Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT Degree)

Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Program Overview

The Master of Science degree in Psychology with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) at Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) prepares practitioners to assist with mental health concerns in family and social contexts using relational strengths-based approaches to psychotherapy. 

In coursework and practice, students learn to work with clients from a wide variety of ethnic, economic, educational and religious backgrounds and develop proficiency in providing psychotherapy services to individuals, couples, families and groups.

The MFT program prepares culturally competent mental health professionals through a program focused on:

• Cultural and Linguistic Competence
  A hallmark of our program is its emphasis on cultural as well as linguistic diversity. Our focus on cultural diversity evolved as a consequence of the university’s location in a predominately low-income, Mexican American neighborhood, OLLU’s status as a Hispanic Serving Institution, and the long-standing commitment by the program’s faculty members to infuse this focus at all levels of the program.
  
  
• Applied Knowledge and Skills
  The practitioner focus of our program begins with students participating on practicum teams at the university’s training clinic; under the supervision of a faculty member, student teams provide psychotherapy services to clients at the clinic. Students also complete a portion of their practicum hours at approved off-campus sites.
  
  

 

Program Benefits

 

Why Earn a Marriage and Family Counseling Degree?

Getting a MFT degree from Our Lady of the Lake University offers numerous benefits, especially for students passionate about pursuing a career in this field. The Master of Science degree in Psychology with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) is a comprehensive program designed to equip future practitioners with the necessary skills and knowledge to assist individuals and families with mental health concerns within diverse social contexts. Here's why opting for an MFT degree can be an excellent choice for students:

What Will You Learn in Our Marriage and Family Therapist Degree?

Our MFT program focuses on preparing practitioners to address mental health concerns within the context of families, couples, and individuals, all while utilizing strengths-based approaches to psychotherapy. 

We understand the importance of meeting the academic requirements for licensure, and our program aligns with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, as well as licensure as Professional Counselors through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors.

This is what our students can expect to learn in this program:

 

Is an MFT Degree Worth It?

The MFT degree program our university offers is specifically tailored to prepare our students for highly rewarding careers with excellent salary potential and promising job outlooks. Pursuing this degree is an investment in a bright future.

One of the key factors that make pursuing this degree worthwhile is the potential for high salaries. By enrolling in our program, you are setting yourself up for a career with competitive earning potential, reaching up to $98,700. The field is projected to grow by 15% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. Our university's commitment to providing a quality education ensures you are well-prepared to secure positions with attractive compensation packages

Program Focus

Cultural Competence Focus

The MFT program mission is to prepare culturally competent professionals who are skilled in providing psychotherapeutic services to a diverse community and that have a deep and abiding respect for individual and cultural diversity, has long been one of its greatest strengths. A hallmark of our program is its emphasis on cultural as well as linguistic diversity. Our focus on cultural diversity evolved as a consequence of the university’s location in a predominately low-income, Mexican American neighborhood, OLLU’s status as a Hispanic Serving Institution, and the long-standing commitment by the program’s faculty members to infuse this focus at all levels of the program.

Practitioner Focus

Faculty members focus on designing classroom experiences that are relevant to the practice of systemic psychotherapy. Students are required to apply their knowledge in several courses that have a practical component. Thus, many courses go beyond awareness and knowledge and focus on skill development. Students begin their practicum training after completing a minimum of 18 hours of specified courses. Full-time students generally begin practicum in the summer of their first year. This experience begins with clinical teams at the Psychology Department’s training clinic, the Community Counseling Service (CCS). The team approach provides a supportive environment. Up to six students and a faculty supervisor meet weekly as a team to deliver psychotherapy services. After the first semester, and with the approval of their supervisors, students may complete a portion of their required practicum hours at approved off-campus sites. Students are required to obtain a minimum of 500 hours of supervised, direct delivery of services.

Students in the MFT concentration are taught a variety of theories and professional skills. However, the program emphasizes a particular set of systemic therapy models. These models are described in various ways, such as: Relational Strengths-based, Postmodern, and Social Constructionist. While there are variations among these collaborative models, all of them have in common:

• An emphasis on each person’s strengths, resources and unique perspectives.
• An emphasis on a non-pathological view with skepticism regarding the usefulness of psychiatric diagnosis
• An emphasis on collaborative practice in therapy

These Collaborative, Social Constructionist, and Competency-Based models include:

• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Narrative Therapy
• MRI Strategic Family Therapy
• Collaborative Therapy

These theoretical models are taught in our Systemic Approaches to Counseling courses, and strongly influence the perspective of many of our other courses.

In addition to these emphasized theories, students are provided a working knowledge of several other common and classical models of family and individual therapy and are taught necessary diagnostic skills to allow them to function as independent therapists.

Students are urged to become Student Affiliates of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Applications are available online at www.aamft.org . 

Practicum

Marriage and Family Therapy students take four semesters of practicum, which consists of intensive training in the university’s Community Counseling Service (CCS) and off-campus sites. In the CCS practicum, students participate on treatment teams under the supervision of licensed professionals and use video recording and live supervision to enhance feedback and client services. Students in off-campus practicum sites are supervised by OLLU faculty or qualified professionals.

 

 

Courses in the Marriage and Family Therapy Degree

The MS in Psychology - Marriage and Family Therapy concentration is a 60 credit hour program. It includes the following courses plus 9 credit hours in electives from approved Graduate Psychology courses. 

Admission Requirements

After a review of the completed admissions files, selected applicants will be invited to a group interview with psychology program faculty. 
NOTE: Due to limited spaces available, meeting minimum standards does not guarantee admission.

 

 

Tuition & Financial Aid

The COAMFTE accredited master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy program opens doors to employment with the federal government and other providers of mental healthcare. As one of the few COAMFTE accredited programs in Texas, it is an investment in your career and signals the quality of the preparation that you will receive.

You should begin the Financial Aid application process at the same time that you apply to the graduate program.  To be considered for financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.studentaid.gov . Please list Our Lady of the Lake University, federal school code #003598, as one of the schools to receive your application information. OLLU will receive your results electronically and use them to award your financial aid.

Please note:  You must be officially accepted for admission to the university before a financial aid award can be processed.

FAQs

Graduate Achievement Data

From the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy website

The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Consistent with the CHEA Recognition Standards, accreditation organizations must establish standards that require accredited programs “to provide quality and consistent information about academic quality and student achievement and thus to foster continuing public awareness, confidence, and investment.” COAMFTE has established Accreditation Standards that require programs to report on student achievement. Additionally, COAMFTE collects student achievement data on graduation rates, exam pass rates, and licensure rates. Accredited programs are required to report student achievement criteria data on an annual basis.

Accredited programs report student achievement criteria data for each cohort in the program. A cohort is defined as the students who entered a program between a given time period (example: the students in the fall 2015-spring 2016 cohort, entered their respective programs between the fall of 2015 and spring of 2016).

Data for the Marriage and Family Therapy program shows in the 2024 Graduate Achievement Data for the San Antonio campus program document.