The Most Affordable Marriage and Family Therapy Programs

Mount Mercy's MA in marriage and family therapy takes a systems approach that considers the various factors and life circumstances that cause individuals, couples, and families to seek psychotherapeutic assistance. Graduates leave prepared to pursue marriage and family therapist licensure in their respective states.

The 60-credit program includes a final thesis through which students use what they have learned to research and address a practical problem in the field. Students also engage in 900 total hours of practicum experience.

The MFT program accepts applications on a rolling basis. To apply, prospective students must provide their official college transcripts and two letters of recommendation. Applicants also must undergo a personal or group interview and possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution.

As a private institution, Mount Mercy offers the same tuition to in-state and out-of-state residents. The university is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Courses Include:

• The Cross-Cultural Family
• Micro-Counseling
• Psychopathology and the Family
• Introduction to Play Therapy & Family Therapy
• Neuroscience for Marriage and Family Therapy

Unique Features:

• Cost: $69,012
• Credits Required: 60
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education

NNU offers a 60-credit MS in marriage, couple, and family counseling that takes about 33 months to complete. While most courses take place at the school’s campus in Nampa, Idaho, the program also provides some online and blended options. Graduates leave prepared to take and pass the national comp exam and National Counselor Examination.

Students take part in at least 1,000 hours of internship or practicum experiences at program-approved sites. They also may seek internships with the university's nonprofit counseling center, where they directly assist individuals, couples, and children. Before they graduate, students complete and present a field research project.

Each applicant must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Those who do not meet this standard may submit their GRE scores to remain in consideration. Applicants also provide a resume, two professional references, and two essays.

Courses Include:

• Family Counseling Theories
• Group Counseling
• Diagnosis and Treatment of Psychopathology
• Addictions Counseling
• Human Sexuality

Unique Features:

• Cost: $30,900
• Credits Required: 60
• Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

The MA in marriage and family therapy program at USJ combines theoretical learning with practical experiences that enable students to serve as competent professionals for couples, children, and families.

The MFT degree features 500 hours of clinical experiences, which take place over 12 months. At least 250 hours must involve direct contact with children and families. As students take part in these experiences, they also attend a practicum class in which they present their work and receive input from instructors.

Through the coursework, students explore couples and sex therapy, gender and diversity, collaborative healthcare practice, and ethical issues in marriage and family therapy.

Each candidate must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 2.75 GPA. All applicants must also submit two letters of recommendation and a personal entrance essay.

USJ is located in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Courses Include:

• Collaborative Healthcare Practice
• Child Development and Play Therapy
• Evidence-Based Practice in Family Therapy
• Post-Modern Models of Family Therapy
• Couples & Sex Therapy Models

Unique Features:

• Cost: $41,940
• Credits Required: 60
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education

The Mercer School of Medicine delivers a master's in marriage and family therapy that encompasses systemic thinking, family and relationship theories, cultural contexts, research, and human development.

The 48-credit program prepares students to become licensed marriage and family therapists in both Georgia and other states. It involves 13 in-person classes available during the day in Atlanta and in the evening in Macon, Georgia. Students can choose from electives in play therapy, group therapy, stress management, and grief and loss.

Learners also take part in a series of professional development seminars and a 12-month clinical practicum. The program requires 500 total clinical hours, with 200 involving direct client contact.

Each applicant must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Prospective students also submit their GRE scores and official college transcripts.

Courses Include:

• Diversity and Social Justice
• Theories of Family Therapy
• Assessment of Diagnosis in Family Therapy
• Clinical Treatment with Children, Adolescents, and Families
• Addiction in Family Systems

Unique Features:

• Cost: $46,080
• Credits Required: 48
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education

MC offers a 60-credit MS in marriage and family counseling degree that prepares students for LPC licensure and the national counseling certification exam. The program also helps students effectively serve individuals, couples, and families in agency, healthcare, educational, and faith-based settings. Its systems thinking methods empower students to take a comprehensive approach to addressing common problems in familial relationships.

Enrollees take part in three clinical experiences to learn from faculty and established professionals in the field.

The program's admission requirements include at least two letters of recommendation, a goal statement, an autobiographical statement, and a current resume. Each candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution. MC is located in Clinton, a community in the central part of the state.

Courses Include:

• Techniques of Group Counseling
• Systems Theory and Intervention Strategies
• Addictions Counseling
• Couple Dynamics and Counseling
• Family Dynamics and Counseling

Unique Features:

• Cost: $37,500
• Credits Required: 60
• Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

Rochester's Institute for the Family offers an MS in marriage and family therapy program that embeds students in clinical and hospital settings, rather than the typical college campus. Thus, students spend a significant amount of time learning in a real-world environment, building their practical skills along the way. MFT degree students each complete 100 supervised and 500 total clinical hours.

