Curriculum for the Ph.D. Degree (Post-Bachelor's option)

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.

MASTER’S DEGREE CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS
(“Areas” of study refer to COAMFTE required areas of study.)

AREA I:

Course title

MFT 563

MFT 650

Theoretical Foundations

Theoretical Foundations of Family Systems

Theoretical Foundations of Marital and Family Therapy

Credit hours

AREA II:

Course title

MFT 645

MFT 649

MFT 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

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

AREA IV:

Course title

MFT 656

Professional Identity and Ethics

Ethical and Professional Issues for Family Therapists

Credit hours

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

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

TOTAL CREDIT HOURS FOR MASTER'S DEGREE

Plus 500 clinical hours

BYU DOCTORAL CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS*
(“Areas” of study refer to COAMFTE required areas of study.)

AREA VII:

Course title

MFT 751

Theory

Advanced Theory of Marital and Family Therapy

Credit hours

AREA VIII:

Course title

MFT 753

MFT 754

Clinical

Advanced Clinical Specialization in Marital and Family Therapy

Family Therapy for Children & Adolescents

Credit hours

AREA X:

Course title

MFT 750

Clinical Supervision

Supervision in Marriage and Family Therapy

Credit hours

AREA XI:

Course title

MFT 700

Research

Family Therapy Research Methods

Credit hours

One course:

MFHD 602 Experimental Design; MFHD 604 Ethnographic Research Techniques; SOC 706R Advanced Statistical Methods

One course:

MFT 793R

STAT 512 Statistical Methods for Research; OR SOC 606 Intermediate Stats

Research Seminar in Marriage and Family Therapy

AREA XII:

Course title

MFT 603R

Additional Courses

Research Practicum (6 Semester credits)

Credit hours

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.

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

TOTAL CREDIT HOURS, AREAS VII THROUGH XII

AREA XII:

Suggested electives as determined by the student and advisory committee may include courses such as those listed below.

Teaching Skills

MFHD 566

MFHD 567

MFHD 665

Family Life Education in the University

Practicum in FLE

Philocophy in Family Life Education (CFLE)

Advanced Research Skills
MFHD 604	Ethnographic Research Techniques	3

Psychology
Psych 711R	Parent Education	3

Marriage Family & Human Development

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

Human Development

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

Marriage and Family Therapy

MFT 760R

MFT 649

Supervision Practicum in MFT

Addictions and Violence

Social Work
SocW 647R	Special Topics in Advanced Clinical Practice	2
(Subjects that may be offered include; Object Relations Therapy; Play Therapy; Cognitive Therapy)		3

Sociology
SOC/MFHD 561	Family as an Institution	3
SOC 667	Sociology of Gender	3

Educational Psychology/Counseling Psychology

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