Becoming a marriage and family therapist requires you to complete a lengthy education – a master’s degree, at the very least. Fortunately, schools throughout Tennessee offer programs that prepare you for your future career with the necessary coursework and experiential activities to qualify for licensure.
The programs discussed in this guide are some of the popular options you might consider in the Volunteer State. Each program is described in detail so you can compare each program and make an informed decision about your academic and professional future. With that, let’s explore some of the top marriage and family therapy programs Tennessee has to offer!
Marriage and Family Therapy Programs in Tennessee
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering marriage and family therapy programs in Tennessee:
- University of Memphis
- Belmont University
- Lipscomb University
- Lee University
- National University
- Northwestern University
- Pepperdine University
- Walden University
University of Memphis
Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling Master’s Program
The Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling master’s program at the University of Memphis is a clinically-focused degree that prepares you to practice in many different settings, ranging from private practice to community mental health to inpatient mental health centers. By completing this degree, you’ll be eligible for licensure as a Marital and Family Therapist in Tennessee.
The program requires 60 credits to complete. You must attend classes on campus in Memphis in addition to completing the required fieldwork for graduation. This is a full-time program that takes three years to finish.
During your time in the program, you’ll take courses that fall into two categories: required core courses and concentration requirements. The required core courses explore essential counseling topics and provide you with a foundation of knowledge and skills that enable you to practice as a competent counselor.
For example, you’ll take classes like Foundations of Counseling, Theories of Counseling, and Clinical Techniques. Each of these courses explores counseling perspectives, theories, and techniques commonly used in modern counseling. You’ll have opportunities to develop your counseling skills while also refining your personal counseling style in preparation for your practicum in counseling, which occurs later in the program.
The required core coursework also covers topics like Addiction Counseling, Multicultural Counseling, and Career Counseling. Being familiar with these specializations is important for you as a prospective marriage and family therapist because each can influence the ways in which couples and families interact.
For example, let’s assume you’re working with a couple who is experiencing difficulty in their relationship because one partner lost their job. On the one hand, you can use your counseling skills to open lines of communication, explore each person’s feelings, and devise strategies for helping the couple work through their issues. On the other hand, you can use your specific knowledge of career counseling to assist your client who has lost their job. In other words, in this context, career counseling and marriage and family counseling go hand-in-hand.
Other required core coursework includes the following:
- Group Counseling
- Assessment
- Legal and Ethical Considerations for Counselors
- Lifespan Development
- Intro to Research Methods
Next, you’ll take marriage and family-related classes to refine your skills even further. To do so, you’ll take a Systems in Family Therapy class that explores the family unit as a system. Within that context, you’ll learn how common issues like communication, infidelity, disagreements about money, and so forth impact the entire family system. You’ll also learn how to address common couples and family issues effectively within the system.
Another key concentration course is Theory and Techniques of Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling. This class builds on the foundational courses of Foundations of Counseling and Theories of Counseling to give you direct insights into effective techniques for addressing system-related problems. For example, you might learn how to use narrative therapy to help each member of the family see the problems they are experiencing more objectively. This, in turn, can help move the family forward with more positive attitudes and a better willingness to communicate.
Of course, you’ll also take classes that address more specific issues, such as Sex Therapy and Couples Counseling. An Advanced Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling course is also required. Again, you’ll learn increasingly complex skills for facilitating positive growth for families who are struggling with any number of issues.
This program includes a significant experiential component. First, you’ll complete a practicum, during which time you’ll begin to practice counseling under the watchful eye of a supervisor. Initially, you’ll be mostly in an observational role, though as time goes on, you’ll gain more responsibilities for working directly with clients. Then, during the internship, you’ll work as a preservice counselor and will be responsible for all aspects of caring for clients, from intake to assessment to providing counseling services and other interventions.
The admissions requirements are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit GRE scores for the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing subtests.
- Provide three letters of reference. Academic references are preferred (at least one of the three letters must be from an academic reference).
- Provide a personal statement that discusses your academic and professional goals, as well as your reasons for applying to this program.
- Submit a current resume.
Belmont University
Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling – Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling Track
Belmont’s Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling offers a Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling track that leads to licensure as a Marital and Family Therapist. It is a full-time, residential program that requires 60 credits to complete.
The program is extremely diverse; not only will you progress through your coursework and field experiences with peers from many different backgrounds, but you’ll also learn from professors who bring varied specialties and experiences to the table. Your work is multifaceted, too. For example, you’ll participate in seminars and classes, take part in research and academic writing, and you’ll also gain valuable clinical experience.
Furthermore, Belmont is a religious school, so your training has roots in theology. You’ll gain insights into providing spiritual guidance to your clients as well as develop the necessary competencies to treat couples and families with varied and complex problems.
