Program Description
The CACREP accredited Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy Master of Arts program prepares students for licensure in marriage and family therapy and practice in agencies, private practice, and other settings. The Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy Graduate Certificate program has potential ties to professional licensure or certification in the field. For more information on how this program may prepare you in that regard, please visit https://apq.ucf.edu/files/Licensure-Disclosure-CCIE-Marriage-Couple-Family-Therapy-GC-June2020.pdf.
As part of the program’s pragmatic approach to preparing counselors, in addition to classroom studies, all students complete clinical experiences in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center and field-based experiences in the community. The UCF Community Counseling and Research Center serves as a hub for training and research in the program, with graduate students providing annual services to over 1,400 individuals, couples, and families in the Central Florida community.
Curriculum
The CACREP accredited Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy MA program prepares students for Florida licensure in marriage and family therapy. The program requires a minimum of 63 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, including 6 credit hours of core courses, 45 credit hours of specialization courses (including 3 credit hours of an elective), and 12 credit hours of professional clinical experience.
Total Credit Hours Required: 63 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor’s Degree
Required Courses: 51 Credit Hours
Core: 6 Credit Hours
- EDF 6155 - Lifespan Human Development and Learning 3 Credit Hours
- EDF 6481 - Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education 3 Credit Hours
Specialization: 45 Credit Hours
- MHS 5005 - Introduction to the Counseling Profession 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6430 - Family Counseling I 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6431 - Family Counseling II 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6440 - Couples Counseling 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6070 - Diagnosis and Treatment in Counseling 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6220 - Individual Psychoeducational Testing I 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6400 - Theories of Counseling and Personality 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6401 - Techniques of Counseling 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6420 - Foundations of Multicultural Counseling 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6450 - Addictions Counseling 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6470 - Human Sexuality and Relationships 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6500 - Group Procedures and Theories in Counseling 3 Credit Hours
- MHS 6702 - Ethical and Legal Issues 3 Credit Hours
- SDS 6347 - Career Development 3 Credit Hours
- Elective approved by adviser 3 Credit Hours
Professional Clinical Experience: 12 Credit Hours
The clinical experiences are comprised of two sections, Practicum and Internship. Both are experiential in nature and are independent learning activities that take place in authentic settings in which students must apply, reflect on, and refine knowledge and skills acquired in the program to their work with actual clients. The practicum is conducted on campus in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center and the internship is conducted at various clinical sites around central Florida.
The clinical experiences are comprised of two sections, Practicum and Internship. Both are experiential in nature and are independent learning activities that take place in authentic settings in which students must apply, reflect on, and refine knowledge and skills acquired in the program to their work with actual clients. The practicum is conducted on campus in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center and the internship is conducted at various clinical sites around central Florida.
* Prerequisites for MHS 6803 Practicum in Counselor Education are the following: MHS 5005, MHS 6070, MHS 6400, MHS 6401, MHS 6500, and MHS 6702. A minimum of 27 credit hours are required prior to beginning the practicum.
** The prerequisite for MHS 6830 Counseling Internship is a “B” or better in all sections of MHS 6803 as well as MHS 6420.
- MHS 6803 - Practicum in Counselor Education 3 Credit Hours *
- MHS 6803 - Practicum in Counselor Education 3 Credit Hours*
- MHS 6830 - Counseling Internship 1-6 Credit Hours **
- MHS 6830 - Counseling Internship 3 Credit Hours**
Additional Program Requirements
- Achieve at least a GPA of 3.0 in counseling specialization courses.
- Achieve a “B” or better in MHS 5005, MHS 6401, MHS 6803, and MHS 6830.
- Complete a total of 800 hours of clinical experiences, 200 of which will be in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center and 600 of which are field-based experiences in the community.
- Students in the Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy program must complete 180 hours of marriage and family therapy services (within the 800 total hours of clinical experiences over the course of their practica and internships) in a marriage and family therapy setting.
- Complete a portfolio and receive approval by Counselor Education faculty.
- Complete a professional exit examination.
- Given the experiential, competency, and performance-based nature of the courses taken by Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy students, students are limited to taking a maximum of three (3) courses per semester. However, if students believe they can verify a need to take more than three courses, they should consult with their academic advisor for approval guidelines. Students who have not received prior approval and who register for more than three courses per semester will be administratively dropped from any courses over the maximum load.
Independent Learning
Practica and internships are independent learning activities that take place in authentic settings in which students must apply, reflect on, and refine knowledge and skills acquired in the program. The internship experience provides students with the practical experience of providing hands-on services for a variety of clients and presenting concerns. Such services may include, but are not limited to, individual, couple, family, and group counseling with children, adolescents, and adults. Client concerns range from developmental and relational concerns to more severe pathology.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Official, competitive GRE score taken within the last five years.
- NOTE: The GRE has been removed as an admission requirement for this graduate program for applicants applying Spring 2021 through the Fall 2021 term. This is a temporary measure in response to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Résumé.
- Goal statement.
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
The Master of Arts in Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy program can accommodate only a limited number of students; therefore, there is a possibility of being denied admission even when all criteria are met.
The College of Community Innovation and Education reserves the right to refuse student entrance or terminate a student after admission to the Counselor Education program, if in the judgement of the faculty the student demonstrates unacceptable personal fitness to work in the counseling field with children, youth, and/or adults.
A formal interview is required and will be scheduled after the program admission requirements are met. The interview dates for March and October will be posted on our Counselor Education website. Attendance at the program orientation session at 4:30 p.m. on the Thursday before classes begin, in the semester to which the student applied, is mandatory.
Application Deadlines
| Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy MA | *Fall Priority | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Domestic Applicants | Jan 15 | Feb 1 |
| International Applicants | Jan 15 | Jan 15 |
| *Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the Fall Priority date. |
Financials
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
