Graduate Forms, Advising and Handbook: MS, Couple and Family Therapy

Program Handbook

For a complete explanation of the Couple and Family Master's program, please refer to the CFT Program Handbook 

Graduate Forms

There are a variety of forms you may need to access during your graduate career here in the Department of Family Science. Access all forms on the Department of Family Science student resources webpage. 

Graduate Advising Information

Assignment of an Advisor

At admission to the CFT program, each student is assigned a faculty advisor. Faculty advisors are usually among the core faculty members. The faculty advisor serves as a point of contact for the student regarding Department and CFT program policies and procedures, course selection, and consultation on licensure issues and professional goals. Students are expected to meet with the faculty advisor at least once each semester. The student may also choose to work with the academic advisor as a mentor (e.g., thesis advisor) as well, but they are free to develop a mentoring relationship with any other faculty member in the Department whose scholarship and professional interests are a good match. All elective courses must be pre-approved by the student’s faculty advisor or the Program Director. Students’ assigned faculty advisors are not
automatically designated as the students’ thesis committee chairs. Students must ask a core faculty member to be their thesis chair.

Advisors will be core faculty members: Dr. Mariana Falconier, Dr. Tiara Fennell, Dr. Mona Mittal, or Dr. Amy Morgan.

Transfer and Application of Credit

Credits used to satisfy the requirements for another earned degree may NOT be applied toward the requirements for the Master of Science degree from this department.

With the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, students may transfer up to six credit hours of graduate work not applied to a previous degree toward their FMSC degree. For further information on the transfer of credits, see the Graduate Catalog on the University of Maryland website.

If a student is inadequately prepared for some graduate courses, the Department's Graduate Committee may require the student to take additional courses. Such additional coursework is not considered part of the coursework required for the degree.

Course and Degree Time Limits

The Graduate School has specific limits on the number of years that courses are considered valid in counting toward the student's degree, and on the number of years the student has to complete the M.S. degree. 

The CFT program follows the Graduate School's policy on time length and limits. The minimum length to complete the CFT Program is 2 years, and the advertised length is also 2 years. All coursework must be completed within 5 years. The Graduate School does grant extensions of time limits in certain circumstances (usually a one-year extension for completing the degree; an additional one-year extension is much more difficult to obtain).