s summary, compare and contrast each option, and use this information to help you make an informed decision.
Marriage and Family Therapy Programs in Missouri
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering marriage and family therapy programs in Missouri:
- University of Missouri-St. Louis
- University of Central Missouri
- Saint Louis University
- Grand Canyon University
- National University
- Northwestern University
- Walden University
University of Missouri-St. Louis
Graduate Certificate in Couple, Marriage, and Family Counseling
The University of Missouri-St. Louis offers a unique option for becoming a marriage and family counselor – a Graduate Certificate in Couple, Marriage, and Family Counseling. This program offers the flexibility of being a standalone option if you only require a few courses and field experiences to complete your degree.
However, this program is also offered in conjunction with a number of graduate degrees. For example, you can add this certificate to a master’s program in social work or counseling, or if you’re a doctoral student, it can be added to a Ph.D. or Ed.D. in education.
Whatever your specific circumstances, you must complete 12 credits to finish this certificate. There are three classes, each of which is three credits, and one field experience, which is an additional three credits. In many cases, these requirements can be completed in one or two semesters.
Regarding the coursework for this certificate, you’ll start by taking Introduction to Systems Theory for Couples and Family Counseling. This class offers a broad overview of relationship counseling, particularly as it pertains to working with couples and families. The focus is on system-oriented theories, but you’ll also have opportunities to enhance your relationship counseling skills.
For example, you’ll role-play, examine case studies, and participate in case conceptualizations with your classmates and professors. Likewise, you’ll hone your assessment skills and develop enhanced abilities to work with families of diverse backgrounds and with diverse needs. The class touches on legal issues, ethical considerations, and professional issues in counseling as well.
The next course in the sequence is Marriage and Relationship Counseling. One of the focuses of the class is on the models and methods used to address relationship issues in a therapeutic setting. This includes learning how to be an effective communicator and mediator, as well as an effective therapeutic leader who can keep clients on track for improvement in their relationship.
Additionally, this course explores theories and techniques related to the following:
- Marital Counseling
- Couples Counseling
- Relationship Counseling
- Family Counseling
- Group Counseling
The final class you’re required to take for this certificate is Family Counseling. This course builds on the family counseling topics you learned about in the previous two classes and provides you with advanced skills. For example., you’ll explore evidence-based practices for working with multicultural and multigenerational families. Likewise, you’ll learn how to apply theories and techniques to address a broad spectrum of family concerns, from behavioral issues in teenagers to infidelity issues between partners.
As noted earlier, the final component of this program is the field experience. You can choose from three options to fulfill this portion of the certificate program:
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling Field Experience
- Advanced Theories and Practices of Counseling
- Doctoral Internship
Let’s assume you opt for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Field Experience. Doing so requires you to complete 100 clock hours of supervised work in which you demonstrate your competency and skill as a pre-service marriage and family counselor.
Alternatively, let’s say you’re a doctoral student and you enroll in Advanced Theories and Practices of Counseling class. Doing so means you’ll learn about historical, modern, and emerging theories of working with diverse couples, families, and groups. Moreover, you must complete a 100-hour supervised practicum to put your learning into practice.
The final option for completing field requirements is a Doctoral Internship. Again, the internship requires 100 hours of supervised work in a couples or family therapy setting. You’ll provide counseling services to clients and participate fully in other duties, such as conducting research projects and overseeing new counseling trainees.
To apply, you must already be a student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. You must meet the following requirements to be considered for admission:
- Have an undergraduate degree with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher.
- Be enrolled in a graduate program in mental health or be newly graduated from a mental health program.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a two-page personal statement in which you explain your professional and personal goals.
- Provide two letters of recommendation (at least one of which must be from a former college instructor or someone with a graduate degree in this field).
University of Central Missouri
Master of Science in Human Development and Family Science
The Master of Science in Human Development and Family Science at the University of Central Missouri is one of two popular degree programs in the state that lead to licensure as a marriage and family therapist. It’s also the only such program at a public university in the state.
The marriage and family therapist track is a full-time, two-year, clinically-focused program. Your training is directed by experienced marriage and family therapists who work with diverse clients in diverse settings. Your professors also have experience working in public policy at the local, state, and national levels.
Since this program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), the curriculum is aligned with standards set by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. As such, completing this program directly prepares you to fulfill the licensure requirements to work in Missouri as a couples and family counselor.
The curriculum includes 54 credits of coursework and fieldwork. The first sequence of courses you must complete is required major courses like Ethics and Professional Studies in Family Science, Family Theory, and Human Development Theory. Additionally, you’ll take Research Methods in Human Development and Family Science, which explores major theories of lifespan development. You’ll also examine significant forces in human development, like social factors, culture, language, and physiological development.
You’ll continue your required studies by taking Diversity and Family Interventions. This class emphasizes cultural competency in your work. You’ll learn how to provide culturally sensitive treatment to diverse clients. You’ll also analyze the concepts of inclusion, race, diversity, and ethnicity and how they influence people’s experiences in therapy.
