20 Best MFT Degree Programs

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy program stands out for a couple of reasons. Foremost, the school is one of the few educational institutions in the nation that offers training and certification in medical family therapy.

Additionally, the University of Nebraska trains students to use distance technology for long-distance therapy sessions.  Students can also take advantage of advanced training opportunities in areas like:

• Attachment-Based Family Therapy
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Gottman Level 1

Some classes in this top-ranking program are:

• Clinical Family Therapy
• Multicultural Competency in Mental Health Care
• Issues and Ethics for Family Professional

Besides traditional classes, you will complete a fa 12-month practicum experience. You’ll work with clients in the on-campus clinic and in an off-campus community agency.

This best MFT program prepares students for licensure in every state besides California, which requires additional coursework. Program admission is competitive since there are only eight to twelve students in each cohort. To gain admission, you must complete an application and submit:

• Three letters of recommendation
• Undergraduate transcripts
• A professional resume
• A statement of professional goals

California State University-Northridge offers one of the best MFT programs in California. Because the program follows the more stringent licensure requirements of California, graduates can practice family therapy in almost every state. Most frequently, graduates from this program become marriage and family therapists and professional clinical counselors in California.

Some of the classes in this MFT program are:

• Career Interventions in Mental Health Counseling
• Clinical Research and Program Evaluation
• Therapy with Children, Adolescents, and Their Families

Besides traditional courses, you will take several seminars, independent studies, and research-focused classes. The biggest emphasis in this program, though, is on fieldwork, where you participate in hundreds of hours of direct counseling. 

California State University-Northridge is a somewhat selective school. To gain admittance to this program, you must have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant major with a 2.5 GPA or higher. Additionally, you must:

• Submit two letters of recommendation
• Complete an admissions interview
• Submit GRE or MAT scores
• Complete the online application

East Carolina University’s Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy was the first MFT program in North Carolina to gain accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education. If you want to take excellent classes taught by expert faculty in North Carolina, East Carolina University is your best option on this list.

There are five principal categories of the ECU MFT program:

• Theoretical Foundations
• Clinical Practice
• Human Development and Family Studies
• Personal Identity and Ethics
• Research

Some of the classes within these categories are:

• Family Systems Theories
• Family Theories and Issues
• Research Methods in Child and Family Studies
• Theories of Child Development

East Carolina University students supplement their studies with clinical experience in a variety of settings including:

• military base
• school setting
• community center
• medical clinical

You can choose to write a thesis, which is required for those who want to enter Ph.D. programs upon graduation. You can complete this 51-credit MFT program in two years, including summer semesters.

The University of Colorado Denver offers several counseling degrees. The school’s Master of Arts in couple and family counseling stands out for its excellent structure and faculty. One notable feature of this top MFT program is the ability to take weekend courses.

Most grad students complete this program in three to four years, which is longer and more relaxed compared with other universities on this list.

Marriage and family counseling majors begin this program in the counseling core, which requires you to take courses like:

• Human Development Over the Life Span
• Introduction to Research Methods
• Introduction to Measurement
• Counseling Theories

Then, you will take classes in the couple and family counseling program. Some of these classes are:

• Mental Health Diagnosis
• Introduction to Sex Therapy
• Techniques in Family Therapy

To gain admission to the University of Colorado Denver, you must submit:

• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts
• A professional resume
• A written statement
• An admissions interview on the Denver campus

The school doesn’t require students to submit GRE or MAT scores.

The University of Maryland offers one of the best MFT programs in the USA. This graduate program emphasizes real-world experience, extensive research, and engaged learning. Students in this program choose between a thesis and a non-thesis option. The thesis is suggested for those who wish to become researchers and doctoral candidates.

As a MFT grad student, you will take courses such as:

• Psychopathology in the Family Context
• Research Methods in Family Science Foundations of Public Health
• Sexuality: Issues in Family Therapy and Service Delivery

Alongside traditional coursework, you must complete 400 direct counseling hours. Of those 400 hours, 250 must be in family or couples counseling. There are dozens of available sites for the externships, and the University of Maryland helps students secure the externship that suits them. 

Does this program interest you? To apply for this top MFT program, you must provide:

• Official transcripts
• GRE scores
• Three letters of recommendation
• A professional resume
• A purpose statement

If you’re applying from a non-English speaking country, you must also submit TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores.

