We know there is a lot of competition for outstanding master's level marriage and family therapy programs, but we are confident that we have the clinical training and experiences that will give you the edge you need.

Here are just a few reasons that the University of Nebraska - Lincoln is the school for you :

The curriculum is designed to prepare you for the realities of modern mental health practice

Our primary goal is to prepare students with the skills they will need to succeed in a changing health care marketplace. Our curriculum has been carefully articulated to ensure that students are obtaining the most comprehensive education possible. In addition to our emphasis throughout the program on the use of marriage and family therapy theory to guide practice and on the development of assessment and treatment practice skills, we also emphasize collaborative healthcare, culturally competent practices, and the assessment and treatment of psychopathology.

The low faculty-student ratio

We typically admit just seven students to the program each year. This allows our three faculty members to work closely with students in clinical work, coursework, and research and provides students with professionalization experiences that they may not otherwise have.

Clinical courses typically have between seven and ten students. The small size of these classes fosters student interaction with both the instructor and their peers. We think that this optimizes student learning.

There are a number of opportunities to work with faculty on research. In fact, each of the faculty actively involve interested students in research. These projects have resulted in scholarly prublications and presentations at national and state conferences.

The emphasis of the program is on the development of clinical competence.

Students' clinical work is closely supervised by program faculty. During the Spring and Summer terms of their first year, students take Clinical Family Therapy in which they begin working with clients. This work is closely supervised through live oberservation of each session. This intensive supervision experience provides students with a rich training experience that greatly aids in the development of clinical skill. Beginning in the Fall of their second year, students begin a 12-month practicum in which they are placed at a community agency where they have 8-12 sessions a week, in addition to their continued work at the on-campus clinic. Weekly supervision continues throughout this practicum experience both from faculty and agency supervisors. During this supervision students typically bring videotapes of their clinical work that are viewed and used to aid disucssions about clients.

Clinical placements are chosen that will give students a broad range of experiences with a diversity of clients and client problems. Students are able to choose from practicum placements in both Lincoln and Omaha.

The program is a leader in using technolgoy to enhance learning and clinical work.

The Family Resource Center (the on-campus marriage and family therapy clinic) is equipped with audio/video taping equipment that is regularly used to aid in supervision. Students have access to computers, the Internet, and other equipment and services to assist in learning and clinical work. Faculty regularly use, and encourage the use of, technology to encourage student learning of course material. Distributed learning activities are appropriately used to augment traditional in-class learning.

The program is currently offering therapy to underserved counties in Nebraska using telecommunications technology. This is an exciting and innovative behavioral telehelath project that will further the field by training students in the use of technology as a means of making therapy services available to underserved populations.