Minneapolis Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Schools & Programs

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Marriage and family therapy graduate schools aim to help prepare you to provide therapy services to families and couples in a convenient local program. As a marriage and family therapist, you may work with a variety of types of families within your community, helping to strengthen relationships and solve problems within family groups. As such, whether you’re earning your masters degree in pursuit of a new career, or want to bolster your expertise with a graduate certificate or doctorate, the knowledge and experience you gain in marriage and family therapy programs may be invaluable. Studying in marriage and family therapy schools, you may even have the support of your professors and advisors in person, as well as other valuable resources you may find on a local campus.

Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Schools

Basics of Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Schools

Marriage and family counseling, sometimes referred to as marriage and family therapy or MFT, focuses on how people interact within their family groups and relationships. That might include parents and children, married couples, siblings, and other similar family units. In the field, you might work in a variety of settings, ranging from private offices and practices to nonprofits, hospitals, and social services agencies. Similarly, graduate programs and professional practices may also focus on the needs of certain populations (such as LGBT, urban populations, or specific cultural minorities) or life events (such as grief counseling).

When evaluating which programs to attend, you may want to consider programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), as some employers may prioritize graduates of these programs.i You might also consider programs that support your efforts to earn licensure, if you are not already a licensed professional. 

Benefits of Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Schools

The personal nature of MFT work may make in person, on campus learning a great option. Marriage and family therapy graduate schools might support you in several unique ways. Studying on campus may grant you access to physical resources like a library, research support, technology labs, and academic and career counseling. You may also have the opportunity to get involved with fascinating research, under your professors and alongside your peers. Finally, you could also utilize the support of a local program when organizing practical experiences and observations.

If you choose a graduate school in your local community, you might balance your education with your life, potentially allowing you to continue working in your current position. That may be an important factor in funding your graduate education. And if you choose to attend a marriage and family therapy graduate program further afield, you might not only get to know people in your new city, but also establish a valuable professional network through your experience in the classroom and in the field.

The education you’re looking for, with the resources of a graduate school. Sound like something you may be interested in? Great marriage and family therapy graduate programs may be open for consideration at a variety of program levels.

Types of Programs Offered at Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Schools

Marriage and family therapist graduate schools may provide programs at the graduate certificate, masters and doctorate levels. One useful qualification for selecting programs is the accreditation status. Employers may opt to seek out candidates who graduated from programs accredited by CACREP, so you may want to narrow your search criteria accordingly. This may have the additional benefit of helping you choose programs that might offer a quality education, and prepare you for licensure if that is a concern. Other issues that may influence your decision may include the treatment model espoused by the program in question, the program’s philosophy and values, and other details. Contact schools directly to learn more or continue reading to learn a bit more about your potential MFT degree options.

Earn a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy

Marriage and family therapy graduate schools might award a few different types of masters degrees upon completion of a program, including Master of Arts (MA), and Master of Science (MS). As earning your masters in marriage and family counseling may be a primary requirement for working in the field as a counselor, licensure is likely to be a major consideration for many. Because of this, you may wish to earn your masters in family counseling at a graduate school in the state where you mean to work. Review licensure requirements to ensure preferred programs support your career goals.

Marriage and Family Therapy Doctoral Programs

Depending on your career goals, you might choose one of several marriage and family therapy doctoral programs, such as a Ph.D., Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) or Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT). While many Ph.D. programs tend to focus on performing and evaluating research, some options may be more focused on clinical application in the field. You may be interested in performing psychology research to help learn more about healthy relationship and family dynamics. Or perhaps you seek an administrative, leadership role within social services organizations. Read MFT doctorate program listings carefully and contact programs directly through their listing to find great matches for you.

Marriage and Family Counseling Graduate Certificate Programs

Family and marriage counseling schools may offer graduate certificate programs at the masters or post-masters level. Whether earning a graduate certificate is your first potential foray into graduate school, or you’ve already earned your masters, these programs may be a valuable consideration. If you’re already a licensed professional with your masters, earning a graduate certificate may be a great way to bolster your expertise in a certain area, or pursue a new career specialization, without necessarily enrolling in a doctoral program. MFT graduate certificate programs may also be a way to earn those post-graduate credits you may need to maintain your license. New to the field? Graduate certificate programs could be a great way to test the waters and see what a MFT graduate program might be like!

Find and Apply to Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Schools Today!

If you’re ready to earn a graduate degree by attending family and marriage counseling school, you’ve come to the right place. GradSchools.com has put together information for you about marriage and family counseling graduate schools. If you know what program level you’re interested in attending, you can use the menu to select the appropriate option (masters, doctorate, or graduate certificate) and read about those programs. When you’re ready, read up on each of the sponsored program listings that fit your criteria. If you want, you can even narrow down your options by location using the menu. Whether you want to start a new career or support your current one, take those first steps  toward the graduate education today!

 

[i] http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/mental-health-counselors-and-marriage-and-family-therapists.htm#tab-4 | http://www.cacrep.org/

 

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