Outcomes: PhD in couple and family therapy specialization
The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) accreditation requires the Department of Family Social Science to articulate the desired outcomes for the program, students, and faculty. These outcomes, outlined below, shape and inform our approach to doctoral education and provide an overview of what we hope to accomplish.
Mission
The mission of the CFT Program is to educate and mentor the next generation of leaders and agents of social change in the field of couple/marriage and family therapy (C/MFT) to work systemically with diverse families and communities locally and internationally. Faculty and students engage in scholarship that advances a relational perspective within the science and practice of improving the health and well-being of individuals, couples, families and society.
CFT program outcomes
- Knowledge and research: teach, research, publish, and engage diverse communities (disseminate information) on relationally-oriented mental health topics.
- Practice and ethics competencies: train the next generation of MFTs in advanced relationally- oriented and ethical clinical practice, MFT supervision, and university-level teaching.
- Diversity: increase awareness of diversity and contribute to creating a more multicultural- informed profession.
Student learning outcomes
Knowledge and research
- Students will be knowledgeable consumers and producers of relationally-oriented research.
- Students will have opportunities to engage diverse communities to disseminate information on relationally-oriented mental health topics (clinical engagement).
- Students will demonstrate ability to independently teach content related to marriage and family therapy at the University level.
Practice and ethics competencies
- Students will demonstrate ability to practice using advanced knowledge of systemic interventions.
- Students will meet the didactic requirements to be an AAMFT approved supervisor.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to consider ethics related to working with diverse families and underserved communities.
Diversity
- Students will demonstrate competencies in working with diverse populations including underserved communities.
- Students will demonstrate ability to articulate diverse social contexts that influence their work and the influence their work has on those diverse social contexts.
Supervision training program
Third year CFT doctoral students are eligible to apply for the supervision practicum. They provide supervision to master's students whose academic programs give approval. This supervision is supervised by CFT faculty members and meets a portion of the requirements for AAMFT approved supervisor status.
Regulatory requirements
Students can find licensure information for any state at the AAMFT directory or The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards.