Please review the program requirements below.
Curriculum Overview
Graduation from the Couple and Family Therapy program requires completion of a minimum of 45 required credits for the non-thesis option and 51 credits for the thesis option (45 required credits + 6 thesis credits). Students can graduate with the 60 credits required for Licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Maryland and in many other states by taking five additional elective courses (15 credits) or three additional elective courses (9 credits) for the thesis option (6 credits). All five elective courses can be taken in the Department of Family Science and four are offered in the Couple and Family Therapy program.
Didactic coursework is taken in conjunction with 15 credits of clinical practicum seminars and 9 credits of supervision of clinical work. In the clinical practicum, the theory is applied to specific case material, with faculty supervision providing support and oversight of assigned cases. The CFT program has a minimum length of two years and a maximum length of five years.
Clinical Experience
Supervised client contact begins in the student’s first semester through their internship at the Center for Healthy Families. The two-year internship requires completion of a minimum of 500 supervised clinical hours, of which at least 400 must be direct client contact hours. Within those direct client contact hours, students must complete:
- At least 150 relational hours (couple or family therapy sessions)
- At least 75 hours of in-person therapy
- At least 75 hours of telehealth therapy
- At least 100 hours of therapy with diverse, marginalized, or underserved populations
Up to 100 of the 500 clinical total hours may involve alternative client interactions, such as observing clinical cases or facilitating psychoeducational groups on specific mental health and/or relationship and family topics. Students receive at least 100 hours of supervision (usually more than 200 hours) from AAMFT Approved Supervisors or Supervisor Candidates, of which at least 50 hours are based on observable data (video-recorded sessions or live supervision). Clinical Supervision is provided through a range of techniques including case discussion, one-way mirror observation, video review, co-therapy, and telephone or real-time video consultation during live sessions.
Capstone Project
Students complete a capstone project in their final practicum course. The capstone project is a comprehensive portfolio of assignments completed during the last semester. This portfolio integrates the knowledge and skills students have acquired as clinicians. Assignments focus on the self of the therapist, sociocultural attunement, philosophy of therapy, advanced application of clinical models, professional and ethical standards, integration of research into treatment, and a career and self-care plan.
Thesis/Non-Thesis Options
Couple and Family Therapy students may pursue a thesis or a non-thesis option. For thesis option students, 6 semester hours are thesis research credits taken as FMSC 799. The thesis, involving original research supervised by a CFT or other Family Science faculty mentor, must be approved and then defended in an oral examination.
Students who are not completing a thesis can choose a graduate level course within the Department of Family Science or another UMD department for the fifth elective course. Students taking a fifth elective course usually confirm with the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists whether the fifth elective course chosen will be accepted as part of the 60 required credits for licensure.
Students are required to have completed a graduate or advanced undergraduate level statistics course prior to enrolling in FMSC 610 (Research Methods) or initiating thesis research. This requirement can be fulfilled by completing a statistics course at the University of Maryland, College Park, or another academic institution. The student will submit the course syllabus and any associated course materials to the CFT Program Director for evaluation.
Developmental psychology courses are also strongly recommended.
Course Requirements
Required Courses
- SPHL 600 Foundations of Public Health (3 credits) An overview of the theoretical frameworks and research findings in the field of Public Health. This course is required of all students enrolled in academic programs within the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health. Taken in the second spring semester of the program.
- FMSC 610 Research Methods in Family Science (3 credits) Prerequisite: EDMS 645 or equivalent. Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. Research methods in family science. The role of theory, design, use of qualitative and quantitative measurement techniques, data collection, and data analysis. Taken in the first spring semester of the program.
- FMSC 640 Family Therapy: Theory and Techniques (3 credits) Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. The course presents conceptual models and interventions for assessing and treating children and adolescents in family therapy. Emphasis on play therapy, attachment-based therapy, developmental aspects, and common presenting problems in children and adolescents. Taken in the first fall semester of the program.
- FMSC 641 Couples Therapy: Theory, and Techniques (3 credits) Prerequisite: FMSC 640. Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. Exploration of the dynamics of the couple relationship and methods for facilitating growth and constructive interaction within that relationship. Theoretical models of couple therapy and their methods for assessment and treatment of distressed relationships. Applications with a variety of common problems experienced by couples. Taken in the first spring semester of the program.
