The Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) will produce professionals capable of applying in-depth knowledge, creativity, and research experience to the assessment and treatment of clients in a variety of contexts. All MFT master's students will gain new knowledge and clinical experience through completion of advanced level coursework in MFT theories and practice, family and developmental theories, research methods and statistics; and applied clinical training in our on-campus Centers for Counseling, Mentoring, and Assessment (C-CAM) operated by the MFT Program. Students complete three clinical rotations as part of degree completion. Students will be prepared to provide ethical, socioculturally-attuned, evidence-based, and systemically-oriented therapeutic services for a diverse population of individuals, couples, and families within a variety of professional contexts, including community, academic, and policy-making settings.
- Students pursuing the Plan A degree will conduct research under the supervision of a faculty adviser culminating in a capstone and thesis project.
- Students pursuing the Plan B degree will conduct research under the supervision of a faculty advisor culminating in a capstone project.
Learn more about the Master's in Human Development and Family Studies, Marriage and Family Therapy Specialization, Plan A and Plan B, on the Department of Human Development and Family Studies website.
Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this specialization, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate competency in the practice of Marriage and Family Therapy.
- Demonstrate competency in providing therapeutic services to diverse, marginalized, and underserved communities.
- Demonstrate critical consumption of and contributions to Marriage and Family Therapy literature.
- Demonstrate effective oral and written communication to convey evidence-based and systemic family therapy concepts to both clinical and nonclinical populations.
- Demonstrate professional behavior and understand the ethical, economic, environmental, and societal impacts of their work.
Effective Fall 2025
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| HDFS 500 | Issues in Human Development & Family Studies | 3 |
| HDFS 515 | Family Systems and Psychopathology | 3 |
| HDFS 520 | Family Therapy Practice: Treatment Planning | 3 |
| HDFS 521 | Family Therapy Practice: Common Factors | 3 |
| HDFS 524 | Family Studies | 3 |
| HDFS 534 | Marriage and Family Therapy | 3 |
| HDFS 549 | Research Methods I | 3 |
| HDFS 550 | Research Methods II | 3 |
| HDFS 620 | Family Therapy Practice: Addictions | 3 |
| HDFS 621 | Family Therapy Practice: Topics in Sexuality | 3 |
| HDFS 624 | Skills and Techniques in Family Therapy | 3 |
| HDFS 644 | Foundations in Family Therapy | 3 |
| HDFS 676 | Professional Skills Development | 3 |
| HDFS 677 | Ethical, Legal, & Professional Issues in MFT | 3 |
| HDFS 687C | Internship: Marriage and Family Therapy | 5 |
| Selected Courses | ||
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Risk and Resilience | ||
| Early Child Development | ||
| Adolescent Development | ||
| Adult Development and Aging | ||
| Family Issues: Intimacy and Human Sexuality | ||
| Family Issues: Parenting | ||
| Seminar: Lifespan Socioemotional Development | ||
| Seminar: Lifespan Cognitive Development | ||
| Thesis | ||
| HDFS 693 | Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| HDFS 699 | Thesis | 3 |
| Program Total Credits: | 56 | |
A minimum of 56 credits are required to complete this program.
Effective Fall 2025
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| HDFS 500 | Issues in Human Development & Family Studies | 3 |
| HDFS 515 | Family Systems and Psychopathology | 3 |
| HDFS 520 | Family Therapy Practice: Treatment Planning | 3 |
| HDFS 521 | Family Therapy Practice: Common Factors | 3 |
| HDFS 524 | Family Studies | 3 |
| HDFS 534 | Marriage and Family Therapy | 3 |
| HDFS 549 | Research Methods I | 3 |
| HDFS 550 | Research Methods II | 3 |
| HDFS 620 | Family Therapy Practice: Addictions | 3 |
| HDFS 621 | Family Therapy Practice: Topics in Sexuality | 3 |
| HDFS 624 | Skills and Techniques in Family Therapy | 3 |
| HDFS 644 | Foundations in Family Therapy | 3 |
| HDFS 676 | Professional Skills Development | 3 |
| HDFS 677 | Ethical, Legal, & Professional Issues in MFT | 3 |
| HDFS 687C | Internship: Marriage and Family Therapy | 5 |
| Selected Courses | ||
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Risk and Resilience | ||
| Early Child Development | ||
| Adolescent Development | ||
| Adult Development and Aging | ||
| Family Issues: Intimacy and Human Sexuality | ||
| Family Issues: Parenting | ||
| Seminar: Lifespan Socioemotional Development | ||
| Seminar: Lifespan Cognitive Development | ||
| Capstone Seminar | ||
| HDFS 693 | Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| Program Total Credits: | 53 | |
A minimum of 53 credits are required to complete this program.
- 1
Capstone projects involve completing a thesis-like product, but working in pairs to divide the work, and completing it in one semester (fall of the second year, in the context of the course HDFS 693). Students work together to do secondary data analysis (of department-provided or publicly available datasets) to complete a full research project (literature review, method section, data analysis and results, and discussion).
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |