The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) is designed to prepare students to become skilled marriage and family therapists. The program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). The COAMFTE is the standard setting organization for family therapy training recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Graduates of the MFT program usually work in mental health agencies, hospitals or other medical care settings, set up their own private practices, or go on to doctoral work.

The MFT program is one of six program options within the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at UNL. Other options within the department include Family Science, Child Development, Family and Consumer Science Education, Family Financial Planning, and Youth Development.

Approximately seven students are admitted into the MFT program each year with matriculation in the Fall semester. These students are chosen from among those submitting their application materials prior to the January 15 application deadline. The MFT Admission's Committee ranks applications and extends invitations to qualified applicants based on the anticipated class size for the coming year.

The MFT program seeks to attract candidates who clearly demonstrate potential for graduate study, and whose personal qualities will contribute to their success. According to departmental policy, candidates for the Master of Science degree must hold a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution. They should also have completed 18 hours of undergraduate coursework in family science, child development or a related field. Students with undergraduate and work experience in a wide variety of fields have been admitted into the program. Students with experience in education, psychology, business, nursing, social work, and pastoral and religious settings are all encouraged to apply. The program currently requires the completion of two prerequisite courses. These courses can be taken at the undergraduate or graduate level. Although a student can be admitted to the program without having completed these prerequisite courses, they must be completed before beginning the second semester of coursework in the program.

• A comprehensive statistics course that is equivalent in content to Educational Psychology 859.
• A human development course that emphasizes both individual and family development across the life span.

Program Requirements

Training in marriage and family therapy primarily involves academic course work and supervised clinical experience. To be awarded the Master of Science Degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with a Marriage and Family Therapy Specialization at UNL, students must complete these and other requirements:

• 51-54 units of required and elective academic course work (click here for a list of coursework requirements).
• Completion of a 12-month continuous enrollment practicum experience in which the student works with clients both at the on-campus clinic and an off-campus community agency.
• Accrual of a minimum of 500 direct client contact hours, 250 of which must be with couples and/or families.
• Accrual of a minimum of 100 hours of supervision from an approved supervisor.
• Successful defense of a research thesis or completion of an approved minor.

The master's degree can be completed in two full academic years (including summers). Most of the students are full-time and progress through the program as a cohort. Prospective students must declare their intention to progress through the program on a full-time or part-time basis prior to being admitted into the MFT program.

The coursework for this degree meets the educational requirements for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Nebraska and most other states that regulate the practice of marriage and family therapy through either licensure or certification. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services also requires applicants sitting for the state licensing exam to obtain post-degree supervised clinical experience. Students are encouraged to check the requirement for licensure of the state where they plan to work after graduation prior to finalizing their program of study. This will allow them to design a program of study that meets the unique requirements of this particular state.

Practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy

During their final year in the program, MFT students register for FACS 997: Advanced Practicum in Family Therapy. This course is taken in three consecutive semesters and involves obtaining supervised clinical experience. Students involved in practicum work with clients both at the fully functioning on-campus clinic and at an off-campus community placement. Most students obtain the majority of their client contact hours through the off-campus community placement. The program uses off-campus placements in both Lincoln and Omaha. After students pass the Clinical Qualifying Exam (CQE), faculty members help them in securing an off-campus placement. Throughout the 12-month practicum, students are supervised by both community agency supervisors and MFT faculty members. All MFT faculty members are Approved Supervisors or Supervisors in Training with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Faculty supervisors meet with the students weekly in both group and individual supervision. Supervision with faculty supervisors typically involves students presenting videotapes of their clinical work, or bringing in clients so supervisors can observe their therapy. The faculty supervisors work with the community agency supervisors throughout the practicum year.

Typical Course Load

Students attending the program full time typically take 9-12 units each of the regular semesters and 3-6 units during the summers. The clinical coursework is to be taken in sequence and must be completed satisfactorily in order to advance in the program. There is some flexibility in when students take the elective courses and the research methodology and statistics courses.

Facilities

The Family Resource Center on UNL's East Campus serves as the on-campus MFT clinic. MFT faculty have offices in the Family Resource Center. This facility also houses a video library and other resources for student educational use.

The Home Economics Building--has faculty offices, offices for graduate assistants, classrooms and computer facilities.

Mabel Lee Hall on City Campus--home of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences--has faculty offices, offices for graduate assistants, classrooms and computer facilities.