- FMSC 642 Individual and Family Development Across the Lifespan (3 credits) Prerequisite: FMSC 640. Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. Normal development and psychopathology, within the context of the family system: implications for assessment, diagnosis, and therapeutic interventions. Emphasis on families with school-age children, adolescents, parent-child relationships, and application of the current psychiatric diagnostic system (DSM) in work with families. Taken in the second fall semester of the program.
- FMSC 645 Sexuality: Issues in Family Therapy and Service Delivery (3 credits) Prerequisite: A basic course in human sexuality and permission of the instructor. Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. Typical, dysfunctional, and pathological sexual functioning: effects on individuals, couples, and family systems. Sensitizes students to sexual issues, explores how perceptions of such issues affect work with people, and emphasizes implications for couple and family therapy. Taken in the summer semester of the program.
- FMSC 650 Ethical, Legal, and Professional Principles in Couple and Family Therapy (3 credits) Prerequisite: Permission of department. Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. An introduction to the basic principles and practices of family therapy. Emphasis on basic therapy skills applied to a family context and on professional ethics of the family practitioner. Addresses therapist's legal responsibilities and liabilities, certification, and licensure issues. Taken in the first fall semester of the program.
- FMSC 651 Treatment of Emotional and Mental Disorders in the Family Context (3 credits) Prerequisite: FMSC 650. Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. Initial application of family therapy skills and theoretical models to the practice of couple and family therapy. Didactic focus on assessment and diagnosis of family processes. Emphasis on treatment plans from different therapeutic models demonstrated in case presentations and supervision of therapy. Therapist burnout prevention and intervention. Taken in the first spring semester of the program.
- FMSC 652 Psychopathology and Diagnosis in the Family System (3 credits) Prerequisite: FMSC 651. Limited to students admitted into the family therapy program. Integration of systematic assessment and intervention procedures with couples and families, within the context of the various family therapy models. Didactic emphasis is given to procedural issues, critique and utilization of current DSM, and specific problems encountered in family therapy work. Advanced professional responsibility as demonstrated in case presentations and supervision. Taken in the second fall semester of the program.
- FMSC 653 Advanced Application of Couple and Family Therapy Models and Techniques (3 credits) Prerequisite: FMSC 652. Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. Concluding courses in clinical therapy, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment series. Didactic focus on personal theory building, continued professional development, and extension of systematic intervention to community consultation with other mental health professionals. Emphasis on personal values and professional ethics as applied in case presentations and supervision. Taken in the second spring semester of the program.
- FMSC 654 Clinical Couple and Family Therapy Practice (3 credits) Prerequisite: FMSC 651. Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. Application of theory and technique to the clinical practice of couple and family therapy. Emphasis on case management and clinic administration. Includes completion of 12 successive months and 500 hours of supervised, direct client contact with couples, families, and individuals from an integrative family systems perspective. Taken in the second winter semester of the program.
- FMSC 658 Supervised Clinical Practice of Couple and Family Therapy (1-2 credits per semester for a total of 9 credits for the program) Prerequisite: Supervised couple and family therapy client contact (teletherapy and in person). Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. Various family systems models of supervision applied via extant methods, including live and video recorded.
- FMSC 745 Diversity and Social Justice in Couple and Family Therapy (3 credits) Limited to students admitted to the family therapy program. Major critiques of sources of racial, cultural, and gender bias in couple and family therapy and family service delivery. Addresses these issues in program development, clinical practice, and policy. Taken in the first fall semester of the program.
- FMSC 799 Master’s Thesis Research (1-6 credits)
Electives
CFT students have the option to take three elective courses listed below while in the program. While these elective courses are not required for graduation from the CFT Program, they are required to apply for and receive Marriage and Family Therapy licensure in the state of Maryland. Students who choose the ACP option will be required to take an additional elective graduate level course in the Department of Family Science or in any other related discipline to satisfy the 60 credits Maryland State’s licensure requirement.
- FMSC 630 Family Therapy with Children and Adolescents (3 credits)
- FMSC 631 Trauma & Addiction in Family Life (3 credits)
- FMSC 632 Testing and Assessment in Couple and Family Therapy (3 credits)
- FMSC 635 Relational Therapy with Gender and Sexual Minorities (3 credits)
- FMSC 660 Violence in Families (3 credits) *
*Elective course FMSC 660 Violence in Families (3 credits) is offered by the Department of Family Science.
For information on the CFT Program curriculum regulatory alignment with the MD Board requirements for license in MFT, click here.
For further information, please contact Program Administrative Specialist, Sarah Walker at scwalk@umd.edu.