Admission Process

Criteria for acceptance into the M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy include a major emphasis on applicants who are familiar with and interested in learning systemic theories and therapies. They also attend to applicants' comfort with cultural and sexual diversity and their ability to connect to people in crisis. Applicants who demonstrate significant ability to listen to others, engage in conversation, and learn from dialogue will be best prepared for admission.

Prior to matriculation, applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate coursework; or a master's degree with an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better; or a total score of 300 or higher on the combined verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) taken within the past five years.

Application Procedures

Applicants for admission must submit or be responsible for submission of:

a completed Nova Southeastern University (NSU) application form along with a $50, nonrefundable application fee
two academic or professional letters of recommendation
a resume or curriculum vitae
a personal statement explaining why you are interested in the Master of Science (M.S.) in Couple and Family Therapy program, your professional goals, your assessment of your abilities to manage the challenges of graduate school, and any other information you would like to provide. This personal statement helps us get to know you beyond the objective data provided in review of your course grades and other objective information. It also demonstrates your ability to communicate your thoughts in a professional, organized, and succinct manner.
official transcripts sent directly from all previously attended undergraduate, professional, and graduate institutions
proof of all coursework from international institution(s), if applicant attended or is a graduate of any international institutions.

Coursework taken at foreign institutions must be evaluated for U.S. institution equivalence by an approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization such as one of the services below:

World Education Services, Inc.
Bowling Green Station
P.O. Box 5087
New York, New York 10274-5087
(212) 966-6311
www.wes.org

Josef Silny & Associates
7101 SW 102nd Avenue
Miami, Florida 33173
(305) 273-1616
www.jsilny.com

Educational Credential Evaluators
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203-3470
(414) 289-3400
www.ece.org

It is the applicant’s responsibility to have this coursework evaluated. An official course-by-course evaluation with a cumulative grade point average must be sent directly from the evaluation service to NSU’s Enrollment Processing Services.

The applicant who has graduated from a college or university in a country where English is not the primary language, regardless of United States residency status, must obtain a minimum TOEFL score of 550 using the paper based test or a score of 79 on the Internet based version or a minimum International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0. An official set of TOEFL scores must be sent to NSU directly from the Educational Testing Service. Ana applicant who took the IELTS, must contact the center where the examination was given and request that an official set of scores be sent directly to NSU.

International students are encouraged to visit the Office of International Affairs online for requirements to obtain an I-20 or contact the office by telephone at (954) 262-7240 or 800-541-6682, ext. 27240 for additional assistance.
Participate in an interview, if one is offered. Once your application is complete, the Committee on Admissions will decide whether your application is competitive and warrants an invitation for a personal interview. Interviews are conducted by faculty and are by invitation only. An invitation to interview is not a guarantee of admission. At any time during the review process, applicants may check their status online via the application portal. Once a decision has been made, notification is sent via email to the address on file.

Transcripts and Other Documents

All applicants must submit official transcripts and other documents in order to be considered for admission. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that arrangements are made for these documents to be sent to

Nova Southeastern University
Enrollment Processing Services
3301 College Avenue
P.O. Box 299000
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33329-9905

Transcripts can be sent electronically from the originating college to the following address: electronictranscript@nova.edu.

Application Deadlines

Due to the competitive application pool, it is recommended that an applicant starts the application process at least 1-2 months prior to the deadline dates. The Office of Admissions processes applications on a year-round basis. Applicants may apply for matriculation into the following:

To be considered for admissions for the Summer/May semester applicants must submit their applications by March 31.

To be considered for admissions for the Fall/August semester, applicants must submit their applications by June 30.

Informed Acknowledgement Of Potential Differences In MFT Licensure Form Requirements

Prospective Students are expected to review the M.S. Program Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement https://osteopathic.nova.edu/ft/forms/family-therapy-ms-disclosure.pdf and sign the M.S. Program Informed acknowledgment of potential differences in MFT licensure requirements across state/provincial regulatory bodies Form before entering the program https://osteopathic.nova.edu/ft/forms/informed-acknowledgement---ms.pdf The signed form is submitted to the program office prior to admission. The program director and faculty discuss the information with the prospective students, as mentioned in the links above, during the admission interviews. Prospective students are welcome to contact the program director in case of inquiries (see links above for more information).

Transfer Students

For students seeking admittance after attending another institution, credits may be transferred into the NSU program. Credits will be determined on a case by case basis and must be deemed comparable in level, content, and rigor to those within the M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy program. All transfer students must satisfy all admission requirements and complete all admission procedures.