The two remaining required courses are Professional Assessment and an Integrative Project. The Professional Assessment class introduces you to the processes of evaluating clients from a systemic standpoint. The Integrative Project, meanwhile, requires you to develop a research or grant proposal that addresses a critical public health topic. This project also requires you to integrate what you’ve learned in the program and demonstrate your ability to apply what you’ve learned in the project.
Another 33 credits of studies are necessary to graduate with this marriage and family degree. This portion of the curriculum focuses specifically on marriage and family therapy. For example, you’ll take classes such as:
- Theoretical Foundations of Couple and Family Therapy
- Systemic Treatment of Substance Use Disorders
- Systemic Assessment and Diagnosis
- Couples and Sex Therapy
- Systemic Treatment of Children and Families
As you can see, these classes offer training in working with specific groups, specific issues, or both. No two families are alike, so having this type of broad training is enormously beneficial.
You must complete a pre-practicum and a residential practicum experience, too. The pre-practicum is essentially an orientation; you’ll learn how to intake clients, conduct assessments, plan a course of treatment, and implement interventions. You’ll initially observe how these skills are used by experienced counselors, then have opportunities to practice your skills with supervision.
The marriage and family therapy practicum, meanwhile, gives you a greater level of freedom. Rather than observing, you’ll be actively engaged in providing direct services to individuals, couples, and families. This allows you to develop your skills even further while also beginning to clarify your personal counseling approach.
You must meet these requirements to be considered for admission:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a 2.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA or a 3.0 GPA within your undergraduate major courses.
- Have at least nine credits of behavioral or social science courses.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a 500-word essay in which you explain why you chose this program and how the university can assist you in achieving your goals.
- Submit three references.
- Participate in a faculty interview.
Saint Louis University
Master of Arts in Family Therapy
The Master of Arts in Family Therapy at Saint Louis University is the second COAMFTE-accredited program in the state. The program’s roots are in the systemic and relational schools of thought. Given that, your studies and field experiences focus on these areas, plus the development of ancillary skills such as improved communication, problem-solving, and organization.
This full-time, on-campus program requires you to complete 60 credits to graduate. These credits include didactic coursework, a two-semester practicum experience, and a three-semester internship. Completing these requirements ensures you’re eligible for licensure in Missouri as a marriage and family therapist. You can also choose to complete a medical family therapy track if it is more aligned with your future professional goals.
The program’s requirements take two years of full-time studies to complete. You’ll begin the program’s first semester by taking foundational courses such as:
- Introduction to Family Therapy
- Ethical and Legal Issues in Family Therapy
- Introduction to Family Studies
- Foundations of Multicultural Counseling
As you can imagine, each of these classes helps you acquire the skills needed to practice competently as a marriage and family therapist. On the one hand, you’ll gain insights into essential family therapy theories and techniques. On the other hand, you’ll examine crucial ethical, professional, and legal issues you might encounter in the course of your career. Of course, developing an understanding of how to work with clients of diverse backgrounds is an important component of your initial studies, too.
Once you complete these foundational courses, you’ll move on and study more specific topics in this field. For example, you’ll take Diagnosis and Assessment in Family Therapy, which explores the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as the guiding force in determining potential illnesses your clients may have.
You’ll also take Human Growth and Development. This course analyzes the human experience from birth to death. You’ll discuss major developmental milestones, examine factors like personality development throughout life, and learn about possible interventions you can utilize with clients at different developmental stages.
Other essential courses you’re required to take include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Theoretical Foundations of Couple and Family Therapy
- Group Counseling Theory and Practice
- Family Research Methods
- Families, Health, and Illness
- Integrative and Evidence-Based Models of Couple and Family Therapy
This program further requires you to complete a thesis. The thesis component includes ample time to conduct thorough research and literature reviews. These activities prepare you to develop a publishable scholarly paper that you must defend before your thesis committee to earn your degree.
The final aspect of this program is an internship in family therapy. As discussed earlier, the point of an internship is to provide you with a supervised and supportive environment in which you can practice your therapeutic skills. You’ll work with individuals, couples, families, and groups on an array of issues. You’ll also develop your personal counseling style, conduct research, and get feedback from your supervisors that helps you refine your approach to couples and family counseling.
You can apply to Saint Louis University online if this program sounds like a good fit. You must have the following qualifications to be considered for admission:
- Have an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution. Your degree must include at least 18 credits of coursework in the social sciences.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide three letters of recommendation.
- Provide a current resume.
- Submit a professional goal statement.
- Participate in an interview.
Grand Canyon University
Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Marriage and Family Therapy Emphasis
Grand Canyon University is an online option you might consider if you need a more flexible format to complete your degree. Its Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Marriage and Family Therapy Emphasis requires 74 credits to graduate. You’ll need 2-3 years to finish the program if you are studying full-time.
The coursework you complete in this program will help you develop the necessary skills to provide competent therapeutic services to individuals, couples, and families. More specifically, you’ll acquire knowledge of the following:
- The processes of substance abuse, its effects on families, and your role in recovery.
