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Admission Process

Criteria for acceptance into the M.S. in 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:

  1. a completed Nova Southeastern University (NSU) application form along with a $50, nonrefundable application fee
  2. two academic or professional letters of recommendation
  3. a resume or curriculum vitae
  4. a sample of your academic writing. You may submit a copy of an academic paper or piece of professional writing. There is no specific length requirement.
  5. a personal statement explaining why you are interested in the Master of Science (M.S.) in 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.
  6. official transcripts sent directly from all previously attended undergraduate, professional, and graduate institutions
  7. 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.
  8. 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, 2021.

To be considered for admissions for the Fall/August semester, applicants must submit their applications by June 30, 2021.

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 Family Therapy program. All transfer students must satisfy all admission requirements and complete all admission procedures.

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