School of Science and Technology

Marital and family therapy certificate programs offered


Family counseling

The certificate in family counseling is designed for individuals who find a significant part of their work directed toward dealing with the relationship problems of individuals, families, and children. It is designed for those professionals who would like to gain family counseling skills but do not desire to complete another degree or earn a clinical license.

The program will help participants acquire theoretical and systemic knowledge about relationships, families, and children as well as develop practical skills applicable both to their professional and personal lives. It is designed for people who have a wide range of experiences, backgrounds, and goals. Physicians, ministers, nurses, teachers, chaplains, employee assistance program counselors, social workers, school counselors, child-care workers, drug counselors, lawyers, and others in the helping professions can enhance their effectiveness through this program. Paid paraprofessionals, such as group-home workers and volunteers for counseling organizations, can also benefit from a knowledge of family counseling techniques. People involved in the business world, such as supervisors, managers, and personnel department employees, can also benefit from the improvement of interpersonal and family skills offered through the program.

Admission

Applicants to the certificate program must meet the Graduate School admission requirements outlined in the University Catalog and give evidence of completion of a BA or BS degree with a 3.0 GPA or equivalent. Evidence of emotional stability and maturity is required along with qualifications appropriate for one of the helping professions.

Certificate requirements

To earn the certificate, participants must successfully complete 29-30 quarter units. This includes 25 core units and four to five units of electives. It is possible to complete the certificate in three academic quarters. No clinical experience is required, but students may use their electives to become exposed to clinical modalities.

Required courses (25 units)
MFAM 515 Crisis-Intervention Counseling (3)
MFAM 535 Case Presentation & Professional Studies (4)
MFAM 551 Family Therapy I: Theory and Practice (3)
MFAM 553 Family Systems Theory (3)
MFAM 564 Family Therapy II: Theory and Practice (3)
MFAM 635 Case Presentation Seminar (3)
MFAM 639 Interdisciplinary Professional Seminar (1)
RELR 564 Religion, Marriage, and Family (3)

Choose one of the following:
MFAM 539 Solution-focused Family Therapy (2)
MFAM 555 Narrative Family Therapy (2)
MFAM 557 Object-Relations Family Therapy (2)
MFAM 559 Cognitive Behavioral Couples Therapy (2)
MFAM 565 Advanced Bowen Theory and Practice (2)
MFAM 665 Structural Family Therapy (2)

Electives (4-5 units required)
FMST 614 Family Communication (3)
MFAM 638 Family Therapy and Chemical Abuse (3)
MFAM 644 Child Abuse and Family Violence (3)
MFAM 663 Brief Family Therapy (2)
MFAM 665 Structural Family Therapy (2)

Family life education

The family life education certificate program is designed for those who wish to acquire the basic requirements for the family life certificate, but who do not desire the master of arts degree in family studies. The program provides the student with an understanding of the structure and functioning of the family as a social institution from a systems and theological perspective.

The certificate program in family life education meets the requirements of the National Council on Family Relations for certification as a family life educator.

Admission

Applicants to the certificate program must meet the Graduate School admission requirements outlined in the University Catalog and give evidence of completion of a BA or BSc degree with a 3.0 GPA or equivalent. Evidence of emotional stability and maturity is required along with the following requirements:

1. Completed Loma Linda University application

2. Four-year baccalaureate degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited college or university with a 3.0 GPA

3. Official transcripts of scholastic record showing appropriate preparation, in grades and content, for curriculum chosen

4. qualifying score on the Critical Essay Exam

5. Personal interviews with two of the program faculty

6. TOEFL or MTELP scores if home language is not English

Curriculum

The curriculum is composed of 26 quarter units and may be completed in one year (attending full time), or stretched over several years. The program is structured to accommodate part-time and nontraditional students.

Required courses
FMST 514 Cross-cultural Counseling Family Values (2)
FMST 524 Family Resource Management (2)
FMST 528 Parenting (2)
FMST 529 Family Life Education (3)
FMST 614 Family Communication (3)
MFAM 547 Social Ecology of Individual and Family Development (3)
MFAM 553 Family Systems Theory (3)
MFAM 614 Law and Ethics (3)
MFAM 674 Human Sexuality (3)
RELR 564 Religion, Family, and the Family (3)

Drug and alcohol

The drug and alcohol counseling certificate program is designed to give students specialized training in the area of drug and alcohol counseling theory and techniques. The drug and alcohol counseling certificate program is accredited by the California Alcohol and Drug Counselors Education Program (CADCEP). This drug and alcohol counseling certificate program is a family systems, interdisciplinary program offered jointly by the Graduate School marital and family therapy program (MFT) and the School of Public Health department of health promotion and education (HPRO). The drug and alcohol counseling certificate program is designed for students who want to work in medical and mental health agencies and clinics doing drug and alcohol counseling. The required education for the drug and alcohol counseling certificate is a minimum of 39 quarter units and 300 clock hours of clinical training.