Fairfield University offers one of the most dynamic Master of Arts in marriage and family therapy programs on this list. MFT majors in this program can supplement their central master’s degree with a certificate in School-Based Marriage & Family Therapy or Queer and Trans Mental Health. These subprograms draw attention to two places where family counselors are especially needed.

The MFT curriculum comprises courses like:

• Couples Therapy
• Advanced Interventions in Family Therapy
• Research in Marriage and Family Therapy
• Family Therapy Pre-Practicum
• Lifespan Human Development

You will supplement these additional courses with two family therapy practicums and two internships. Students must also pass a comprehensive exam. A thesis option is available for students interested in conducting original research.

Fairfield University’s program is selective. To gain admittance, you must submit:

• Two letters of recommendation
• A personal statement
• A $65 application fee
• Official transcripts
• A professional resume
• An admissions interview

John Brown University combines a science-backed Master of Science Counseling with a concentration in marriage and family therapy. JBU is proud to offer the longest-standing counseling program in the state. The program is rooted in Christian values while following a professional and ethical framework.

Some Christian-based counseling courses in this program are Christian Foundations in Counseling and Family of Origin. You will then take traditional counseling classes like:

• Principles of Family Therapy
• Child & Adolescent Counseling
• Brief Therapy
• Principles of Marital Therapy
• Advanced Psychopharmacology

You will also participate in two internships and two practicums. 

To apply to this master’s program, you must graduate from an accredited undergraduate university with a 3.0 or higher GPA. If you have between a 2.75 and 3.0 GPA, you may be considered on a case-by-case basis. If your GPA is under 2.75, you may still apply to this program, but you’ll also have to submit GRE scores.

Another top marriage and family therapy graduate program comes from Auburn University. This MFT program is probably the most competitive option on this list: Auburn University only accepts six students per year. Thus, to gain admittance, you must prove your value to this program with the following:

• A high GPA
• Strong GRE scores
• An excellent resume
• Three letters of recommendation
• A perfectly written professional statement

Auburn’s MFT curriculum comprises four core counseling credits, 30 credits in marriage and family therapy classes, three credits in research methods, a nine-credit internship, and a four-credit thesis. Some of the classes you will take in this two-year program are:

• Professional Issues in MFT
• MFT Clinical Issues: Family Systems, Trauma and Crisis Intervention
• Couples and Sex Therapy
• Lifespan Development

If you prefer to work in small cohorts with personalized attention, you couldn’t do any better than Auburn University. The program boasts an impressive four-to-one student-to-faculty ratio, which provides a more personalized experience than any other program on this list.

Kansas State University offers one of the best Master of Science in couple and family therapy in the central United States.

MFT majors in this program are required to have 500 direct-contact hours with counseling clients. Of those 500 hours, 200 hours must be with couples or families. Kansas State University emphasizes that the 500-hour requirement serves as the minimum: Students should complete as many hours as possible.

Given the emphasis on clinical work, Kansas State University students must work toward the 500 counseling hours throughout each quarter. Before beginning clinical hours, though, you must pass a screening with faculty to determine if you’re ready to enter the clinical portion of the program. In the screening, you are evaluated for your academic performance and personal integrity.

The screening includes a personal assessment and a judging committee of at least three faculty members.

Furthermore, as a Kansas State MFT student, you will take classes like:

• Human Sexuality
• Professional Studies in Family Therapy
• Parent-Child Interaction
• Family Systems in Cultural Context

Marriage and family therapists help thousands of people improve their lives every year. Friends University’s Master of Science in Family Therapy program is flexible, with available campuses in Wichita and Kansas City. The university boasts impressive placement rates, too: 100% of the program’s graduates since 2013-2014 have secured full-time jobs.

The curriculum comprises 36 credit hours of core courses, 16 credits in clinical training, and eight hours of electives. Some of the classes you can expect to take are:

• Parenting Strategies
• Intergenerational Family Theories
• History of MFT and Systems Theory
• Classic Theories of Therapeutic Intervention in MFT

Friends University grad students must also complete five internships.

Friends University’s MFT program has relatively stringent requirements. To gain admission, you must have a relevant undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with a 3.0 or higher GPA. Additionally, you need to have completed prerequisite courses in research methods, family studies, and psychology.