The curriculum is divided into several components:
- Foundational Courses
- Speciality Track Courses
- Practical Courses
As discussed earlier, foundational courses help you develop strong general skills needed to be a counselor. You’ll take classes like Foundations of Clinical Practice, Christian Perspectives on Psychopathology and Human Suffering, and Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders. Furthermore, coursework on human development, diversity, and ethics is also required.
Another important foundational course is Therapy with Children and Adolescents. This class explores the many different issues that may arise when working with children, such as childhood mental illness, issues related to autonomy, and drug and alcohol use. You’ll learn how to design treatments, implement interventions, and involve parents or guardians in the process, as appropriate.
The specialty track courses explore both general counseling topics and specific techniques required for this type of therapy. For example, Theories of Personality is a general focus class that informs you of the historical development of personality theory as well as modern theories of personality. As another example, you’ll take Agining in the Family and Society to learn about the process of aging and what it means to the mental health of individuals and the systems in which they belong.
You might also take a variety of more specific technical courses. For example, you can choose to take Family Systems Theory, which explores everything from normal family functioning to the family life cycle to modern social issues that impact the family. Likewise, you can take Family Therapy Skills and Practice, which examines various components of family counseling, including diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. This course also takes a look at modern schools of family therapy, such as structural, Bowenian, and strategic.
The final aspect of this program is a three-course sequence of field experiences. The first is a practicum that exposes you to working in a clinical mental health counseling setting. You’ll participate in case conferences, staff meetings, and basic counseling activities while also gaining valuable insights into the day-to-day requirements of working in this field.
The second and third field experiences are both internships. Your experience in the internship phase is different than the practicum. You’ll have much more one-on-one time with clients, and you’ll have more responsibilities than during the practicum. There’s a larger time commitment, too–you must work at least 20 hours a week in a clinical setting. In all, you must accumulate at least 700 hours of counseling activities.
You must meet the following requirements to apply:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide two letters of recommendation from references who can speak to your academic abilities.
- Provide a curriculum vitae or resume.
- Participate in an interview with faculty members from the Mental Health Counseling Department.
You must also demonstrate proficiency in English if it is not your native language to be accepted to this program.
Lipscomb University
Master of Marriage and Family Therapy
The Master of Marriage and Family Therapy at Lipscomb University is an accredited licensure-track program that requires two years to complete. This is an in-person, cohort-based program with 60 credits of coursework.
The program’s accreditation is from the Commission on Accreditation for Marital and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Being accredited is essential; it signifies that this program has met stringent requirements and is fully prepared to help you advance your training and education.
The curriculum is sequenced such that you acquire essential counseling skills and build upon those skills with increasingly complex courses and field experiences. You start the program by taking introductory courses such as:
- Introduction to Systems and Family Theory
- Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy Skills
- Family Life Cycle: Theory and Practice
- Research Methods and Statistics
From there, you’ll take Family Therapy I, which trains you in essential theories of marriage and family therapy. You’ll also gain an understanding of the basic tenets of General Systems Theory and learn how to use it to study problems that arise in couples and family situations.
You’ll take additional coursework in Diagnosis and Assessment, too. This class focuses on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, and how to use it as a diagnostic tool. You’ll learn how to perform assessments on clients, develop a strong understanding of psychopathology, and hone your treatment planning skills, too.
Other key courses that are critical to your development early in this program include the following:
- Diverse Families and Systems I
- Ethics and Clinical Practice
- Introduction to Play Therapy
- Integrated Behavioral Healthcare: Clinical Applications of a Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Framework
Additionally, you’ll have a supervised clinical practice experience during the first summer session of the program. This particular experience allows you to put what you’ve learned thus far in the program into practice in a clinical counseling setting.
The latter half of the program includes coursework and additional field experiences. On the coursework front, you’ll complete a class on Sexuality, Couple, and Sex Therapy that helps establish a theoretical and evidentiary basis for treating sex-related issues. Most of your learning will revolve around systems theory, with some training in the Gottman Model and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy.
You’ll take Family Therapy II as well. This course provides advanced training in intervention skills. You’ll learn how to apply various intervention models in couples and family therapy situations and gain the ability to apply those models to address primary client concerns. Additionally, you’ll explore how to integrate the Christian faith into your practice.
Other key courses you’ll complete in the second half of this program include the following:
- Diverse Families and Systems II
- Treating Trauma and Addictions in Families
- Marriage and Family Therapy Exam and Licensure
- Practicing Marriage and Family Therapy: Evidence-Based Mental Health Care
There are several supervised clinical practice experiences in this half of the program, too. All told, you’re required to complete at least 300 clinical hours of supervised work. Of these, at least 100 must be relational in nature. At least 100 hours of supervision must be completed as well.
The admissions criteria are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Have a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA or higher. If you don’t meet the GPA requirements, you might be considered for admission if you have satisfactory GRE scores or have already completed a master’s degree. Additionally, you can submit a short statement explaining why your GPA is low and how you have improved as a student as a consequence of past academic experiences.
- Submit an essay in which you discuss a challenge or adversity you overcame. You must also explain why you’re interested in this field.
