Kansas State University

Marriage and Family Therapy Masters Program

The marriage and family therapy M.S. specialization prepares professionals to conduct and evaluate therapy with marital and family groups. Students pursue programs of study that include course work in human development, family studies, marital and family therapy, statistics, and research methods. The M.S. specialization in marriage and family therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.

Check out an Introduction to the MFT Program at KSU (Adobe Acrobat).

Program Mission

The mission of the Kansas State University Marriage and Family Therapy Master’s program is to provide the academic, clinical and professional training necessary for graduates to be successful clinicians in a variety of mental health settings.

Educational Outcomes

Students graduating from KSU’s Master’s program in marriage and family therapy will be able to demonstrate competence in:

  1. Admitting clients to treatment (Graduates will demonstrate competence in interactions between clients and therapist up to the point when a therapeutic contract is established).
  2. Clinical assessment and diagnosis (Graduates will demonstrate competence in activities focused on the identification of the issues to be addressed in therapy).
  3. Treatment planning and case management (Graduates will demonstrate competence in directing the course of therapy and extra-therapeutic activities).
  4. Therapeutic interventions (Graduates will demonstrate competence in activities designed to ameliorate the clinical issues identified).
  5. Legal issues, ethics, and standards (Graduates will demonstrate competence in all aspects of therapy that involve statutes, regulations, principles, values, and mores of MFT’s).
  6. Research and program evaluations (Graduates will demonstrate competence in understanding and using research and program evaluation involving the systemic analysis of therapy and how it is conducted effectively)

Student Learning Outcomes

The Master’s Program Student Learning Outcomes are derived from the Core Competencies developed by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

MFT Faculty Information

Master's Program Requirements

Marriage and Family Therapy (M.S.)

The Family Studies and Human Services department offers a Master of Science degree in Family Studies and Human Services with a specialization in marriage and family therapy. The marriage and family therapy M.S. specialization prepares professionals to conduct and evaluate therapy with marital and family groups. Students pursue programs of study that include course work in human development, family studies, marital and family therapy, statistics, and research methods. The M.S. specialization in marriage and family therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.

Requirements

The M.S. degree in Marriage and Family Therapy requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate work, depending upon your choice of the Capstone Project. Most students complete the program in three years. Students have up to five years to complete the program.

Theoretical Foundations of Marital and Family Therapy (7 credits)

  • FSHS 853 - Family Systems in Cultural Context (2)
  • FSHS 864 - Clinical Theory and Practice (2)
  • FSHS 823 – Personal Integration (1)
  • FSHS 867 - Pre-Practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy I (1)
  • FSHS 868 - Pre-Practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy II (1)

Assessment and Treatment in Marital and Family Therapy (17 credits)

  • FSHS 866 - Sex Therapy (3)
  • FSHS 870 - Principles of MFT I: Couples (2)
  • FSHS 877 - Individual and Family Assessment (2)
  • FSHS 879 - Systemic Assessment and Treatment of Psychopathology (3)
  • FSHS 896 - Principles of MFT II: Family (2)
  • FSHS 886 – Principles of MFT III: Child and Adolescent Family Therapy (2)
  • FSHS 869 – Family Treatment of Domestic Violence and Addictions (2)
  • FSHS 805 – Brief Solution-Focused Therapy (1)

Family Studies and Human Services (9-15 credits)

  • FSHS 865 - Human Sexuality (3)
  • FSHS 852 - Contemporary Family Theories (3)
  • One of the Following Options:
    • FSHS 820 – Theories of Human Development (3) OR
    • FSHS 810 - Child Development (3) AND
      FSHS 822 - Transition to Adulthood (3) AND
      FSHS 845 - Adult Development and Aging (3)

Ethics and Professional Studies (3 credits)

  • FSHS 878 - Professional Studies in Family Therapy Credits (3)

Research Methodology (3 credits)

  • FSHS 888 - Research Methods in FSHS I Credits: (3)

Opportunity to participate in Faculty–Student Research Teams (Adobe Acrobat).

Supervised Clinical Practice (9-15 credits)

Minimum of three continuous 3 credit hours of Practica (FSHS 885) over a 12-month period, including summers; must accumulate 500 client contact hours and 100 hours of supervision from faculty.

  • FSHS 885 - Practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy Credits (3)

Electives (various)

Students that choose to complete the clinical project (see below) are required to complete a minimum of 4 elective credit hours.

End-of-Program Requirements (6 credits)

  • Pass a comprehensive written examination on marriage and family therapy
  • Complete, with committee approval, the Masters Capstone Project
  • Pass an oral examination with emphasis on the written document
  • the Masters Capstone Project (see below):
    • A Thesis (requiring 6 hours of FSHS 899)
    • A Clinical Project (requiring 2 hours of FSHS 889 plus 4 elective credit hours)

Inquiries or Requests for More Information?

Students interested in this option with questions about program requirements or curriculum should contact us at

Students interested in this option with questions about admissions should contact:

Connie J. Fechter
Graduate Program Admissions Coordinator
School of Family Studies and Human Services
304 Justin Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-1473

Check Out...

Application deadline: January 2 for Fall admission. We will be interviewing master's degree applicants on February 26, 2010 for Fall 2010 admissions.

Program Diversity

At Kansas State University, the MFT faculty and students strive to work together to create a program climate that:

  • is safe
  • is respectful
  • is supportive
  • values and affirms diversity
  • is non-discriminatory
  • is positive and empowering

Accordingly, we seek to recruit a diverse student body each year and are also working to enhance the diversity of the clinical supervisors in the MFT program.

In accordance with COAMFTE Standard 120.13, the following tables provide a snapshot of the racial and cultural diversity of the MFT faculty, supervisors, and student body.

MFT Faculty and Supervisors

Gender Number
Females 5
Males 2
Race Number
Asian 1
European American 6

Masters Students (N=24)

Gender Number
Females 19
Males 5
Race Number
African American 2
Asian 0
European American 17
Hispanic/Spanish American/Latin 4
Native American (American Indian) 1

Note: Statistics are current as of August 2008.