The 60-credit program also requires a master's project and the submission of a final paper featuring a case study, a review of relevant research, or an essay on a student's involvement with faculty-led research.

Each applicant must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. A candidate must also provide a statement of purpose, official college transcripts, and three recommendation letters. They also may submit resumes, research papers, and other writing samples to supplement their applications.

Courses Include:

• Clinical Assessment in Family Therapy
• Family Therapy Ethics and Professional Practice
• Gender, Human Sexuality, and Culture
• Narrative and Integrative Approaches to Family Therapy
• Family Therapy Practice

Unique Features:

• Cost: $103,080
• Credits Required: 60
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education

PLU in Tacoma, Washington, offers an MA in marriage and family therapy program focused on producing systemically oriented, contextually sensitive, and ethical professionals. The program features small class sizes of under 20 students.

Enrollees train at the school's on-campus Couple and Family Therapy Center, where faculty members guide them through their first several courses. The program then places students at practicum sites throughout the area, where they will engage in 500-1,000 hours of direct client contact. Fulfilling this requirement prepares students to seek MFT licensure in Washington. Nearly 100% of graduates pass the national MFT exam.

To apply, prospective students must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, with a major in family studies, human services, sociology, psychology, social work, or a closely related discipline. The program does not ask applicants to provide GRE scores.

Courses Include:

• Biopsychosocial Health and Development Across the Lifespan
• Comparative Marriage and Family Therapy
• Contextual Foundations of Systemic Practice
• Systemic and Mental Health Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment
• Professional Studies in Marriage and Family Therapy

Unique Features:

• Cost: $49,680
• Credits Required: 49
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education

Jefferson's MS in couple and family therapy features a unique partnership with the Council for Relationships, allowing students to take a biopsychosocial view of human behavior as they examine and address common challenges in family relationships. Enrollees may specialize in family therapy or sex therapy.

The 66-credit, full-time program takes about two years to complete. Students must take part in 500 direct clinical hours, with 100 supervised hours and 50 hours of direct observation. Degree-seekers must also complete a master's project.

Each applicant must hold a bachelor's degree with at least a 3.0 GPA, along with minimum B grades in general psychology, abnormal psychology, and statistics. All candidates must also submit a resume, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.

The program's curriculum is modeled after the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education's standards.

Courses Include:

• Systemic/Relational Assessment & Mental Health Diagnosis & Treatment
• Life Span Development from a Systemic Perspective
• Group & Community Based Interventions
• Implications for Diversity in Practice
• Professional, Ethical, and Legal Issues in Couple and Family Therapy

Unique Features:

• Cost: $65,000
• Credits Required: 66

PBA offers an MS in marriage, couple, and family counseling that builds students' skills in providing Christian interventions for many relationship challenges.

Students each complete 60 credits and must maintain a 3.0 GPA to graduate. They also take part in 700 hours of supervised internship and practicum experiences, working with a program-approved supervisor. At the end of the program, students take an exit exam.

One of the core courses focuses on how to diagnose, prevent, and treat substance abuse in ways that positively affect couples, children, and families.

To apply, each prospective student must provide their official college transcripts, an essay, and professional recommendations. All candidates must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and take part in an interview.

PBA is located in West Palm Beach, Florida. All graduate students pay the same tuition, even if they live out of state.

Courses Include:

• Social and Cultural Foundations of Counseling
• Family Therapy Theory and Techniques
• Substance Abuse: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
• Faith, Spirituality, and Counseling
• Dynamics of Marriage and Family Systems

Unique Features:

• Cost: $65,760
• Credits Required: 60

Appalachian offers a master's in marriage and family therapy program that prepares students for licensure in North Carolina and across the United States. The 45-credit program includes thesis and non-thesis options.

Many students complete their clinical hours at the Appalachian Family Therapy Clinic, which meets the needs of underserved populations throughout the region. Enrollees complete at least 500 clinical hours, with a minimum of 250 hours focused on relational counseling.

Each applicant must submit their GRE scores, three professional references, a resume, and answers to a questionnaire. Every candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Students can begin the MFT program in the fall, spring, or summer.

Appalachian State is located in Boone, North Carolina.

Courses Include:

• Theories of Marriage and Family Therapy
• Mediation and Divorce Therapy
• Substance Abuse in Family Systems
• Individual and Family Development
• Ecotherapy

Unique Features:

• Cost: $16,014 in-state; $42,878 out-of-state
• Credits Required: 45
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education

UWest offers an MA in psychology with a marriage and family therapy emphasis. The 63-unit program incorporates both Buddhist psychology and Western evidence-based practices to give students a unique and cohesive educational experience. Enrollees learn about the impact of recovery-oriented practice, mindfulness, commitment therapy, emotionally focused therapy, and more.

