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Marriage and Family Therapy (M.S.H.S.)

MFT is a goal-ori­ent­ed treat­ment that assists in help­ing patients real­ize per­son­al or family/​system change and is one of the five fed­er­al­ly rec­og­nized men­tal health disciplines.

Licensure and Accreditation

Graduates of the program meet academic requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist in Oklahoma as well as Professional Membership of AAMFT and MFT licensure in other states.

Our program is in the process of pursuing accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) and is three steps into a four-step process. We are glad to help you learn more about what this means for our program and why we believe it is important.

COAMFTE's mission is to promote best practices for MFT educational programs through the establishment, review and revision of accreditation standards and policies, and the accreditation of graduate and post-graduate educational programs. The OC MFT program provides a higher learning community that transforms lives for Christian faith, scholarship and service.

OC's curriculum is developed responsively to MFT best practice training models in order to achieve this accreditation. Our OC MFT students will receive exposure in treating a broad range of populations, reflective and representative of the general public at large.

FAQs & Notes

Q: Can I complete a Master’s Thesis or gain a comprehensive research experience?
A: Students who wish to complete a Master’s Thesis or gain a comprehensive research experience will need to take an additional minimum six hours.

Q: Is this program online or in-person?
A: This program is currently being offered in a 25% online and 75% in-person learning format. The current structure precludes international students from applying for a residential student status. We may redress this structure in the future, but currently, the faculty believes an in-person, face-to-face clinical skills training is best experienced on-site where direct and timely feedback can be provided to graduate level therapists-in-training.

Q: Is this program available to international students?
A:
Yes, however those applying must score in the topmost level of English language proficiency and English writing proficiency.

Q: I need more information
A: Please contact the Dr. Jessica Colls at jessica.colls@oc.edu

OC MFT Program Handbook

The handbook contains the program mission, goals and student learning outcomes as well as other program information and policies.

Download the OC MFT Program Handbook

Degree Plan: 49 Hours

A graduate with the M.S.H.S. degree with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy will:

  • Graduates will demonstrate systemic/relational knowledge essential to the practice of Marriage and Family Therapy.
  • Graduates will be culturally responsive in their work with people from diverse backgrounds, communities, and identities.
  • Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of relevant ethical codes and legal principles as well as competence in relational/systemic ethical decision-making skills.
  • Graduates will demonstrate competence in synthesizing and applying research to clinical practice and incorporating feedback measures to improve client outcomes.
  • Graduates will demonstrate ability to assess and monitor “self of the therapist” (including biopsychosocial/spiritual beliefs) with respect to clients and treatment process and its impact on clinical outcomes.

18 HOURS HUMAN SCIENCES FOUNDATION

31 HOURS MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY

A thesis option is available for the MFT degree. An independent research track leading to the completion of a thesis project will require six additional hours to accommodate for your research time and consistent research advising meetings.