Marriage and Family Counseling (MFC), MS

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Program Overview:

This entry level 60-hour Marriage and Family Counseling degree prepares candidates in advanced knowledge and skills to become leaders and practitioners in the field of marriage, couple, and family counseling/psychotherapy. Practice is given in utilizing current counseling principles in real-world settings through practicum and internship experiences. Candidates are equipped with strategies including systemic, cognitive, affective, or behavioral interventions that address wellness, personal growth, crisis and mental health including pathology. This program will provide candidates with competencies (as defined by CACREP, ACA and AAMFT) designed to positively impact a variety of people across the lifespan.

This program provides training in marriage, couple and family counseling emphasizing advanced work in family systems, the current DSM, individual and group counseling, relational counseling, addictions, crisis and trauma. The program includes classroom and field experiences that develop competency in advanced counseling/psychotherapy practice.

This degree can lead to professional credentialing as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in most states. It can also lead to professional credentialing as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arkansas and provides preparation for professional counseling practice in a variety of settings including but not limited to school based mental health, community, clinical mental health, private practice and ministry.

Students who complete the program are eligible to take the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AAMFTRB) Exam and the National Counselor Examination (NCE) offered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). They are also eligible to become members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), American Counseling Association (ACA), and the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA).

Degree Requirements and Curriculum: 60 Hours

To earn this Marriage and Family Counseling degree, a student must successfully complete the following: (1) core coursework, (2) written comprehensive exams, and (3) an oral interview. This 60-hour Marriage and Family Counseling degree meets the core requirements for counseling as defined by CACREP. It also includes course and practicum/internship requirements established by COAMFTE in accordance with state licensure regulations.

CACREP Core: 39 Hours

These courses are required for all three CACREP entry level specialty areas.

COUN 6000 - Practical Use of the DSM Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6010 - Counseling Theories Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6020 - Techniques of Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6030 - Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6040 - The Counseling Professional: Identity, Organization, & Orientation Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6050 - Career Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6060 - Individual and Group Assessment Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6070 - Crisis, Abuse, & Trauma Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6080 - Advanced Human Growth & Development Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6100 - Group Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6110 - Multicultural Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6270 - Practicum: Marriage, Family, and Mental Health Counseling Credit Hours: 3
or COUN 6470 - Practicum: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Credit Hours: 3
or COUN 6670 - Practicum: Professional School Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6520 - Research Methods Credit Hours: 3

Program Requirements: 21 Hours

COUN 6130 - Human Sexuality and Sex Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6200 - General Systems Theories Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6220 - Postmodern and Communication Based Models of Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6230 - Relational Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6240 - Modern Models of Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6280 - Internship: Marriage, Family, and Mental Health Counseling Credit Hours: 3
COUN 6281 - Internship: Marriage, Family, and Mental Health Counseling Credit Hours: 3

Optional Elective: 3 Hours

Students seeking to become dual licensed as LMFTs and LPCs in Arkansas, and other states, are encouraged to take this elective course. It is sequenced as part of the program but is not required for the Master of Science in marriage and family counseling.

COUN 6120 - Addictions Counseling Credit Hours: 3

Notes:

Requests for degree may be submitted prior to a student’s final semester but must be submitted no later than the first week of the final term. The graduation fee must be paid before graduation. To be licensed in the state of Arkansas, students must take 1 credit hour of COUN 6901 Technology Assisted & Distance Counseling to fulfill this licensing requirement.

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