Finally, you should also submit four letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and complete an interview with the program director. 

The University of Oregon offers one of the most flexible Master of Science in couples and therapy programs on this list. Unlike the majority of the universities we’re featuring, the University of Oregon doesn’t require its students to have completed an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject.

It also doesn’t require students to have taken any prerequisite courses. Another notable feature of this program is the option to specialize in Spanish.

This MFT master’s program comprises excellent classes like:

• Micro-Counseling Skills
• Ethics Discussion
• Counseling Diverse Populations
• Group Psychotherapy
• Parenting Interventions
• Intimate Partner Therapy

You must also complete several hundred hours of counseling experience, including direct counseling. Finally, you are required to take two comprehensive exams.

The Spanish language concentration is an excellent option for students who want to work with Latinx populations in Oregon and across the country. Some of the courses in this subprogram are Practicum: Bilingual Supervision, Workshop: Topics in Latino Mental Health, and an additional capstone project.

At Regis University, you will find a top Master of Arts program in Marriage and Family Therapy. The MFT program pushes the latest counseling research and the Jesuit values that will push you toward your spiritual and career goals.

Regis University’s grad school caters to people leading busy, working lives. The MFT program revolves around evening courses with several weekend sessions per semester.

Some classes in the 60-credit Marriage and Family Therapy program include:

• Couples Therapy
• Family Origins and Lifecycles
• Gender Development and Sexuality

You must also complete three supervised internships to graduate from the program. These internships must be in a relevant location and must include a significant portion of direct counseling hours. 

Admission requirements for Regis University are as follows:

• Two admissions essays
• Two letters of recommendation
• An on-campus interview
• A professional resume
• Official transcripts

The program costs $806 per credit hour, which is not as affordable as other programs on this list. However, many graduates from Regis attest to the quality and value of the marriage and family therapy program.

Drexel University’s Master of Family Therapy program focuses on preparing students to provide therapy for couples and families facing addiction, discrimination, and trauma.

This is a full-time master’s program: If you want to enroll part-time, choose another school from this list. There is some flexibility, however, in course delivery. While most courses are on campus, some are available online.

Some courses you will take are:

• Introduction to Family Therapy
• Contextual Family Therapy
• Family Life Cycle
• Human Development
• Adult Psychopathology

These classes build upon the latest theories and research in the field. You must also complete two internships that are respectively twelve and nine months. Drexel University expects students to work at their chosen host site for 16 to 20 hours per week. 

To gain acceptance, aspiring students must submit:

• Official transcripts that show a 3.0 or higher undergraduate GPA
• A three-page professional statement
• A professional resume
• Three letters of recommendation
• Participate in an on-campus interview

The University of Kentucky’s counseling and family therapy students have access to dozens of resources unique to the department. Some notable resources are:

• The Professional Development Grant
• The Graduate School Fellowships
• The CGPDI Graduate Mentor Program
• Diversity Research & Teaching Fellowships

These resources are useful as financial aids, preparatory programs, and more.

You can technically graduate from this program in five quarters, but most take six. Some classes from this UK’s MFT master’s degree include:

• Treatment Modalities
• Professional Issues in CFT
• Allocation of Company Resources
• Research Methods in Family Science
• Families and Children in Play Therapy

Students in the University of Kentucky CFT program don’t have the hassle of finding a host for their internship. Instead, the program pairs every CFT master’s student with The Family Center. Here, students engage in supervised therapy and training. The Family Center is a public community health facility staffed only by UK interns.

The UK is an excellent institution, and many students note that working for it was a highlight of the program.

The University of San Diego offers one of the best marriage and family therapy programs that meets the requirements of the Board of Behavioral Sciences and the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy. The top MFT program is rigorous and fast. Most students graduate in two years.

Within that time frame, they must complete 1000 hours of the required 3000 clinical therapy hours to gain licensure. 

Expect to take courses such as:

• Human Diversity in Family Therapy
• Systemic Treatment of Children
• Recovery-oriented Case Management
• Systemic Treatment of Substance Abuse

As discussed, you must complete 1000 hours of clinical therapy experience. Additionally, you must pass a comprehensive exam to graduate from the program.

The University of San Diego is one of the more rigorous programs on this ranking. To gain admission, you must submit:

• A professional resume
• GRE scores
• Official transcripts
• A statement of purpose
• At least two letters of recommendation

The University of Syracuse’s Master in Marriage and Family Therapy program holds some impressive credentials.

Perhaps the most notable fact about the program is that it was the first accredited MFT master’s program in America. Pretty cool, right? The MFT program also boasts a parallel online path, which students can take for an equally rigorous and fruitful education. 

Some of the fantastic classes in this program include:

• Sexual Issues for the Helping Professional
• Introduction to Family Therapy Practice
• Systems Dynamics in a Group Setting
• Applied Research in Social Work

Students receive specialized training working with marginalized populations including immigrant families and those in the transgender community. Besides traditional coursework, you will also participate in clinical hours, which contributes to the licensure requirement in New York.

Syracuse MFT graduates have found successful careers in many work environments, including:

• Non-profits
• Mental health and counseling programs
• Research centers
• Private practices

Some students have gone onto doctoral programs, and many of these students attended the University of Syracuse’s impressive Ph.D. program. 

Northwestern University is one of the best universities in the county. The school’s Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy is no exception to Northwestern’s excellence. Northwestern’s top MFT program emphasizes the learn-by-doing approach.

MFT majors begin counseling clients in their first quarter, and they continue with direct counseling until they graduate. This top MFT program boasts excellent professors, many of whom are successful and influential therapists.

At Northwestern, you will take 19 academic courses in this program. Some of these classes are:

• Basic Concepts of Systems Therapy
• Intimate Relations
• Methods of Systems Therapy
• Family Therapy Treatment Models

You will also spend 500 hours in clinical training and counseling; trusted leaders in the field observe students for 250 of those hours.

Northwestern University is by no means the most affordable option on this list. But its program is exceptional, and if it were cheaper, it would definitely be in the top 5 programs nationwide.

Abilene Christian University is a Christian institution that offers a dynamic Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree. The MFT program takes two years and 60 credit hours. You can choose either a thesis track or a non-thesis track. Conveniently, you can also complete this program online.

Some of the courses in this MFT program are:

• Family Theory/General Systems Theory
• Couples Therapy
• Family Therapy across the Lifestyle
• Theological Perspectives on Human Behavior

Along with coursework, you will gain real-world experience through a 500 hour internship.

ACU graduates make a difference all over the world in an array of professional settings. Recent graduates work as marriage and family therapists for:

• Private practices
• Churches
• Mental health agencies
• Schools
• Substance abuse treatment agencies
• Eating disorder recovery centers

To apply to ACU’s MFT program, you need to submit:

• Official transcripts
• Three recommendation letters
• A written purpose statement
• An on-campus interview

Currently, GRE scores are waived.

The University of New Hampshire’s Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy program prepares students to become clinicians, researchers, administrators, and more. The top-ranking MFT program has two start dates and a full-time and part-time option. If students wish to enroll part-time, they must apply to begin the program in the fall semester. 

In this program, you must accrue 500 hours of counseling experience through externships and on-campus practicums at the Marriage and Family Therapy Center. You will also take rigorous courses like:

• Professional Issues for Family Specialists
• Child Development in Context
• Critical Problems in Family Life
• Sex Therapy
• Clinical Interventions in Couples Therapy

The University of New Hampshire boasts impressive graduate statistics. One hundred percent of the students enrolled in this master’s program pass the national exam each year. Plus, MFT graduates have access to excellent job opportunities. Also of note, the University of New Hampshire offers excellent scholarships, which significantly contribute to a student’s tuition. 

The University of Rochester offers one of the best Master of Science in marriage and family therapy programs in New York. The master’s program emphasizes clinical experience in a hospital instead of a school setting.

Students in this program participate in client experience at the University of Rochester Medical Center, one of the top hospitals in the state. At the hospital, students complete 500 clinical contact hours and 100 hours of supervision.

Some courses in this program are:

• Family Therapy Research
• Family Therapy Practice
• Couples Therapy
• Foundations of Clinical Practice in Family Therapy
• Child-focused Family Therapy

Each of these classes uses research-informed evidence and theories to convert students into therapists who can flourish in whatever context they choose.

Students enrolled in the University of Rochester are exceedingly satisfied with the marriage and family therapy program. If you want to become a student here, you must submit:

• Official transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation
• A statement of purpose
• An interview with three program faculty
• A professional resume
• Any publications relevant to the field