MA in Marriage & Family Counseling
Students must meet all university requirements for a master’s degree. All counseling students are required to complete the core courses. In addition, there are specific requirements for courses depending on which sequence the student is enrolled in. Students should complete their study plan with the advisor before or within the first semester of enrollment to ensure proper progression through the program. Although the advisor is available to help students with any questions or concerns regarding curriculum and progression through the program, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure he/she is following the policies and procedures of the program, college, and university. Students should refer to program student handbook, university student handbook, and the university catalog for all policies and procedures. Total hours required for graduation in Marriage & Family is 60 hours.
Core Courses
Required Core Courses (33 Hours)
PSYC 6110 Measurements and Evaluation (3)
COUN 6600 Professional Orientation and Ethical Standards for Counselors (3)
COUN 7620 Life Span Developmental Issues (3)
COUN 6630 Counseling Theories (3)
COUN 7720 Social and Cultural Foundations (3)
COUN 7725 Family Systems: Theory and Practice (3)
COUN 7730 Life Style and Career Development (3)
COUN 7810 Beginning Counseling and Human Relations Skills (3)
COUN 8811 Interventions with Children and Adolescents (3)
COUN 7847 Group Dynamics and Intervention (3)
COUN 7855 Assessment and Treatment Planning (3)
Marriage and Family Counseling Sequence (27 Hours)
COUN 7633 Community Counseling (3)
COUN 8842 Practicum I: Individual and Vocational Counseling (3)
COUN 8845 Practicum II: Individual and Vocational Counseling (3)
COUN 8856 Practicum in Group Counseling: Adult (3)
COUN 8825 Advanced Family Systems (3) (taught on a limited basis)
COUN 8859 Family Counseling Techniques (3)
COUN 8860 Applied Family Systems (3) (taught on a limited basis)
COUN 8881 Counseling Internship I: Marriage and Family Counseling (3)
COUN 8882 Counseling Internship II: Marriage and Family Counseling (3)
Remarks
Enrollment in COUN8842, COUN8845 and COUN8856 requires prior admission to candidacy and completion of course prerequisites. When registering for courses that require candidacy, students must already have been awarded candidacy, rather than be in the process of applying for candidacy. A 600-hour internship is required for all counseling students.
License for Marriage & Family Therapist
The rules and regulations for becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Illinois can be found at: http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/WHO/marfm.asp
In addition to the LPC, Marriage and Family students may be eligible for the Associate in Marriage and Family Therapy in Illinois. The Marriage and Family Counseling program at GSU meets the requirements for becoming an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (you must be an Associate and after gaining work experience you can become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist). There are rules for how much work experience you need to get, how much supervision, and who can supervise.
The coursework below at GSU should meet the education requirements:
Must have at least 48 credit hours in the following categories:
1. Individual Development and Family Relationships (minimum of 1 course)
a. Counseling 7620: Life Span and Developmental Issues
b. Counseling 7720: Social and Cultural Foundations
c. Counseling 7730: Life Style and Career Development
2. Topics in MFT and Group Therapy must be addressed in a minimum of 6 courses and must include history, theory, interventions, and assessment:
a. Counseling 7725: Family Systems: Theory and Practice
b. Counseling 7847: Group Dynamics and Intervention
c. Counseling 8825: Advanced Family Therapy
d. Counseling 8811: Interventions with Children and Adolescents
e. Counseling 7855: Assessment and Treatment Planning
f. Counseling 8859: Family Counseling Techniques
g. Counseling 8860: Applied Family Systems
3. Professional Ethics (at least 1 course):
a. Counseling 6600: Professional Orientation and Ethical Standards for Counselors
4. Research Topics (1 course)
a. Psychology 6110: Measurement and Evaluation
5. Clinical Practicum/Internship (300 Hours)
a. Counseling 8845: Practice in Individual Counseling
b. Counseling 8856: Practicum in Group Counseling
c. Counseling 8881: Marriage and Family Internship I
d. Counseling 8882: Marriage and Family Internship II
TITLE 68: PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
CHAPTER VII: DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
SUBCHAPTER b: PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
PART 1283 MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY LICENSING ACT
SECTION 1283.30 EDUCATION
Section 1283.30 Education
a) An applicant for a license as a marriage and family therapist shall hold one of the following:
1) A master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a regionally accredited educational institution;
2) A master's or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited educational institution (by the U.S. Office of Education) in marriage and family therapy or in a related field (i.e., behavioral science or mental health) with an equivalent course of study in marriage and family therapy as set forth in subsection (b); or
3) A master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy or the Commission on Accreditation for Counseling Related Educational Programs.
