This unique degree program is one of only a few seminary-based programs in the United States.
Louisville Seminary's Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT) expresses a vision of the human person in relational and systemic context, and frames marriage and family therapy as a professional expression of the church's ministry of pastoral care and counseling. The two-and-one-half to three-year program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC).
The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy degree program offers three distinctive educational components:
- theological and biblical education,
- marriage and family therapy training, and
- extensive supervised client contact.
In addition to 26 hours of coursework in Bible and theology, the student will learn about contemporary systems theories of family life, current clinical approaches to marriage and family therapy, individual and family development, research and professional studies.
As the student progresses through the program, classroom study will be supplemented with a minimum of 500 hours of client contact and a minimum of 100 hours of supervision. Students serve as counselors at Louisville Seminary Counseling Training Center and its off-campus sites, offering broad experience with diverse populations of families seeking help. Students will receive individual and group supervision based on case reports, direct observation, video tape, or audio tape.
Each of these educational components will help bring a Christian dimension to the student's work that will help address society's needs through the ministry of pastoral counseling-marriage and family therapy. Though this degree does not lead to ordination, it can help develop a broad theological understanding that will augment the student's Christian commitment in professional life and work.
MAMFT students work closely with faculty advisors who help each student relate their studies to their future plans as well as designing individual curricula. Most classes are held during Fall and Spring semesters. Select courses are offered during January and summer terms. The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy Degree requires successful completion of 68 semester hours. Coursework and practica count toward clinical membership in the AAMFT and provide the essential groundwork for most States' licensing requirements.
A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is required for admission. Your personal experience, maturity, sense of ministry, and aptitude, as demonstrated during an interview process, also are considered for admission. The Marriage and Family Therapy Program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability.