Earn a master’s degree in 60 credit hours.
Clinical-focused career prep
- Develop clinical excellence and prepare for a career as a couple and family therapist in both clinical and organizational settings
Transforming Lives, One Connection at a Time
Hone your skills to work with individuals, groups, couples, and families, and consult with organizations using a systemic, relational perspective. With a Master of Science in Couple and Family Therapy degree from Nova Southeastern University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, you'll benefit from close mentoring, a wide range of internships, and a close-knit community of professionals.
Choose From Three Concentrations:
- Medical Family Therapy
- Equine-Assisted Therapy
- Solution-Focused Coaching
Secure Your Future with a 100% Job Placement Rate
Receive top-quality training leading to professional positions in private practice; employee assistance programs; managed care and health care organizations; childcare and child development systems; family service agents; and other clinical and organizational settings. NSU’s M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy degree continues to meet 100% job placement for its graduates.
The COAMFTE accreditation and campus location drew me in, but the stellar programming, quality professors, practicum opportunities, and deep respect for the profession made my NSU experience truly invaluable.
Siena deLisser | M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy, '23
Quick Facts
Tuition
Credits & Requirements
The M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy program is 60 total credits and involves a practicum project.
Application Deadlines
For Summer Admission: March 31
For Fall Admission: June 30
Delivery Options
The family therapy master’s is offered on campus. Students complete practicums at the on-campus clinical facility, the Family Therapy Clinic at the Brief Therapy Institute.
Why Earn Your M.S. in Family Therapy at NSU?
Hone Your Perspective
Learn how to practice in a time-sensitive, cost-effective manner by mastering interactional models of family therapy.
Professional Development
Fulfill course requirements for licensure in Florida and other states, practice in real clinics, and start building your professional support network through faculty, internships, and community outreach.
Specialized Electives
Explore specialties like medical family therapy, solution-focused coaching, and equine-assisted family therapy.
NSU’s M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy is the only master’s degree program in Florida that is fully accredited with the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).
COAMFTE Graduate Achievement Data for NSU’s MS in Couple and Family Therapy Program – Graduate Achievement Data
Learn More About the COAMFTEReal Experience That Makes a Difference
When one of your classrooms is a live-supervised, on-site community clinic and you’ve got access to more than a dozen community programs focused on the good health and well-being of South Florida’s residents, you’ll get the meaningful real-world experience that shapes your purpose.
Explore Opportunities to Get Involved
Earning Potential
Couple and Family Therapy M.S. Curriculum
Core Courses (42 credits)
Credits
SFTM 5310
Introduction to Systems Theories (SFTM 5310 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5311
Substance Abuse/Addictions and Critical Issues in Systems Theories (SFTM 5311 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5320
Introduction to Marital and Family Therapy: Counseling Theories and Techniques (SFTM 5320 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5321
Theories of Marriage and Family Therapy (SFTM 5321 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5322
Clinical Practice in Marriage and Family Therapy (SFTM 5322 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5335
Human Development Across the Life Cycle (SFTM 5335 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5350
Research in Marriage and Family Therapy (SFTM 5350 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6320
Assessment in Marital and Family Therapy (SFTM 6320 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6331
Diversity and Psychosocial Issues (SFTM 6331 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6332
Human Sexuality and Gender (SFTM 6332 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6333
Theories of Personality and Psychopathology (SFTM 6333 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6340
Legal, Ethical, and Professional Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy (SFTM 6340 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6374
Individual and Group Psychotherapy (SFTM 6374 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6558
Couples Therapy: Theory and Application (SFTM 6558 / Credits: 3 )
3
Practicum Courses (12 credits)
Credits
SFTM 5400
Internal Practicum I-II (SFTM 5400 / Credits: 6 )
6
SFTM 6300
External Practicum I-II (SFTM 6300 / Credits: 6 )
6
Elective Courses (6 credits-choose two from the following)
Credits
SFTM 5359
Medical Family Therapy I: Introduction to Medical Family Therapy+ (SFTM 5359 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5360
Medical Family Therapy II: Grief and Loss+ (SFTM 5360 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5036
Infant Mental Health (SFTM 5036 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5037
Suicide Prevention and Crisis Intervention (SFTM 5037 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5038
Military Families (SFTM 5038 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5039
Collaborative Divorce (SFTM 5039 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5050
Family Play Therapy (SFTM 5050 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5355
Introduction to Equine-Assisted Family Therapy* (SFTM 5355 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5361
Developing a Private Practice** (SFTM 5361 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5362
Solution-Focused Coaching** (SFTM 5362 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5363
Advanced Equine Family Therapy* (SFTM 5363 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5365
Advanced Addictions Treatment (SFTM 5365 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 5367
Working with Autism and ADHD: Applied Behavior Analysis and Systemic Thinking (SFTM 5367 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6110
Systems Application in the Family Life Cycle of Aging (SFTM 6110 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6120
Relationships in Aging (SFTM 6120 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6130
Caregiving in the Family (SFTM 6130 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6140
Grief and Loss in Aging (SFTM 6140 / Credits: 3 )
3
SFTM 6550
International Perspectives in Counseling and Therapy (SFTM 6550 / Credits: 3 )
3
For a full list of all course descriptions, visit coursewizard.nova.edu.
Required electives may be taken the term of the student's choice. Students may choose to take any two electives and not go for a concentration.
+Courses required for students who want a concentration in Medical Family Therapy.
*Courses required for students who want a concentration in Equine-Assisted Therapy.
**Courses required for students who want a concentration in Solution-Focused Coaching.
Prospective students are expected to review the M.S. Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement and sign and submit the M.S. Informed acknowledgment of potential differences in MFT licensure requirements across state/provincial regulatory bodies form to the program office before making enrollment decisions and financial commitments. The program director and faculty discuss the information with the prospective students, as mentioned in the links below, during the admission interviews. Prospective students are welcome to contact the program director in case of inquiries (see links below for more information).
Which Degree Is Right for Me?
In addition to the Master in Couple and Family Therapy degree, the Department of Family Therapy at NSU offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Couple and Family Therapy (Ph.D.).
The biggest difference? Besides the degree type, the master’s degree program seeks specifically to produce professionals whose chief contributions will be in the clinical rather than academic sphere.
Questions About
the Program?
Contact Roseanne Alhindi
at ra1167@nova.edu or call
(954) 262-4189.
After Applying, What Happens Next?
If selected, you’ll receive an invitation from the Office of Admissions to schedule an interview. This personal interview is the next step and does not guarantee admission. An ample amount of time and notification will be given for you to make appropriate travel, lodging, and arrival arrangements.
Depending on the time of year, the review process may take a few weeks. You can check your application status at any time via the online application portal. Once a decision has been made, notification is sent via email to the address on file.