b) An applicant must have completed a minimum of 48 semester hours or equivalent hours of graduate coursework. The applicant's graduate coursework, at a minimum, shall be substantially equivalent to the curriculum listed in this subsection (b). Courses are evaluated according to course content rather than course title. For the purpose of this Section, course shall be defined as an integrated, organized course of study. No student designed courses, independent study courses, workshops, on-line or correspondence courses may be used to satisfy the core courses. Course descriptions and syllabi are required for courses whose titles do not reflect the content described as follows:
1) Individual Development and Family Relations. Topics in marriage and family studies must be addressed in a minimum of 1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter hours or equivalent). Topics that may be counted toward this area of study include family development and family interactional patterns across the life cycle of the individual as well as the family. Courses may include the study of: family life cycle; theories of family development; marriage and/or family dynamics; sociology of the family; families under stress; the contemporary family; social, cultural, and spiritual foundations of family life; the cross-cultural family; gender studies; youth/adult/aging and the family; family subsystems; interpersonal relationships (marriage, parenting, sibling); human development; lifestyle and career development; personality theory; and human sexuality.
2) Theoretical Foundations and Clinical Practice.
A) Topics in marriage and family therapy must be addressed in a minimum of 6 courses (18 semester or 24 quarter hours or equivalent). The following topics must be covered:
i) the historical development, theoretical and empirical foundations, and contemporary conceptual directions of the field of marriage and family therapy;
ii) overview of major clinical theories of marital and family therapy that offer conceptualizations and methods for working conjointly with two or more clients present in therapy sessions who are in significant relationships with each other outside the therapy context. These clinical theories shall include those in major textbooks in marriage and family therapy, such as: communications, contextual, experiential, object relations, strategic, behavioral, structural, systemic, transgenerational;
iii) assessment and evaluation of individuals (children, adolescents, and adults), couples and families;
iv) treatment and intervention methods for working with individuals (children, adolescents and adults), couples, families and groups in therapy;
v) assessment and treatment of mental, emotional, behavioral and interpersonal disorders and psychopathology, including making clinical assessments, certifying diagnoses, prescribing treatment and signing off on treatment plans for persons with mental illnesses or other clinical disorders;
vi) contemporary issues, which include but are not limited to gender, violence, addictions, abuse, psychopharmacology, physical health and illness in the treatment of individuals, couples, and families from a relational/systemic perspective; sexual functioning, sexual orientation, and sex therapy as they relate to couple, marriage and family therapy theory and practice; significant material on diversity and discrimination as it relates to couple and family therapy theory and practice;
vii) crisis intervention.
B) The coursework in this subsection (b)(2) must balance methods for working individually (one client in a therapy session), and for working conjointly with at least two clients present in therapy sessions who are in significant relationships with each other outside the therapy context, and must include methods for working with groups.
3) Professional Studies and Ethics. Topics in professional studies and ethics must be addressed in a minimum of 1 course (3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours or equivalent) that includes unique professional and ethical situations involved with conjoint therapies. Topics that may be counted toward this area of study include: professional socialization and the role of the professional organization; legal responsibilities and liabilities; independent practice and interprofessional cooperation; ethics; family law; unique professional and ethical situations involved with conjoint therapies.
4) Research. Topics in research must be addressed in a minimum of 1 course (3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours or equivalent). Topics that may be counted toward this area of study include: research design and methods; statistics; research in a mental health field.
5) Clinical Practicum/Internship. (300 hours) – 15 hours per week, approximately 8-10 hours in face-to-face contact with individuals, couples, families and groups for the purpose of assessment, diagnosis and treatment.)
c) In evaluating coursework from another jurisdiction, the Marriage and Family Therapy Disciplinary and Licensing Board (Board) may require documentation such as, but not limited to, an evaluation by a foreign equivalency documentation service indicating that the applicant's graduate program is equivalent to a graduate program in this country.
d) An individual who has taught a graduate level course in a regionally accredited educational institution in any of the areas listed in subsection (b) shall receive credit for the course. One course taught is equivalent to one course taken. Repetitive teaching of the same course may only be counted as one course. Syllabi and reading lists shall be submitted in order to obtain credit.
e) Courses taken at a post-degree institution may count as equivalent for an education requirement of subsection (b) if the institution's training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) or meets the following requirements:
1) The institution's program is established to achieve coherent mission and training objectives and the program has as its primary objective the training of marriage and family therapists.
2) The specific course submitted as equivalent to those defined in subsection (b) is taught by faculty who hold graduate degrees and are trained and credentialed in the field in which they teach.
3) Courses must be offered by an established, identifiable facility or agency.
4) Courses must be ongoing and additive (offered at the same place over a specific period of time and available on an ongoing basis) or offered off site by an acceptable post degree institution with an established, identifiable home-base facility or agency.
5) Courses must include outlines, clear description of content, appropriate bibliography, and other indications or meet generally acceptable criteria for academic offerings.
