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Marriage and Family Therapy (MS) SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY Faculty, students, and staff in the School of Psychology, Family, and Community strive to become a community of learners:
MISSION STATEMENT AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ's (SPU) mission states that it seeks to be a premier Christian University fully committed to engaging the culture and changing the world by graduating people of competence and character, becoming people of wisdom, and modeling a grace-filled community. SPU's Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Department's mission is to provide high quality education so our students graduate with competence in systemically informed MFT skills and character through ethically responsible relational care to diverse communities of families and clinical populations. Since the US Federal Government has designated Marriage and Family Therapy as a core mental health profession along with psychiatry, psychology, social work, and psychiatric nursing, our MFT students will identify as mental health professionals trained in psychotherapy and family systems to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples, and family systems. Graduates of the Masters of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy (MS) program are prepared to demonstrate the following Student Learning Outcomes:
Students are assessed for competencies related to each of these student learning outcomes, based on the as regulated by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.
PROGRAM DISTINCTIVES A strong self-of-the-therapist orientation undergirds the MFT program as well as the ORCA stance, a theological and multiculturally-valuing exploration of persons through open, respectful, curious, and accountable social interactions. The MFT program trains within a faithfully Christian context that respects a diversity of spiritual explorations. Our faculty and staff hold a Christian faith commitment; students are free to share any religious perspective or none at all. The MFT degree prepares individuals for supervised service in clinical and agency mental health organizations, educational settings, and private psychotherapy. Other professional opportunities include educator, consultant, mediator, administrator, and medical family therapist. Program Curriculum MFT courses are sequenced developmentally using a cohort training model. The degree can be completed in either a two-year (full-time) or three-year (part-time) sequence. In exceptional circumstances students may have up to four years to complete degree requirements. To maintain active status in the program, students are expected to complete 24 credit hours per year. Exceptions are to be approved by the chair of the Marriage and Family Therapy program. Courses are generally held during mid-afternoon and evening hours, Monday through Thursday, for 10 weeks. A typical full-time schedule is as follows:
Full-time employment is discouraged for those who intend to pursue the two-year program. Full-time employment may be possible for those pursuing the three-year program, but part-time employment is preferable. The program provides a seven-quarter practicum sequence that focuses on the development of the therapist and provides fundamental and comprehensive clinical training. This includes the following:
Marriage and Family Therapy program graduates work with individuals, couples, families, and groups. You will become skilled in providing professional therapeutic techniques in the treatment of family and individual issues based on a systems/relational understanding of people's lives. Accreditation In addition to regional accreditation by the , the MFT program at ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ holds national accreditation through the , the accrediting agency for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy training programs. AAMFT is the national professional organization dedicated to the practice of marriage and family therapy. Graduates with post-master's degree experience are eligible to apply for licensure through Washington state's Department of Health. 500 hours of clinical practice and 100 hours of supervision may be applied toward Washington state MFT licensure if an applicant graduates from the SPU MFT program. Licensure in other states often follows COAMFTE curriculum and supervision requirements.
GENERAL ADMISSIONS INFORMATION
Listed below is a brief outline of University and program requirements for admission to MFT students. For more detailed information on admission, and to apply online, visit You can also email gradadmissions@spu.edu, or call 206-281-2091 or 800-601-0603 with additional questions.
The Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Admissions Committee will complete an initial applicant screening process based upon the materials only. Finalists are invited to meet with members of the committee for an all-day group interview process at the end of March or the beginning of April. It is highly recommended that applicants participate in the group interview process. Telephone interviews are also permissible, but only in exceptional circumstances. Admission to the graduate program depends upon recommendation by the MFT faculty and approval from the chair of the Marriage and Family Therapy program. The entire process is usually completed within 12 weeks of the final deadline date for applications. All students are admitted on a probational status in order to allow faculty to be certain they are fully prepared for placement in an internship site. Full admission is required for placement in an internship site to occur. To be considered for full admission, you must complete a minimum of 11 units in the MFT. program, with a average GPA of 3.0 or better in all courses, and must be recommended for continuance by MFT faculty. Transfer of Credit If you wish to apply master’s degree level coursework completed at a regionally accredited institution prior to application, you must provide applicable transcripts and/or syllabi. Each course must be at least 3 graduate quarter credits and be equivalent to courses taught in the MFT program at ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ. A minimum grade of B will be needed for transferred work, and a maximum of 9 quarter credits may be transferred.
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM: MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPY AND THEOLOGY Some students wish to bring skills and knowledge from both mental health disciplines and Christian theological understanding into their work. There is also an increasing demand for church and parachurch ministries to require both clinical licensure and denominational ordination. To meet these needs, faculty members in the MFT program have partnered with the School of Theology to offer :
Both dual degrees prepare students to serve in church positions that incorporate roles of pastor and therapist, such as a pastor for family ministries, an inner-city missionary to homeless families, or a therapist within a church counseling center. Applicants of the dual degree program will need to apply (via the ) to the School of Psychology, Family, and Community for admission to the Marriage and Family Therapy program as well as to Seattle Pacific Seminary. Acceptance in one program does not guarantee acceptance in the other. Once applicants are admitted to both programs, they will receive a specialized program plan to follow for the duration of their enrollment at SPU.
MEDICAL FAMILY THERAPY CERTIFICATE The medical field is developing integrated health care teams in medical settings to address the physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational needs of patients. ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ's is opening doors in this emerging field, training professionals who can effectively support individuals and families as they face and navigate illness and its implications. Program Overview SPU's Medical Family Therapy Certificate program is the only training program on the West Coast geared to training biomedical, psychosocial, and spiritual providers to work in medical settings as a part of an integrated health care team. With its commitment to excellence, service and Christian faith, SPU's School of Psychology, Family, and Community stands ready to offer a bio-psychosocial model of specialized training in collaborative medicine. In addition, this training will influence the role of spirituality and faith practices in healing and health. Coursework Students have two options in obtaining the Medical Family Therapy Certificate:
Professionals looking to keep up-to-date with the latest information on specialized topics in medical family therapy may register to take MDFT classes as seminars for CEU credits. Internship In the late summer or early fall after all coursework is complete, students are placed in a yearlong internship for 10 hours a week in an outpatient medical clinic. Students will have a chance to discuss internship placement possibilities prior to placement. Clinic specialties range from family medicine, oncology, rheumatology, women's health, and other specialty medicine sites. Students work alongside physicians, nurses, and staff providing on-site psychosocial care. They are actively involved in charting, consulting with medical teams, program development, and clinical treatment. Clinic schedule will be determined in consideration of clinic need, space restrictions, and student availability. During the internship year students will also be enrolled in the practicum supervision course. General Admissions Information The program begins in Autumn Quarter and admits students once a year. The application deadline is July 1. For more detailed information on admission, and to apply online, visit You can also email gradadmissions@spu.edu, or call 206-281-2091 or 800-601-0603 with additional questions.
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