Christian Universities with Master's in Marriage & Family Therapy Programs
For individuals desiring to pursue studies in marriage and family therapy with regard to their Christian faith, this article presents ten COAMFTE-accredited MFT graduate programs at Christian universities.
<h2 id="section---AbileneChristianUniversity">Abilene Christian University</h2>
<p>Requiring a B average or better in undergraduate studies and a GRE score of at least 280 for admission, Abilene Christian University in Texas offers a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy program that provides theoretical and clinical training. The 2-year program can be completed as a thesis or non-thesis track and includes a 500-hour internship, likely hosted at ACU's Marriage and Family Institute.
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<h2 id="section---BethelUniversity">Bethel University</h2>
<p>Bethel University's three-year Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy program can be completed online with one week of on-campus residency intensives, or students can opt for the blended enrollment option and take over half of the courses at Bethel's St. Paul, Minnesota, campus. Depending on whether students participate in the blended or online enrollment, they will engage in 9- to 12-month practicums that include between 300 and 500 hours.
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<h2 id="section---ChristianTheologicalSeminary">Christian Theological Seminary</h2>
<p>The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy program at CTS in Indianapolis, Indiana, can be completed within four years, and students have the option of enrolling in a dual degree program to simultaneously earn a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Master of Divinity degree. Students receive at least 100 supervised hours in practicums that can be completed at the CTS Counseling Center, which features a play therapy area.
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<h2 id="section---EvangelicalSeminary">Evangelical Seminary</h2>
<p>Located in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, the Evangelical Seminary has a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy program that can be completed in two and a half to four years either on campus or by enrolling in the synchronous online format. Students engage in 300-500 practicum hours at one of Evangelical Seminary's counseling sites or one of their collaborative partner sites.
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<h2 id="section---IndianaWesleyanUniversity">Indiana Wesleyan University</h2>
<p>Indiana Wesleyan University's 60-credit MA in Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy program offers a research and therapy center where students can complete their required 100 practicum hours under the supervision of AAMFT (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy) approved supervisors or supervisor candidates.
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<h2 id="section---LomaLindaUniversity">Loma Linda University</h2>
<p>Loma Linda, California, is home to Loma Linda University, which offers a Master of Science in Marital and Family Therapy program that can be completed in two years and does not have GRE or prerequisite course requirements. For practicums, students have access to Loma Linda's Children Hospital, University Medical Center, Behavioral Medicine Center, and Behavioral Health Institute.
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<h2 id="section---LouisvillePresbyterianTheologicalSeminary"> Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary</h2>
<p>Louisville Presbyterian Seminary offers a 70-credit Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy program. It requires 500 supervised clinical practice hours and can be taken in conjunction with the Master of Divinity program for a dual MAMFT/MDiv degree.
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<h2 id="section---PacificLutheranUniversity">Pacific Lutheran University</h2>
<p>Although there is no GRE requirement, admission to PLU requires an undergraduate degree in family studies, sociology, social work, or the equivalent or a minimum of 15 semester hours in comparable coursework. The MAMFT program, located in Tacoma, Washington, can be completed in around two years and provides 500-1,000 direct contact client hours.
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<h2 id="section---UniversityOfSaintJoseph">University of Saint Joseph</h2>
<p>Located in West Hartford, Connecticut, USJ has a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy program that provides 12 consecutive months of clinical internship experience and can be completed in two and a half years. Students must complete 500 hours of direct client contact, with half of those hours being relational to family and couples counseling.
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<h2 id="section---WheatonCollege">Wheaton College</h2>
<p>Admission to Wheaton College, in Wheaton, Illinois, requires a 3.0 GPA undergraduate minimum and the submission of GRE scores. The two-year Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy program involves observation of live therapy sessions as well as practicum hours at its own university training clinic.
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<table border="1"><tr><th> School Name </th><th> Programs Offered </th><th> Average Graduate Tuition (2018-2019)*</th></tr>
<tr><td>Abilene Christian University </td><td> Master of Marriage and Family Therapy </td><td> $21,492</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bethel University </td><td> Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy </td><td> $8,382</td></tr>
<tr><td>Christian Theological Seminary </td><td> Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy </td><td>$12,800</td></tr>
<tr><td>Evangelical Seminary </td><td> Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy </td><td> $11,250</td></tr>
<tr><td>Indiana Wesleyan University </td><td> Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy </td><td>$13,104</td></tr>
<tr><td>Loma Linda University </td><td> Master of Science in Marital and Family Therapy </td><td>$26,080</td></tr>
<tr><td>Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary </td><td> Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy </td><td>$11,502</td></tr>
<tr><td>Pacific Lutheran University </td><td> Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy </td><td> $30,146</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of Saint Joseph </td><td> Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy </td><td>$13,686</td></tr>
<tr><td>Wheaton College </td><td> Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy </td><td>$20,400</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *National Center for Education Statistics</i>
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<p>There are several Christian universities located within the U.S. that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) and provide holistic, evidence-based MFT graduate programs. These whole-person-centered programs aim to blend science, faith, and hands-on experience through supervised practicums and internships to train students to be compassionate healers in the field of marriage and family therapy.</p>