Admission

Applicants must meet the Graduate School admission requirements outlined in this University Catalog and give evidence of academic ability, emotional stability, and maturity. The drug and alcohol counseling certificate is designed to be a track in the MS degree program in marital and family therapy or the MPH degree program in health promotion. Two faculty interviews are also required. Students with a BA degree from an accredited university who also have a 3.0 GPA and GRE scores in the range of 1200-1500 or above with good recommendations can be accepted for the certificate program. In the MS degree program the Critical Essay is required in place of the GRE, which is no longer required. A writing course is required if the student does not pass the essay exam.

A. Certificate track (in MS degree program with MFT (formerly MFAM) emphasis)

Course requirements
HPRO* 542 Health and Dependency Counseling (3)
HPRO 554 Alcohol and Drug Dependency (3)
HPRO 563 Stress and Coping Mechanisms (3)
HPRO 564 Mental Health and Society (3)
MFAM 515 Crisis-Intervention Counseling (3)
MFAM 534 Clinical Training (300 hours)
MFAM 536 Case Presentation Seminar (2)
MFAM 537 Case Presentation Seminar (2)
MFAM 568 Group Process Theories and Procedures (3)
MFAM 614 Law and Ethics (3)
MFAM 638 Family Therapy and Chemical Abuse (3)
FMST 514 Cross-cultural Counseling Family Values (2)
FMST 614 Family Communication (3)
RELR 564 Religion, Marriage and the Family (3)
Elective Two courses (3-4 units)*
(39-40 units)

B. Certificate track (in MPH degree with HPRO emphasis)

Course requirements (34 units)
HPRO 542 Health and Dependency Counseling (3)
HPRO 554 Alcohol and Drug Dependency (3)
HPRO 563 Stress and Coping Mechanisms (3)
HPRO 564 Mental Health and Society (3)
HPRO 607 Alcohol and Drug Seminar (50 hours) (3)
HPRO 696 Directed Study/Special Project in Chemical Dependency (1)
HPRO 798 Field Practicum (400 hours)
INTH 505 Dynamics of Sociocultural Change (2)
MFAM 515 Crisis-Intervention Counseling (3)
MFAM 568 Group Process Theories and Procedures (3)
MFAM 614 Law and Ethics (3)
MFAM 638 Family Therapy and Chemical Abuse (3)
RELE 457 Christian Ethics & Health Care (3)
Elective Two courses (4-5 units)*
(38-39 units)

C. Certificate (in non master's degree program)

Core courses (30-31 units minimum)
HPRO 542 Health and Dependency Counseling (3)
HPRO 554 Alcohol and Drug Dependency (3)
HPRO 563 Stress and Coping Mechanisms (3)
HPRO 564 Mental Health and Society (3)
HPRO 696 Directed Study/Special Project in Chemical Dependency (1)
MFAM 515 Crisis-Intervention Counseling (3)
MFAM 568 Group Process Theories and Procedures (3)
MFAM 614 Law and Ethics (3)
MFAM 638 Family Therapy and Chemical Abuse (3)
RELR 564 Religion, Marriage and the Family (3)
Cross-cultural requirement (1 course from three listed below)
INTH 517 Methods of Cross-cultural Communication (3)
INTH 505 Dynamics of Sociocultural Change (2)
FMST 514 Cross-cultural Counseling Family Values (2)
Field studies courses (5 units practicum classes - 300 clinical hours)
MFAM 535 Case Presentation (3)
MFAM 536 Case Presentation (2)
MFAM 534 Clinical Training (300 hours)
or
HPRO 798 Field Practicum (300 hours)
HPRO 607 Alcohol and Drug Seminar (50 hours)(3)
Elective Two courses (4-5 units)*
(39-41 units)

Electives (3-5 units)

Electives for A, B, or C are to be chosen in consultation with the program coordinator from among the following:
MFAM 658 Reality Family Therapy (2)
HPRO 526 Lifestyle Diseases and Risk Reduction (3)
STAT 515 Grant and Contract Proposal Writing (2)
*HPRO course descriptions appear in the BULLETIN of the School of Public Health.

Child life specialist

Course requirements (27 quarter units)
CHLS 504 Child Live Administration and Program Development (3)
CHLS 506 Child Life Specialist: Educational and Therapeutic
Intervention (3)
CHLS 507 Child Life Program: Medical Family Issues I (3)
CHLS 508 Child Life Program: Medical Family Issues II (3)
CHLS 604 Child Life Internship and Supervision I (3)
CHLS 605 Child Life Internship and Supervision II (3)
COUN 576 Exceptional and Medically Challenged Children (3)
MFAM 584 Advanced Child and Adolescent Development (3)
RELR 564 Religion, Marriage and the Family/or one religion course of choice (3)

MFT homepage

Visit our new online store for shirts, scrubs and much more...