Getting an advanced education in marriage and family therapy is easy in Utah. After all, numerous programs are available at Utah institutions. You can study full-time or part-time, at a large public university, or at a smaller college. You can also study in virtually every corner of the state as popular marriage and family therapy programs are available at schools throughout Utah.
The question is, which program is ideal for you?
This guide offers a detailed look at some of the popular Utah-based master’s degrees in marriage and family therapy. Read about each one, compare and contrast the options, and choose the program that best fits your needs.
Marriage and Family Therapy Programs in Utah
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering marriage and family therapy programs in Utah:
- Utah Tech University
- Utah Valley University
- Utah State University
- Brigham Young University
- Northwestern University
- National University
- Walden University
Utah Tech University
Master of Marriage and Family Therapy
The Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT) degree at Utah Tech University is somewhat unique in that you can choose either a 45-credit program or a Master of Science option that requires 51 credits to complete. The MMFT program is best suited for you if you want to pursue a traditional clinical mental health career. On the other hand, the Master of Science is more attuned to your needs as a prospective PhD student.
Assuming you choose the MMFT track, you’ll complete a curriculum that prepares you for professional licensure in Utah. To qualify for a license, you must complete many different steps; the first is getting an appropriate degree. The Utah Tech degree meets these requirements by requiring you to complete coursework and clinical field experiences.
The curriculum includes courses like Individual and Family Life Cycle, which gives you a broad overview of human development. You’ll explore topics like developmental theories, family development, human sexuality, and biopsychosocial health across the lifespan. Moreover, you’ll discuss theoretical and philosophical issues important to the study of the human life cycle.
Another required course for this degree is Parents and Children: Problem Resolution. You’ll learn about child development theories, basic interventions for children and adolescents, and explore cultural competence issues as well. You’ll also complete Marriage and Family Therapy With Children. Naturally, this class examines various developmentally appropriate play therapy interventions and strategies you can use to address common childhood mental health issues in the context of family therapy.
Other early courses you’ll take include the following:
- Couples Therapy
- Introduction to the Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy
- Gender and Culture in Marriage and Family Therapy
- Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy Theories
- Ethics and Professional Issues
As you advance through the program, you’ll take higher-level classes in areas like Assessment and Diagnosis in Marriage and Family Therapy. This class takes a look at the development and interpretation of assessment techniques in family therapy practice. In completing this class, you’ll learn how assessment, diagnosis, and treatment are intertwined. While also learning how to integrate scholarly research into your practice.
Another advanced class is Practice of Family Research. This course teaches you about the various psychometric and educational theories you can rely on in individual and family counseling. Furthermore, you’ll acquire the ability to administer and interpret assessments to your clients.
One of the final components of this program is a Practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy. This experience enables you to work extensively in a supervised setting, where you’ll gain key counseling skills. You’ll be responsible for providing direct therapeutic services to clients as well as attending to other tasks, such as supervision, case consultations, and writing case notes.
You can apply to Utah Tech online. Follow these steps to apply:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit three letters of recommendation.
- Provide a personal statement.
GRE scores are typically required, however this requirement is currently on hold.
Utah Valley University
Master in Marriage and Family Therapy
The Master in Marriage and Family Therapy program at Utah Valley University is a systems-focused program that offers you training in systemic theories, skills, and ethics. Through the coursework you complete, you’ll learn how to work professionally, behave ethically, and serve the needs of diverse populations. By completing the degree requirements, you’ll be eligible for licensure as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist in Utah.
This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). As such, the curricular and experiential activities needed to graduate align with professional standards in this field. As is the case in any COAMFTE-accredited program, you’ll be expected to complete a slate of marriage and family therapy-related classes that explore topics such as:
- Couples Therapy
- Assessment and Diagnosis
- Marriage and Family Therapy Theories
- Professional and Ethical Standards in Marriage and Family Therapy
These and other core courses give you a broad range of knowledge and skills that you can use in the context of therapy. For example, the Couples Therapy class helps you identify ways you can improve communication between couples and guide them through difficult times in their relationship.
As another example, the Assessment and Diagnosis class offers insights into the procedures you follow when taking new clients, be they individuals, couples, or families. You’ll learn the ins and outs of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, develop a working understanding of common mental illnesses, and learn about the importance of case consultation when making diagnoses.
The clinical component is equally as important as the coursework. During the clinical placement, you’ll work closely with a supervisor at an off-site location to conduct marriage and family therapy activities. This included, but is not limited to, providing counseling services to individuals, couples, families, and groups, participating in supervisory activities with your supervisor, and taking part in day-to-day activities of the practice. These activities might include the following:
- Staff meetings
- Case consultations
- Professional development activities
- Billing and insurance tasks
- Maintaining case files
The admissions requirements are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (or in the last 60 credits).
- Submit a curriculum vitae that outlines relevant educational and practical experiences related to the helping professions.
- Submit a curriculum vitae statement that explains the experiences listed on your CV.
- Write a 2 to 3-page essay in which you discuss your future career plans. You are also required to address these topics:
- Discuss potential biases you have that might impact your work with diverse populations.
- Explore how you’ll address these biases such that you’re prepared to work with all clients.
- Discuss what professional and clinical competence will look like when you’re a marriage and family therapist.
- Explain the clinical population(s) you hope to work with after graduation.
- Submit three letters of recommendation. At least two of these letters must be from references who can speak to your academic abilities.
