Brigham Young University offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) with a major in Marriage and Family Therapy. Administratively this degree is housed in the School of Family Life. Students in this program will complete the Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy before beginning their doctoral courses. They must also be cleared by the faculty to proceed into the Ph.D. program. Clearance is gained only after successful completion of an interview with the faculty following completion of the master’s program. The Master's degree and Ph.D. degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Nine full-time faculty have primary instructional responsibility for the graduate program with support from the School of Family Life faculty. Major MFT courses and clinical practica are conducted in the Comprehensive Clinic Building (TLRB) which also houses programs in clinical psychology, language disorders, audiology, and social work. Additional practicum experience may also be available in various inpatient and outpatient medical and mental health facilities in the community.
Eligibility for admission to the Ph.D. (post-bachelor's) program is based upon the applicant having an earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. No specific undergraduate major is required, although study in the social sciences is desirable. The Graduate School requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above for the last sixty hours for admission. Also required are a combined score of at least 1000 on the verbal and quantitative tests of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and a score of 5.0 or higher on the written test of the GRE.
During the first two years the student completes the master’s program including writing a thesis and completing 500 clinical hours. Upon completion of the thesis, and approval of the MFT faculty to proceed, students begin taking the doctoral classes. During the next three years the doctoral program is completed which includes writing a dissertation and a one-year internship. Each student must confer with his or her advisory committee to select a specific course of study.
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MASTER’S DEGREE CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS
(“Areas” of study refer to COAMFTE required areas of study.) |
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AREA I: Course title MFT 563 MFT 650 |
Theoretical Foundations Theoretical Foundations of Family Systems Theoretical Foundations of Marital and Family Therapy |
Credit hours 3 3 |
| AREA II:
Course title MFT 645 MFT 649MFT 651 MFT 652 MFT 653 |
Clinical Practice Analysis and Treatment of Human Sexual Development Addictions and Violence in Families Psychopathology and Assessment in Marriage and Family Therapy Marital and Individual Psychotherapy Family and Multigenerational Psychotherapy |
Credit hours 3 3 3 3 3 |
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AREA III: Course title MFT 654 MFHD 663 |
Individual Development and Family Relations Issues of Gender and Ethnicity The Individual and Family Over the Life Course |
Credit hours 3 3 |
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AREA IV: Course title MFT 656 |
Professional Identity and Ethics Ethical and Professional Issues for Family Therapists |
Credit hours 3 |
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AREA V: Course title MFHD 600 STAT 511 MFT 699R |
Research Graduate Research Methods Statistical Methods for Research OR SOC 605Regression Analysis Master’s Thesis |
Credit hours 3 3 6 |
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AREA VI: Course title MFT 655R Elective |
Additional Learning Intermediate Practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy such as MFT 695R Play Therapy; MFT 695 R Group: other |
Credit hours 16 3 |
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TOTAL CREDIT HOURS FOR MASTER'S DEGREE Plus 500 clinical hours |
61 |
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BYU DOCTORAL CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS*
(“Areas” of study refer to COAMFTE required areas of study.) |
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AREA VII: Course title MFT 751 |
Theory Advanced Theory of Marital and Family Therapy |
Credit hours 3 |
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AREA VIII: Course title MFT 753 MFT 754 |
Clinical Advanced Clinical Specialization in Marital and Family Therapy Family Therapy for Children & Adolescents |
Credit hours 3 3 |
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AREA X: Course title MFT 750 |
Clinical Supervision Supervision in Marriage and Family Therapy |
Credit hours 3 |
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AREA XI: Course title MFT 700 |
Research Family Therapy Research Methods |
Credit hours 3 |
| One course: | MFHD 602 Experimental Design; MFHD 604 Ethnographic Research Techniques; SOC 706R Advanced Statistical Methods |
3
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One course: MFT 793R |
STAT 512 Statistical Methods for Research; OR SOC 606 Intermediate Stats Research Seminar in Marriage and Family Therapy |
3 3 |
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AREA XII: Course title MFT 603R |
Additional Courses Research Practicum (6 Semester credits) |
Credit hours 6 |
| Ph.D. students are required to take any 6 semester hours of electives offered at the University and chosen in consultation with their graduate advisory committee. The purpose of these courses is to help each student build a unique specialization as part of their doctoral program. Courses may be chosen from course work offered in a variety of disciplines which might include university teaching, family life, human development, family sociology, education,and social work. Many select research and computer classes so that they can simultaneously fill the electives requirement of the standards and the “Tool” requirement of the University. |
6 |
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Course title MFT 655R MFT 755R MFT 770R MFT 799R |
Additional BYU Requirements Intermediate Practicum in MFT (6 semester credits) Advanced Practicum in MFT (2 semester credits) Clinical Internship (4 semester credits; 9-12 months) Doctoral Dissertation (18 semester credits) |
Credit hours 6 2 4 18 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS, AREAS VII THROUGH XII |
69
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| AREA XII: | Suggested electives as determined by the student and advisory committee may include courses such as those listed below. |
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Teaching Skills |
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MFHD 566 MFHD 567 MFHD 665 |
Family Life Education in the University Practicum in FLE Philocophy in Family Life Education (CFLE) |
3 1 3 |
| Advanced Research Skills | ||
| MFHD 604 | Ethnographic Research Techniques |
3
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| Psychology | ||
| Psych 711R | Parent Education |
3
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| Marriage Family & Human Development | ||
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MFHD 540 MFHD 551 MFHD 550 MFHD 570 MFHD 660 MFHD 692R |
Family Economics Fathering: Scholarship & Intervention Contemporary Family Theories Paradigms in Family Process & Analysis Child & Adolescent Socialization Seminar in Family Relationships |
3 3 3 3 3 3 |
| Human Development | ||
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MFHD 510 MFHD 511 MFHD 512 MFHD 514 MFHD 566 MFHD 567R MFHD 663 MFHD 666 |
Seminar in Intellectual Development Familial Influences on Social Development Emotional & Moral Development Theories of Human Development Family Life Education in the University Practicum in Family Life Education The Individual and Family Over the Life Course Health and Aging Process |
3 3 3 3 3 1 3 2 |
| Marriage and Family Therapy | ||
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MFT 760R MFT 649 |
Supervision Practicum in MFT Addictions and Violence |
1 3 |
| Social Work | ||
| SocW 647R | Special Topics in Advanced Clinical Practice |
2
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| (Subjects that may be offered include; Object Relations Therapy; Play Therapy; Cognitive Therapy) |
3
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| Sociology | ||
| SOC/MFHD 561 | Family as an Institution |
3
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| SOC 667 | Sociology of Gender |
3
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| Educational Psychology/Counseling Psychology | ||
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CPSE 602 CPSE 610 CPSE 614 CPSE 648 CPSE 649 |
Child/Adolescent Psychopathology Consultation Within School & Family Systems Applied Behavior Analysis Group Counseling and Intervention Human Growth & Development |
3 3 3 3 3 |