PhD program in marital and family therapy
- Introduction
- Program philosophy and goals
- Program requirements
- Program administrative faculty
- Course descriptions - See the University Catalog.
- Contact us (web form)
Loma Linda University Graduate School's Department of Counseling and Family Sciences offers a PhD in marital and family therapy. The PhD in MFT follows the scientist practitioner model, in which the students are expected to develop expertise both in empirical research methods and clinical practice for careers in teaching and research.
The PhD program in marital and family therapy is a 108-unit program requiring three to four years for completion, including two to three years of course work, a dissertation, and clinical internship.
Concentrations and certificates - A variety of concentrations and certificates are available to individualize your program and the increase the marketability of your services.
- Families, systems, and health
- Family studies
- School consultation
- School counseling
- Systems consultation and professional relations
- Group counseling
- Drug and alcohol counseling
- Clinical mediation
- Licensure track (for students who have not previously met academic requirements for MFT licensure)
Marriage and family therapy is established in California by law as a profession requiring state licensure. Persons who desire to enter the profession must have the proper academic and clinical preparation and must pass the written and oral licensing examinations. The doctoral degree programs at Loma Linda University are designed to provide the academic requirements to meet the California licensing standards according to Business and Professions Code 4980.38.
The doctoral programs offered by Loma Linda University has been granted accreditation Candidacy through the Council on Accreditation of Marriage and Family therapy Education (COAMFTE), the accrediting body associated with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Curriculum course requirements
The following are the major areas of study and required and elective courses for each, totaling 108 quarter units.
MFTH 501 Supervision in MFT (2)
MFTH 502 Advanced Supervision in MFT (2)
MFTH 504 Advanced Theory in MFT (4)
MFTH 505 Advanced Family Studies (4)
MFTH 506 Clinical 1 - Cybernetics (3)
MFTH 507 Clinical 2 - Meaning (3)
MFTH 508 Clinical 3 - Natural Systems (3)
MFTH 509 Clinical 4 - Clinical Issues (3)
MFTH 601 Statistics I (4)
MFTH 602 Statistics II - (4)
MFTH 603 Statistics III (4)
MFTH 604 Advanced Qualitative Methods (4)
MFTH 605 Advanced Quantitative Methods (4)
MFTH 606 Research in MFT (4)
MFTH 607 Computer (1)
MFTH 608 Issues in Research Design & Presentation (3)
MFTH 634 Practicum (6)
MFTH 785 Clinical Training (1.5 - 3)(12 total)
MFTH 786-A Internship
MFTH 786-B Internship with Clinical Training (only when clinical hours are still needed)
MFTH 694 Doctoral Seminar (1 over 6 quarters)
MFTH 697 Research (17)
MFTH 698 Dissertation (3)
RELE (500 or 600 level ) Ethics (3)
RELT 615 Philosophy of Religion (3)
RELR 535 Spirituality & Mental Health (3)
Electives (6)
Concentrations (12) see below
Family studies concentration (12)
The family studies concentration focuses on the knowledge regarding family and child development that provides the theoretical basis for family interventions and programs. Students also may select from a variety of courses to enhance their skills in family life education and/or therapy.
FMST 518 Advanced Child Development (3)
FMST 526 Marriage and Family (3)
And at least 6 units from the following:
FMST 524 Family Resource Management (2)
FMST 528 Parenting (2)
FMST 529 Family Life Education (2)
MFAM 548 Men and Families (2)
MFTH 514 Child and Family Therapy (2)
MFTH 515 Couples and Sex Therapy (2)
MFTH 516 Divorce and Remarriage (2)
MFTH 519 Teaching Techniques (2)
MFTH 544 Health and Illness in Families (3)
MFTH 525 Advanced MFT Assessment (3)
CHLS 507 Child Life Program: Medical Family Issues I (3)
CHLS 508 Child Life Program: Medical Family Issues II (3)
COUN 576 Exceptional Learners & Medically Challenged Children (3)
Families, systems and health concentration (12)
This concentration prepares marital and family therapists to work with issues related to health and illness in medical settings and/or in collaboration with other health-care professionals. The concentration includes opportunities to work in the primary care LLU clinics to get real life experience with patients, doctors, and other health-care professionals (family medicine and SACHS) as well as the opportunity to work with some specific health related research projects. Required courses include:
MFTH 564 Social Context of Health (4)
MFTH 544 Health and Illness in Families (3)
MFTH 637 Special Projects in Families, Systems and Health (1) (prerequisite, MFTH 544, either before or concurrently)
MFTH 534 Family Therapy and Medicine (4) (prerequisites, MFTH 564, MFTH 544)
School consultation
This concentration broadens the systematic work of professionals in marital and family therapy and family studies to include more knowledgeable consultation with school administrators, teachers, counselors, and psychologists regarding the well-being of children, adolescents, and college or university students in educational environments. Doctoral students may select 12 units of study for this concentration from the list of courses below:
COUN 574 Psychological Foundations of Education (4)
COUN 576 Exceptionally and Medically Challenged Children (3)
COUN 577 Assessment in Counseling (3)
COUN 578 College and Career Counseling (3)
COUN 678 Consultation and Leadership (3)
COUN 679 School Counseling: History and Practice (3)
Systems consultation and professional relations (12)
This concentration prepares qualified professionals for leadership and consultation in organizational development and systems relations. Courses help students understand how organizations operate and how to apply behavioral and family science knowledge to improve organization performance and functioning. Students develop specific skills for consulting and organizational assessment. MFTH 524: Administration in MFT is a prerequisite to the concentration. Required courses include:
MFTH 528 Organizations: Structure, Process, and Behavior (3)
MFTH 555 Organizational Development and Change (3)
MFTH 556 Management Consulting and Professional Relations (3)
MFTH 557 Organizational Assessment (3)
Program administration
Carmen Knudson-Martin, PhD - cknudsonmartin@llu.edu
Coordinator of PhD Program
Patty Hoerner - pchoerner@llu.edu
Administrative Assistant for Doctoral Programs
Next: Program philosophy and goals
Program administrative faculty
Course descriptions - See the University Catalog.