Doctor of Philosophy
Marriage and Family Therapy

MFT Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) is to produce advanced clinician-scholars who provide leadership in clinical practice, marriage and family therapy instruction and training, supervision, research, and clinical administration, or any combination of these professional activities in the field of marriage and family therapy. Specific to this mission, the MFT doctoral program works to educate culturally sensitive and socially just MFTs clinician-scholars who can educate other therapists and meet the needs of diverse populations in multidisciplinary settings across South Texas and nationally.

Marriage & Family Therapy

Marriage and Family Therapy has been designated as one of the five core mental health disciplines by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). St. Marys Universitys MA in Marriage and Family Therapy is accredited by the Commission of Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). The Veterans Administration now posts jobs specifically for family therapists graduating from accredited programs.

Marriage and family therapists are employed in social service agencies, churches, and counseling offices. Some are using their skills in careers such as nursing, teaching, ministry, personnel management or social work.

Program of Study

The MFT doctoral program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education. The 68 semester hour program is structured for full time study of approximately three to five years, with the final year including a 12 month internship and the students dissertation research. The doctoral internship provides the opportunity to gain clinical experience in multidisciplinary settings. The internship includes at least 500 client contact hours with 100 hours of supervision by faculty and advanced clinicians. Students see clients in our on campus clinic, the Family Life Center, and in an approved community site that assists in family therapy training. Students receive individual and group supervision of their clinical practice using direct observation, videotape or audiotape review, and case consultation.

The MFT doctoral degree can be completed in four years for those entering with a COAMFTE-accredited master's and five to seven years for those with non-COAMFTE-accredited master's degrees or a bachelor's degree.

For a listing of courses that are effective for Fall 2013 in the PhD in Marriage & Family Therapy, as well as program specific admission requirements, please see the Marriage and Family Therapy (Ph.D.) Graduate Catalog.

Upcoming Events

To download a pdf version of the MFT calendar of events for January, please click here.

Graduates

Our doctoral graduates are employed in mental health agencies, inpatient treatment centers, private practice, the Vetererans Administration and Tricare facilities, and academic institutions.

MFT Doctoral Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

The MFT doctoral program is designed around an outcomes-based educational philosophy. All coursework and program experiences are intended to foster student development and contribute to the outcomes articulated below upon program completion. MFT doctoral students must also demonstrate MA program outcomes during the course of their program completion.

Qualitative and Quantitative Research
SLO#1 - Demonstrate an ability to advance the MFT field through the evaluation and application of outcomes of published qualitative and quantitative studies in the context of clinical practice and clinical administration.

SLO#2 - Demonstrate an ability to plan and conduct original quantitative and qualitative research, utilizing skills to develop a research design, gather and analyze appropriate data, and report findings to advance the MFT field.

Supervision
SLO#3 - Demonstrate an ability to apply models of supervision and MFT concepts to facilitate the development and enhancement of clinical skills of trainees using a variety of modalities in supervision (individual, group, live, videotape review, case consultation).

Teaching
SLO#4 - Demonstrate an ability to prepare and effectively deliver instructional materials, and identify and evaluate learning outcomes.

Administration
SLO#5 - Demonstrate knowledge of therapeutic, legal, financial, and ethical considerations for the establishment and sustaining a private clinical practice and/or agency-based clinical practice.

Integration of Theory and Practice
SLO#6 - Demonstrate advanced clinical competencies in the effective application of couple and family therapy models to assess and treat individuals, couples, and families from diverse sociocultural backgrounds.

Admissions

For information on admissions into the Graduate School please see the Graduate School's website.

For information on admissions specific to the MFT doctoral program, please see the Marriage and Family Therapy (Ph.D.) Graduate Catalog.

The deadline for admissions into the doctoral program is February 1, 2013.

For Additional Information
Contact Carolyn Tubbs, MFT Program Director, at 210-438-6400 or e-mail the MFT Program.