Kansas State University

Marriage and Family Therapy

The marriage and family therapy doctoral 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 Ph.D. specialization in marriage and family therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).

Program Requirements

This curriculum for the Ph.D. in MFT follows COAMFTE guidelines. It assumes students have completed the requirements for the COAMFTE Master's-Level Standard Curriculum. Where that is not the case, students must complete the equivalent of any deficiencies. Most students complete the program in four years. Students have seven years to complete the program.

Area VII: Theoretical Foundations of Marital and Family Therapy (3 hours)

  • FSHS 987 - Advanced Clinical Theory (3)

Area VIII: Assessment and Treatment in Marital and Family Therapy (6 hours)

  • FSHS 970 - Clinical Specialization (3)
  • FSHS 866 - Sex Therapy (3)

Area IX: Family Studies and Human Services (9-18 hours)

  • FSHS 865 - Human Sexuality (3)
  • FSHS 950 - Advanced Family Theory (3)
  • FSHS 810 - Child Development (3)
  • FSHS 822 - Transitions to Adulthood (3)
  • FSHS 845 - Adult Development and Aging (3)

Area X: Supervision of MFT (12 hours)

  • FSHS 984 - Seminar in Supervision of MFT (3)
  • FSHS 986 - Practicum in Supervision of MFT (9)

Area XI: Research Methodology (43-44 hours)

  • One of the following:
    • STAT 702 - Statistical Methods for Social Sciences (3)
      or
      STAT 703 - Statistical Methods for Natural Sciences (3)
      and both
      STAT 704 - Analysis of Variance and Covariance (2)
      STAT 705 - Regression and Correlation Analysis (2)
    • PSYCH 802 - Quantitative Methods (3)
      PSYCH 805 - Experimental Design (3)
    • SOC 825 - Advanced Quantitative Methods (3)
      SOC 925 - Advanced Quantitative Methods II (3)
    • EDCI 817 - Statistical Methods in Education (3)
      EDCI 917 - Experimental Design in Educational Research (3)
  • At least 3 additional credit hours in research design/methods/skills beyond FSHS 888 or its equivalent.
  • FSHS 983 - MFT Process and Outcome Research (3)
  • FSHS 990 - Dissertation Proposal Seminar (1)
  • FSHS 999 - Dissertation Research (30)

Supervised Clinical Practice(9 consecutive hours)

  • FSHS 985 - Practicum in MFT (3)
  • FSHS 985 - Practicum in MFT (3)
  • FSHS 985 - Practicum in MFT (3)

Area XII: Additional Learning (as needed to reach 14 SDUs in Areas VII through XII)

End-of-Program Requirements

  • Complete written preliminary examinations and, if necessary, successfully defend them in the oral preliminary examination
  • Complete a nine-month clinical internship
  • Give your dissertation proposal seminar, write the dissertation, and successfully complete your oral defense of the dissertation

Either at KSU or elsewhere, students must have completed coursework in human sexuality and training in sex therapy.

Either at KSU or elsewhere, students must have completed coursework covering the entire lifespan.

Each doctoral student is expected to participate in the provision of supervision. Students take FSHS 984 in either their first or second fall semester. In their second year, they complete two FSHS 986 practica during the fall and spring semesters. Typically this involves supervising a master's student. Opportunities also exist to lead a master's practicum group and/or provide live supervision one evening per week at the KSU Family Center. Doctoral students begin to provide supervision once they, and the clinical faculty, feel they are ready. Supervision candidates are supervised by faculty members who are AAMFT Approved Supervisors. Under certain circumstances, it may be possible to arrange for more extensive supervision experiences.

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

Dr. Anthony P. Jurich
Program Admissions Chair
Marriage and Family Therapy
School of Family Studies and Human Services
113 Campus Creek Complex
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-1488

Students interested in this option with questions about admission 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

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Application deadline: January 2 for Fall admission

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

* At the present time the six MFT faculty provide all of the clinical supervision necessary to fulfill COAMFTE standards that students receive.

Doctoral Students (N=19)

Gender Number
Females 11
Males 8
Race Number
African American 3
Asian 0
European American 16
Hispanic/Spanish American/Latin American 0
Native American (American Indian) 0

Note: Statistics are current as of January 2008.

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