The Master of Science in Family Therapy (MSFT) degree provides academic and clinical training for persons seeking competence in the professional discipline of marriage and family therapy. This degree meets the educational requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist in most states including Kansas and Missouri.
The MSFT program is dedicated to the core educational outcome of providing a professional foundation for practice as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapy mental health provider. This outcome is pursued through a program philosophy that values an adult learning environment which is profession-focused, systematically informed, culturally sensitive, and supportive of a transformative developmental trajectory inclusive of three integrative domains of MFT professional competency. Those domains include interpersonal competency referenced as the “self of the therapist”, theoretical competency referenced as a “life-long learner within the profession”, and clinical competency referenced as an effective practitioner continuously “meriting the public trust.”
Students complete an integrated and sequentially designed 52 credit hour degree through 19 academic courses and three semesters of continous clinical internship completed within a 23-month period. Two comprehensive examinations are required, occurring within Term 2 and Term 4.
By program completion, students prepare and submit a portfolio of professional skill development for review by selected community professionals and final approval by the Program Director.
DEGREE AWARDED
Master of Science
CONTACTS
Dr. Steve Rathbun, Program Director
Family Therapy
316-295-5621
rathbun@friends.edu
Dr. Chris Habben
Associate Program Director, Lenexa Education Center
913-233-8706
chabben@friends.edu
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
In addition to the requirements stated under the Graduate Admissions Policy, the requirements for admission to MSFT are as follows:
- Baccalaureate or graduate degree from an accredited university with a 3.0 GPA minimum.
- Minimum prerequisite coursework as follows:
- one course in research methods, research design or statistics; and
- two upper division courses in any of the following areas: family studies, human development, psychology or sociology.
- Completion of a personality inventory as selected by program director.*
- Successful completion of a background check through a vendor approved by the University.*
- Brief autobiography and statement of goals.
- Two each of academic/professional and personal references on forms provided by the Admissions Office.
- Admissions interview upon review of completed application, approval of prerequisitecourses by MSFT faculty and MSFT faculty invitation.
* There is a fee associated with this item.
SCHEDULE
The complete MSFT program curriculum is delivered separately at the Wichita campus and the Kansas City instructional site in Lenexa. The normal schedule for program instruction is 5:00pm to 10:00pm on Thursday evenings in each site with some variation dependent on the amount of required learning activity completed through the University’s computer-based, Internet course management system and the schedule set by the MSFT program faculty. There are five courses that are taught outside the normal Thursday evening schedule. The program’s first three credit hour course, FMTH 503 Foundations of Marriage and Family Therapy, is taught in a one week, intensive format, occurring one week in August (Monday through Friday). Additionally, there are two one credit hour courses taught in a Thursday evening, half-day Saturday, and Thursday evening format. Those two courses are FMTH 581 Ethical and Professional Issues in MFT Practice I (Term 1) and FMTH 511 Research in MFT 1 (Term 2).
In addition to Thursday evenings, clinical training adds significant time requirements. Beginning in Term 1 and continuing midway through Term 2, FMTH 512 Clinical Foundations 1 & FMTH 572 Clinical Foundations 2 provide additional instruction through weekly two hour sessions supporting readiness to enter clinical training. By early April of Term 2, following completion of the Clinical Foundations courses, students begin weekly clinical supervision and direct client contact, requiring seven to 10 hours weekly. By Term 3 (August), and throughout the second year, the full training schedule is required, consisting of 15 to 20 hours weekly for dyadic and group supervision, delivery of therapy services, documentation and case management tasks. If clinical training requirements are not met by the conclusion of Term 4, the student must continue the clinical internship until completed by enrollment in consecutive eight-week courses of clinical supervision (see Course Listings for FMTH 691 Clinical Internship/Extended).
INTERNSHIPS
The clinical internship begins during the second semester and continues concurrent with the on-going academic coursework. Students are responsible for completing 1,000 hours of supervised professional experience inclusive of 1) 500 client contact hours with individuals, couples and families, and 2) 100 hours of clinical supervision. Weekly clinical supervision during Term 2 is principally individual or dyadic (paired). Individual or dyadic and group supervision are offered weekly throughout Terms 3 and 4. All clinical supervision requires enrollment in the Clinical Internship series. Supervision is provided by the program’s clinical faculty and by qualified practitioners in the placement site. Video recorded segments of the student’s clinical sessions assist the supervision process. “Live” supervision through one-way mirror, camera or in-room observation is also expected. A defined conceptual framework of clinical skill development guides internship learning and evaluation.
Enrollment in the clinical internship series provides professional liability coverage for clinical training activities at all sites. Entry into training requires student membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and faculty review for student readiness to begin client contact. Recording equipment is provided at Friends University’s Center on Family Living facilities. Students may need to provide audio or video recorders for use in community placement settings. Basic computer skills are necessary for clinical documentation and academic coursework.
Students are responsible for accomplishing the required internship hours. MSFT students on the Wichita campus are expected to see two to six cases weekly at the University’s Center on Family Living. All other clinical placements are developed and approved by program personnel according to Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) accreditation guidelines. Students may request a specific placement option matching their area of training interest dependent upon site availability.
NON-DEGREE SEEKING STUDENTS
Interested persons not wishing to complete the entire program may request to take up to four academic courses (not to exceed 9 credit hours) through application as a “special student” and approval of the program director.
ACCREDITATION
The Master of Science in Family Therapy at Friends University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), 112 S. Alfred St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Friends University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association, telephone 1-312-263- 0456, www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org. The Master of Science in Family Therapy program admits academically qualified students without regard to sex, age, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, handicap, Vietnam Era Veteran status, Special Disabled Veteran status, or disability, to all the rights, privileges, programs and opportunities generally available to students.
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