6) Correspondence courses are not acceptable.
f) Credit for courses taken pursuant to subsection (e) will be given on a semester-hour equivalency basis which is 15 classroom hours per semester credit. Evaluation of course work is on a case-by-case basis for each applicant. To receive credit, an applicant must submit a syllabus for each course, proof of acceptable completion of the course, and all documentation necessary to demonstrate that the post-degree institution and the specific course meet all the requirements of subsection (e).
g) A thesis or dissertation completed as a requirement of the first qualifying degree will not be counted as equivalent for an education requirement of subsection (b).
h) Applicants who hold non-clinical qualifying degrees, or whose practicum/internship was in areas other than marriage and family therapy, may document the practicum requirement with their first 300 post-graduate client contact hours supervised by an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor, supervisor-in-training or a supervisor who meets the requirements set forth in Section 1283.21 of this Part.
i) The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation-Division of Professional Regulation (Division), upon the recommendation of the Board, has determined that marriage and family therapy programs accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy or the Commission on Accreditation for Counseling Related Educational Programs meet the minimum criteria set forth in this Section and are, therefore, approved.
Source: Amended at 31 Ill. Reg. 4711, effective March 9, 2007)
TITLE 68: PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
CHAPTER VII: DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
SUBCHAPTER b: PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
PART 1283 MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY LICENSING ACT
SECTION 1283.25 CLINICAL SUPERVISION
Section 1283.25 Clinical Supervision
An applicant must complete 200 hours of clinical supervision of marriage and family therapy. At least 100 of these 200 clinical supervision hours must occur following the receipt of the first qualifying degree. Up to 100 hours of clinical supervision accumulated during graduate training may be counted toward the required 200 hours of clinical supervision. At least 100 of the 200 hours of clinical supervision must be completed with a marriage and family therapy supervisor who has met certain requirements.
a) At least 100 of the 200 hours of clinical supervision shall be completed while fulfilling the clinical experience requirement of Section 1283.20 of this Part and the post-degree professional work experience requirement in Section 1283.15 of this Part. Up to 100 hours of clinical supervision accumulated during graduate training for the first qualifying degree may be counted toward the required 200 hours of clinical supervision.
b) At least 100 of the 200 hours of clinical supervision, whether accumulated during or after graduate training for the first qualifying degree, shall have been received from an individual(s) who, at the time the supervision took place:
1) was certified as an approved supervisor or supervisor in training by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy; or
2) had held an active license as a marriage and family therapist with 5 years clinical experience providing marriage and family therapy after his or her first qualifying degree; or
3) held an active clinical membership certification with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy for at least 5 years; or
4) had:
A) held an active license as a licensed clinical psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed clinical professional counselor or a psychiatrist licensed under the Medical Practice Act;
B) 5 years clinical experience providing marriage and family therapy as defined in Section 1283.20;
C) provided at least 1000 hours of conjoint therapy; and
D) either 2 years experience providing clinical supervision of marriage and family therapy (including the supervision of conjoint therapy) or completed a 1 semester hour graduate course in marriage and family therapy supervision (at least 15 contact hours) or the equivalent prior to or during the supervision provided the applicant.
c) The other 100 hours of the clinical supervision shall have been received as part of a practicum or internship experience and/or from an individual(s) who, at the time the supervision took place, was a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed clinical professional counselor or psychiatrist licensed under the Medical Practice Act with 5 years experience in his/her discipline.
d) All 200 hours of clinical supervision must meet the requirements set forth in subsections (e), (f), and (g) of this Section.
e) Supervision means the direct clinical review, for the purposes of training or teaching by a supervisor, of the applicant's interaction with a client. The purpose of supervision shall be to promote the development of the individual's clinical skills.
f) Supervision is face to face conversation with a supervisor, usually in periods of approximately one hour each. The learning process is sustained and intense. Appointments are scheduled on a regular basis. Supervision focuses on the raw data from a supervisee's continuing clinical practice, which is available to the supervisor through a combination of direct live observation, co-therapy, written clinical notes, audio and video recordings, and live supervision. It is a process clearly distinguishable from personal psychotherapy and is conducted in order to serve professional goals. Acceptable modes of supervision are as follows:
1) Individual supervision shall mean a maximum of 2 supervisees meeting with one supervisor.
2) Group supervision shall mean a maximum of 6 supervisees meeting with one supervisor.
g) The following is not acceptable marriage and family therapy supervision: peer supervision (supervision by a person of equivalent but not superior qualifications, status and experience); supervision by current or former family members or any other person with whom the nature of the personal relationship prevents, or makes difficult, the establishment of a professional supervisory relationship; administrative supervision (administrative supervision by an institutional director or executive, for example, conducted to evaluate job performance or for case management, not the quality of therapy given to a client); a primarily didactic process wherein techniques or procedures are taught in a group setting, classroom, workshop or seminar; staff development, orientation to a field or program or role-playing of family relationships as a substitute for current clinical practice in an appropriate clinical situation.
h) A doctoral practicum or internship may be applied toward the 200-hour clinical supervision requirement of Section 1283.50(a)(3).
(Source: Added at 22 Ill. Reg. 16482, effective September 3, 1998)