The program offers a Buddhist psychology track and a multicultural generalist track. All students engage in a six-credit practicum experience. They also must maintain a 3.0 GPA to graduate with an MFT degree.

Application requirements include three letters of recommendation, official college transcripts, and a statement of purpose. Each candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants do not need to provide GRE scores.

UWest is a private university located in Rosemead, California. All graduate students pay the same tuition, regardless of their state residency.

Courses Include:

• Multicultural Counseling
• Counseling Children & Adolescents
• Counseling Across the Lifespan
• Buddhist-Inspired, Evidence-Based Practice
• Poverty, Dislocation & Stigma

Unique Features:

• Cost: $39,249
• Credits Required: 63

Friends offers an MS in family therapy among the best marriage and family therapy programs in the nation. The program incorporates Quaker values into the educational experience, preparing students to improve relationships among individuals, couples, and families.

The 60-credit program features mostly afternoon and evening classes and includes a 16-month supervised clinical experience. Most full-time students graduate within 24 months of starting the program. Graduates leave prepared to take and pass MFT licensing exams in Kansas, Missouri, and most other states.

Each candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 GPA and undergo an interview. All applicants submit a statement of goals, a brief autobiography, and two professional references. Prerequisites include courses in statistics, family studies, psychology, and human development.

The degree includes on-campus classes in Wichita or Kansas City.

Courses Include:

• Developmental Influences of Emotion, Attachment, and Trauma
• Intergenerational Family Theories
• Postmodern Theories of Therapeutic Intervention in MFT
• Family Development, Stress, and Violence
• Social and Cultural Diversity in Human Development

Unique Features:

• Cost: $35,400
• Credits Required: 60
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education

The master's in marriage and family therapy at Amridge combines theory, research, and practical experiences to help students tackle common challenges facing couples, children, and families. Graduates leave prepared to seek MFT licensure in Alabama and most other states, while pursuing employment opportunities in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

The 60-credit MFT program allows for part-time or full-time learning -- and most full-time students can graduate in just seven semesters. Enrollees must take part in at least 250 hours of relational and 500 total hours of clinical experience involving direct client contact. At least 100 of the clinical hours feature supervision.

Eligible candidates must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. The program does not maintain minimum GPA requirements, nor does it ask for applicants' GRE scores.

Amridge is located in Montgomery, Alabama. All graduate students pay the same tuition for this private, nonprofit school, even if they reside out of state.

Courses Include:

• Theories of Marriage and Family Therapy
• Theories of Personality Development
• Interpersonal and Family Dynamics
• Counseling for Abusive Relationships
• Systemic Treatment of Substance-Related Disorders

Unique Features:

• Cost: $40,500
• Credits Required: 60

Located in Philadelphia, Drexel delivers a master's in family therapy degree that prepares students to serve in diverse healthcare settings and find solutions to the variety of public health challenges that individuals, couples, and families face. The program also trains future therapists in working with LGBTQ+ populations, individuals dealing with substance abuse, and children and teens at risk of suicide.

The 90-credit program includes a 12-month clinical experience through which each student completes 100 supervised hours and 500 total hours of practicum. At least 250 hours must involve couple and family therapy.

Each prospective student must submit a three-page essay, a resume, three letters of recommendation, and official GRE scores. An eligible student possesses a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA. All candidates also undergo an interview with program staff.

Courses Include:

• Child Therapy in Couple and Family Therapy
• Contextual Family Therapy
• Family Life Cycle
• Research in Couple and Family Therapy
• Legal and Ethical Implications in Couple and Family Therapy Practice

Unique Features:

• Cost: $59,040
• Credits Required: 90
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education

UHCL offers a 60-credit MA in family therapy program aimed at helping students achieve licensed professional counselor and marriage and family therapist status in Texas. The curriculum includes a course on cross-cultural issues in psychology that allows students to explore global approaches to practices and outcomes.

Each enrollee takes part in a clinical internship, logging 400 hours of direct contact with clients at an approved location in the Houston area. All students also must join the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy while enrolled in the program.

Applicants must provide their official GRE scores and official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended. Each candidate must also provide three letters of recommendation, a resume, a statement of purpose and goals, and transcripts demonstrating a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Courses Include:

• Child and Adolescent Family Therapy
• Substance Abuse: Causes and Treatments
• Psychotherapy Skills and Professional Orientation
• Couples and Sex Therapy
• Cross-Cultural Perspectives on the Family

Unique Features:

• Cost: $20,070 in-state; $40,750 out-of-state
• Credits Required: 60
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education