- Family dynamics, common systems-based issues, and appropriate interventions and counseling techniques.
- Biopsychosocial perspectives of family systems.
- The foundational principles of marriage and family therapy.
- Various approaches for working with diverse families.
The courses you’ll take to develop the competencies above include introductory and advanced topics. For example, a key introductory course is Professional Counseling, Ethical, and Legal Considerations. This three-credit class teaches you about ethical practice, your responsibilities as a professional therapist, and common legal issues you might encounter in your career.
Another early course in this program is Theories and Models of Counseling. The purpose of this class is to introduce you to a broad range of counseling approaches so you can begin to develop your personal counseling style. You’ll discuss approaches in the behavioral, person-centered, Adlerian, and psychoanalytic realms, to name a few.
Other foundational or introductory courses include the following:
- Counseling Skills
- Group Counseling
- Lifespan Development
- Psychopathology
- Counseling the Culturally Diverse
Other classes zero in on more specific topics. A good example of this is Abuse, Crisis, and Trauma Counseling. Each section of this class dives deep into issues like spousal abuse, domestic violence, and the duty to report. Moreover, you’ll explore theories of trauma counseling, crisis interventions, and child abuse assessment procedures.
Another course with a specific focus is Human Sexuality and Issues of Aging. Sexual and age-related issues are prevalent in couple relationships. As such, it’s necessary for you to understand how these issues manifest and how they impact your client’s relationships. Additionally, you’ll examine issues like elder abuse, neglect, and substance use among older adults.
This program has a research component, too. The required course on Research Methods and Program Evaluation includes studies of statistics, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and outcome-based research, too. Furthermore, you’ll evaluate the importance of research and its role in helping therapists provide improved services to their clients.
Of course, one of the most significant pieces of this program is the field experience requirement. Your first field experience is a practicum in which you complete 100 hours of supervised training in an approved marriage and family setting. At least 40 of these hours must be in direct contact with clients. Weekly supervision with a group of other pre-service counselors is also required.
The internship, meanwhile, is your final preparation for your career. During the internship, you’ll work full-time in a counseling position. As with the practicum, you’ll have an onsite supervisor to provide guidance, and you’ll also have weekly supervision with your professors and classmates. The internship requires you to complete 300 hours of counseling-related activities, of which 120 hours must be in direct contact with clients.
The admissions criteria are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Have a 2.8 cumulative undergraduate GPA or higher. If you don’t meet this threshold, you can submit GRE scores to make your case for admission. You must have a combined verbal/quantitative score of 300 or higher.
- Submit any additional documentation as requested.
National University
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
National University offers an online Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy program. This program is accredited by COAMFTE, allowing you to complete coursework online, along with fieldwork and supervised activities that qualify you for licensure as a marriage and family therapist. The program is also accredited by the International Accreditation Commission for Systemic Therapy Education (IACSTE).
A key benefit of this program is its flexibility to meet licensing requirements in Tennessee and most other states. For example, while the standard program consists of 45 credits, if your state requires a 60-credit program, you can take additional courses to satisfy that need.
The core curriculum includes traditional marriage and family therapy courses in an online format. Initial classes cover basic concepts and include Foundations for Graduate Study in Marriage and Family Therapy, Treatment Planning and Traditional Family Therapy, and Recovery-Oriented Care and Postmodern Family Therapy. These courses provide you with a broad overview of marriage and family therapy as you begin your studies.
You’ll then move into more specific topics in courses such as:
- Cultural Diversity, Gender, and Family Development
- Couple and Sex Therapy
- Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice
- Human Development and Family Dynamics Across the Lifespan
- Legal, Ethical, and Professional Development in Marriage and Family Therapy
This coursework is complemented by studies in Psychopathology, Diagnosis, and Systemic Treatment. You are also required to complete at least two specialized courses focusing on specific family groups. Options include:
- Child and Adolescent Therapy
- Couple Therapy
- General Family Therapy
- Medical Family Therapy
- Military Family Therapy
- Systemic Sex Therapy
- Systemic Treatment of Addictions
- Trauma-Informed Systemic Therapy
Once your coursework is complete, you’ll enter the fieldwork phase, which consists of a practicum, a two-part internship, and a final internship and capstone course. All fieldwork hours can be completed at an approved site in your local area.
The practicum and internship have different focuses. In the practicum, you’ll develop essential skills for clinical therapy settings, covering areas like ethics, telehealth, and applying systemic methods in various cases. You’ll also begin earning direct client contact hours, with a total of 300 hours required, at least 150 of which must be with couples or families.
During the internship, your focus shifts toward refining your individual therapeutic style while working with families, couples, and individual clients. You may continue at the same location as the practicum or change sites if preferred. At the end, you’ll complete a capstone presentation, where you reflect on your learning and incorporate feedback from supervision.
Applications are accepted year-round, with classes starting monthly so you can begin soon after your application is approved. To apply, you need to meet these requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Resume
- One-on-one interview with a marriage and family therapy faculty member
- Background check before starting your first course
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