MAMFT Curriculum

The mission of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program is to educate persons with theological or spiritual commitments to become marriage and family therapists competent to practice in a diverse, multicultural, and interfaith world. We accomplish this by balancing classroom and intensive supervised experience in an on-campus counseling center and a broad range of off-campus sites.

At Louisville Seminary, Marriage and Family Therapy is framed as a professional expression of pastoral care and counseling. Individuals trained in the MFT Program gain theoretical and practical tools to work as comprehensive mental health providers in a broad range of treatment contexts with careful attention to human, family and cultural diversity. To this end, the MFT Program is built on COAMFTE's Foundational Curriculum in Marriage and Family Therapy and core theological courses that help students relate learning across theoretical, theological and spiritual disciplines.

Educational Requirements of the MFT Program

MAMFT Degree Portability

Applicants to the MAMFT Program are advised to compare and identify similarities and differences between Kentucky licensure qualifications and license regulations in the state or province in which they intend to be licensed. Licensure regulations for all states can be accessed at https://www.aamft.org/Directories/MFT_Licensing_Boards.aspx. Prior to admission, applicants will be required to acknowledge with signature their understanding that there may be potential differences in licensing regulations across states and provinces. Individuals accepted for admission to the MAMFT Program will work closely with an academic advisor to review license regulations and plan a course of study to account for regulatory differences between Kentucky and another state or province in which the student plans to be licensed.

Progressing Through the Program

Students begin the MFT program by taking foundational courses central to forming a beginning theoretical platform to begin clinical training. First year courses ordinarily include: Theoretical Foundations of Family Therapy (PC 3043), Human Growth and Transformation (PC 4083), Psychopathology (PC 3223), Introduction to Scripture for MFT Students (BI 1103), and Ethics and Professional Issues in MFT (PC 3053). Students begin the application component in the first semester, concurrent with didactic courses. This strategy emphasizes the Program’s dedication to integrating skills, theory and spirituality/theology. First semester students begin the application component by taking Practicum 1: Beginning MFT Practice (PC 4413) and Introduction to Teletherapy (PC 4401) in preparation for a more intensive clinical experience in Practicum 2. Most students will begin work with actual clients late in the Fall semester of the first year, contingent on demonstrating readiness for supervised practice in Practicum 1 and Teletherapy. Second year students will continue in Practicum 2 and complete 300 hours of clinical work under supervision, MFT Research (PC 2813), Integrational Studies and other theory or practice courses. By the end of Practicum 2, students will demonstrate foundational proficiency in all Developmental Competency Components. Some students may opt to take Practicum 3 to meet license regulations in another state, to enhance specific competencies, or explore new models or modes of therapy. The final semester in the program consists of preparation for the Senior Integrative Experience and Exit Examination, along with completing all clinical and administrative details necessary for graduation.

Some Practicum Specifics:

Students prepare for clinical work in Practicum 1. As each student demonstrates readiness to begin practice, they may be assigned clients at Louisville Seminary Counseling Center. Students are assessed for readiness to see clients by the LSCC Clinical Director. Assessment will be based on successful completion of Practicum 1 course requirements (role plays, papers, observations, ethics exam, etc.).
Practicum 2 provides a formative context for students to translate classroom learning into clinical practice, cultivate specific therapeutic skills, and engage the process of personal development expected of entry-level professional clinicians. In this practicum, students will gain 300 hours of supervised experience at the Louisville Seminary Counseling Center and in external sites selected to provide diversity in training.
MFT Practicum 3/Internship is an advanced elective. Enrolment requires that a student has passed all foundational Student Learning Outcomes and Developmental Competencies as demonstrated by the Practicum 2 final evaluation. As outlined in the Practicum 3/Internship syllabus, students will establish a learning contract with their supervisor that includes relational/systemic supervision with specific goals related to Student Learning Outcomes and Developmental Competency Components.

Academic Requirements

The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy degree requires 70 hours of academic study. With guidance from their academic advisor and careful course management, some students may complete the program in 2.5 years. The maximum length of time in the program is 6 years.
Of the 70 hours of academic study, 15 hours will be in Integrational Studies which will include courses in Bible, Theology, and reflection/integration experiences designed to provide a foundation for integrational discourse and tools for exploring one’s own spiritual and theological tradition. The remaining hours are distributed over areas of study required to meet Program Goals, Student Learning Outcomes and COAMFTE Foundational Curriculum requirements. To graduate, students must complete all academic courses with a 2.5 cumulative grade point average, and pass the Exit Examination and Senior Integration Experience.

Clinical Requirements

The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy clinical requirements include the following:
Successful completion of Practicum courses by demonstrating that competencies required by syllabi are met.
Successful completion of a minimum of 300 direct client contact hours, of which 100 are relational hours, and a minimum of 150 hours of MFT relational/systemic supervision.