Couple and Family Therapy (CFT)

Overview Couple and Family Therapy Programs

Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy Program

The Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) program is offered in Irvine, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego and leads to a Master of Arts in Marital and Family Therapy. The CFT program provides training for a career as a professional marriage and family therapist. Students are trained to treat relational mental health issues with individuals, couples, and families from a systemic perspective. Skills are developed in the mental health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals and relationship systems. The program provides an integrative approach to the major systemic theories and interventions. It fulfills all academic requirements for application to the State of California’s examination for a marriage and family therapist license (Section 4980.40 and 4980.41 of Business and Professions Code).

The CFT master’s program offers concentrations in gerontology and Latin American Family Therapy. These concentrations are not offered in all locations. Additionally, students may do a concentration in LGBT Human Services and Mental Health or Infant-Preschool Mental Health, both of which are done online. Concentrations require additional coursework.

All requirements for the master’s in Couple and Family Therapy at CSPP are also a part of the PsyD in CFT program. Students who complete the master’s in CFT, apply in a timely manner, and are accepted into the doctoral program may apply all CFT master’s requirements toward the completion of the CFT doctoral program.

The Couple and Family Therapy master’s program at Alliant International University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) (112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; Phone: 703-838-9808; Email: coamfte@aamft.org; Web: http://www.aamft.org).

General Requirements

The CFT practicum program includes 500 hours of direct client contact, 250 with couples or families; students receive at least 100 hours of individual and group supervision, at least 50 hours of which are based on direct observation or videotape. During the program, the student must supplement his or her academic and clinical work with 50 hours of professional development activities. These include approved workshops, colloquia, and seminars. Twenty-five of these hours may involve personal counseling or psychotherapy with a licensed person who is not core faculty at Alliant.

Students in the CFT Masters program must pass a comprehensive exam as a part of their degree program. Students who fail the exam will be offered student-specific remediation plans to ensure they have developed necessary knowledge and competencies. These remediation plans may include retaking the exam, writing papers on specific topics, retaking classes, and/or any other elements deemed necessary by faculty based on the student’s exam performance. A student who fails to successfully complete the remediation plan by the given deadline will be referred to the Student Evaluation Review Committee for further action, including possible dismissal from the program.

Doctor of Psychology in Couple and Family Therapy Program

The Doctor of Psychology in Couple and Family Therapy program offered in Irvine, Sacramento, and San Diego, leads to a Doctorate of Psychology in Marital and Family Therapy degree. The CFT PsyD is based on the scholar-practitioner model. Students are trained to work with individuals, couples, and families from a systemic perspective. As such, attention is directed to relationships and interaction patterns. Skills are developed in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals and relationship systems. The program provides an integrative approach to the major systemic theories and interventions.

Students may include concentrations in Latin American Family Therapy and gerontology. Additionally, students may do a concentration in LBGT Human Services and Mental Health or Infant-Preschool Mental Health, both of which are done online. Concentrations require additional coursework.

The Couple and Family Therapy doctoral program at Alliant International University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) (112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; Phone: 703-838-9808; Email: coamfte@aamft.org; Web: http://www.aamft.org).

General Requirements

The CFT doctoral program includes all the requirements in the CFT masters program including passing the MA comprehensive exam. Practicum program requirements are described in the Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy program description and in the Couple and Family Therapy Clinical Training Manual. The doctoral program requires students to be continuously involved in the practice of couple and family therapy. The predoctoral internship consists of 1500 hours. The supervisor for at least 500 client contact hours (250 with couples and families) must be an AAMFT-approved supervisor; the remaining hours may be supervised by a licensed psychologist. Students must supplement their program with 100 hours of professional development activities; up to 25 of these hours may involve personal counseling or psychotherapy with a licensed person who is not full-time faculty at Alliant. The program requires completion of 114 units.

Master’s Degree Options in Doctoral CFT Programs

Students in the CFT PsyD program can receive a licensable marital and family therapy master’s degree as part of their doctoral studies upon completion of the requirements for that degree.