Utah State University
Master of Science – Marriage and Family Therapy
Utah State University’s Marriage and Family Therapy degree program is COAMFTE-accredited and prepares you for licensure as a marriage and family therapist in Utah. The core requirements include 47 credits of study, which typically takes two years of full-time attendance to complete. This is a residential program, too, so you must attend classes on Utah State’s campus. Off-campus internship activities are additionally required.
As a student in this program, you’ll study many different topics related to marriage and family therapy. You’ll of course study marriage and family relations. You’ll also study human development and learn about the clinical practice requirements in Utah. By completing this program, you’ll not only be eligible for licensure, but you’ll also be eligible for clinical membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
The curriculum begins with two foundation courses – Human Development Theories and Family Theories. The Human Development Theories class offers a detailed overview of primary developmental theories. This includes an examination of major learning theories, personality theories, and philosophical influences. Meanwhile, the Family Systems class gives you a review of family research theories as well as the assessments you’ll use in your practice of marriage and family therapy.
This program further requires you to complete one Applied Statistical Analysis class. This course introduces you to different types of statistics, from database creation to data exploration to data visualization. You’ll also become adept at using software to compute inferential and descriptive statistics, regressions, T-tests, ANOVAs, and more.
The bulk of your coursework, though, is in marriage and family therapy. For example, you’ll take the following classes:
- Introduction to Systemic Family Theory and Practice
- Theories and Models of Systemic Family Therapy
- Gender and Diversity in Systemic Family Therapy
- Couple and Sex Therapy
- Collaborative Health Care and Psychopharmacology
Furthermore, you’ll take a class on Child and Family Play Therapy, which helps you understand the central theories and concepts of play therapy. You’ll learn about evidence-based methods for working with children while also exploring ways you can integrate effective play therapy into your practice.
Another course you’re required to take is Psychopathology and Assessment. This class focuses on building skills that enable you to assess and diagnose individuals in family therapy. Likewise, You’ll learn how to assess individuals, couples, and families in treatment planning. Building on that course is Applying Scholarly Research and Systemic Family Treatment. This class focuses solely on current research issues in marriage and family therapy and how those issues might impact your practice.
The program’s final component is Practicum in Systemic Family Therapy. This course is a supervised clinical experience during which you acquire the necessary skills to be a competent marriage and family therapist. The practicum occurs over the course of two semesters at an approved location where you’ll work under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist.
The admissions requirements for the program are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree in any field from an accredited college or university. It is recommended that you have at least a minor in child studies, family studies, or consumer studies.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Submit transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit the contact information for three references.
Brigham Young University
Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy
Brigham Young’s Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy is taught by eleven full-time faculty members, each of whom has extensive clinical experience. The program is taught within BYU’s School of Family Life and requires 61 credits to complete.
Since this program is COAMFTE-accredited, its curriculum is aligned with professional standards for marriage and family therapy. There are several components to the curriculum, including:
- Theoretical Foundations
- Clinical Practice
- Individual Development and Family Relations
- Professional Identity and Ethics
- Research
- Additional Learning
Each of these areas of emphasis includes multiple courses. For example, you’ll take Theoretical Foundations of Family System and Theoretical Foundations of Marital and Family Therapy to get a solid understanding of this field as an academic pursuit and a clinical field of practice.
Then, you must complete five courses as part of the clinical practice component:
- Analysis and Treatment of Human Sexual Development
- Addictions and Violence in Families
- Psychopathology and Assessment in Marriage and Family Therapy
- Marital and Individual Psychotherapy
- Family and Multigenerational Psychotherapy
In each of these classes, you’ll gain valuable insights into the treatment of various concerns that are likely to present themselves in the context of family therapy. Though you can’t prepare for every possible eventuality in your practice, taking classes like those listed above is a good first step.
The coursework in the Individual Development and Family Relations portion of the curriculum includes Issues of Gender and Ethnicity and The Individual and Family Over the Life Course. Taking these classes informs you of diversity issues you’re likely to encounter in your career as well as prepares you for working with clients at various points of the life cycle.
There is one Professional Identity and Ethics class required – Ethical and Professional Issues for Family Therapists. This class is critical for your development as a counselor; you’ll learn how to conduct yourself professionally, the ethical considerations for working in the helping professions, and gain a better understanding of the business side of working as a therapist.
The program’s research component includes three classes:
- Graduate Research Methods
- Statistical Methods for Research (or Regression Analysis)
- Master’s Thesis or Clinical Project
These classes have a distinct purpose – to help you develop not only as a clinician but as a competent researcher as well. The most significant portion of the research sequence is the master’s thesis or clinical project. In both cases, you must conduct thorough academic research and provide a detailed report of said research.
As for the Additional Learning component, you are required to take two classes: Theoretical Foundations of Family System and Theoretical Foundations of Marital and Family Therapy. These classes provide deep insights into the framework of marriage and family therapy by examining historical and modern theories of treatment.
This program also requires you to complete a supervised internship. This is an opportunity to complete direct contact hours with clients in a real-world clinical setting. You’ll work with couples and families, but also individuals and groups, too. You must compile at least 400 clinical hours of direct client contact time. Of these hours, at least 250 must be in a relational context.
The admission criteria are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a resume.
- Outline your research experience.
- Outline your human services experience.
- Submit three letters of recommendation from faculty, mentors, or work supervisors.
- Submit an essay.
Contact Us
Privacy Policy