- Provide two letters of recommendation. At least one recommendation must be from an academic or professional reference.
- Submit a resume.
- Submit a 45-to-60-second video in which you explain what you do for fun.
- Participate in a faculty interview.
Lee University
Lee University’s Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy is a 60-credit residential program that can either be completed in two years of full-time studies or three years of part-time studies. In either case, you’ll participate in on-campus classroom learning and off-campus field experiences to acquire the skills and knowledge you need to be an effective counselor.
The program’s philosophy is simple: integrate the science of counseling with faith-based learning and clinical experiences to develop highly qualified marriage and family counselors. This program is dedicated to service; your training prepares you to seek out those who need help and provide them with a holistic approach to rectifying the issues that are causing difficulties in their lives.
Your coursework begins with studies of Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Family Therapy. This three-credit class discusses everything from proper record-keeping to developing a professional identity to licensing standards. You’ll also explore the AAMFT Code of Ethics in great detail.
Another course you’ll take early on is Introduction to Family Studies. As you’d expect, this class examines both historical and modern family theories, including how each theory has changed over time. You’ll study family systems research, learn how to apply each theory in a family therapy setting and explore diversity issues within family systems, too.
You’re also required to take Psychopathology. This fascinating class explores the etiology of mental illnesses through an examination of relevant case studies. You’ll learn the essential features of common psychological disorders. You’ll also examine relational diagnoses that are common in couples and family counseling.
Other early courses you must take include the following:
- Christian Perspectives in the Helping Professions
- Traditional and Systemic Therapies
- Human Growth and Development
- Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning
- Play Therapy and Child Trauma
As you progress through the program, you’ll complete highly specific courses that address common issues that arise in couples and family therapy. A good example of this is the required Parenting class. This course helps you understand how to assist parents in their development as caregivers, communicators, and role models. You’ll examine current trends and research in this field, acquire the needed skills to teach psychoeducational classes to parents, and explore common parenting concerns and behavior modification techniques, too.
Additionally, you’ll take Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy. This course examines the theoretical principles upon which couples therapy is based. More specifically, you’ll observe how to apply this type of therapy and practice developing your emotionally focused counseling skills in couples therapy situations.
Other coursework you’re required to complete includes the following:
- Family Stress and Resilience
- Cultural Contexts in Clinical Practice
- Human Development: Addiction and Recovery
- Family Therapy
- Research Methods in Relationship Science
Like the other programs discussed earlier, this one requires you to complete clinical field experiences. The first is a practicum in marriage and family therapy that includes 140 hours of direct client contact time. At least half of this time must be spent with couples or families, while another 24 hours must be spent in small group supervision. Six hours of triadic supervision are also required.
The internship, meanwhile, requires you to complete 180 hours of direct client contact time, half of which must be with couples or families. The internship further requires you to complete at least 30 hours of small group supervision and seven hours of triadic supervision.
You must meet the following criteria to be considered for admission:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit the required admissions essays.
- Provide the required recommendations from academic and professional references.
- Submit official GRE scores if required.
- Participate in a faculty interview.
National University
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from National University offers an online program if attending classes on campus isn’t possible. This program is the first distance option accredited by COAMFTE, allowing you to complete coursework online along with fieldwork and supervision activities so that you can qualify for licensure as a marriage and family therapist. It is also accredited by the International Accreditation Commission for Systemic Therapy Education (IACSTE).
One major advantage of this program is its flexibility to meet specific licensing requirements in Tennessee and most other states. For example, the basic program consists of 45 credits, but if the state where you plan to practice requires a 60-credit program, you can take additional courses to meet that need.
The core curriculum covers traditional marriage and family therapy courses in an online format. Foundational classes 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 give you a broad understanding of marriage and family therapy basics as you begin your studies.
Next, you’ll take fundamental course that cover more specific topics, including:
- 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 supplemented with studies in Psychopathology, Diagnosis, and Systemic Treatment. Additionally, you must complete at least two specialization courses focused on working with particular 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 you complete coursework, you enter the fieldwork phase. This includes two parts: a practicum, a two-part internship, and a final internship and capstone course. You can complete all fieldwork hours at an approved site in your local area.
The practicum and internship differ in focus. In the practicum, you build essential skills for clinical therapy settings. Topics like ethics, telehealth, and applying systemic methods in cases are included. You also begin earning direct client contact hours, with 300 total required, at least 150 in settings involving couples or families.
During the internship, your focus shifts to refining your personal therapeutic approach while gaining experience with families, couples, and individual clients. Although you may continue at the same location as the practicum, switching sites is allowed. You’ll also complete a capstone presentation, reflecting on what you learned and integrating feedback from your supervision.
Applications are accepted throughout the year, and classes start monthly, enabling you to begin shortly after your application is approved. The application requirements are:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Resume
- One-on-one interview with a marriage and family therapy faculty member
- Background check before beginning your first course
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