Best Online Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy Programs

Established in 1966, Arizona-based Prescott College prioritizes liberal arts, the environment, and social justice in its academic offerings. Like all of its degrees, Prescott's master's in counseling program incorporates these values into its curriculum.

Requiring 60 credits of coursework, the degree includes an emphasis in marriage, couple, and family counseling that prepares students for licensure. Coursework covers foundational theory and skills needed for marriage and family counseling, in addition to topics unique to Prescott. Some of these specialized courses include social justice in counseling and mindfulness in clinical practice.

To graduate, master's candidates must fulfill practicum hours and an internship requirement. They must also pass a comprehensive exam that evaluates their knowledge of the entire curriculum. Additionally, students can supplement their degrees with postgraduate certificates in adventure-based psychotherapy, ecotherapy, expressive art therapy, or equine-assisted mental health. Prescott holds specialized accreditation from the Association for Experiential Education.

Prescott College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Regent University offers undergraduate and graduate students a private, Christian-affiliated education. The school offers an online master's in marriage, couple, and family counseling.

Students complete most courses online, but Regent requires master's candidates to complete two residencies as well. These residencies occur on the Virginia Beach campus and last seven days. Learners participate in an orientation, intensive teaching, and workshop events.

In addition to core courses focusing on counseling families and couples throughout the lifespan, distance learners can choose from course offerings such as sexual abuse, counseling women, and treating compassion fatigue and PTSD. Students must spend two semesters participating in a family and marriage counseling internship. They can also choose to complete a practicum. Graduates qualify to apply for Viriginia's licensed marriage, couple, and family therapist licensure.

The degree is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Regent University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Located in one of the country's largest cities, the public University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston) educates a student body of about 16,000 learners. The school offers a master of education in counseling that students can finish in two years.

The 60-credit program follows a cohort format, which means students progress through the degree along with their classmates who began at the same time. Even though distance learners complete most coursework online, they start the program with a two-week intensive session on campus at UMass Dartmouth. This session, which involves two clinical courses, usually occurs in June and July.

Besides an internship toward the end of the program, students complete the rest of the curriculum online. Courses cover topics such as group counseling for children and adolescents, trauma and crisis counseling, and lifespan human development.

University of Massachusetts Boston is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

Houston Baptist University (HBU) began educating students in 1960. Today the school enrolls about 3,500 learners in online and on-campus programs. Aspiring marriage and family therapists can enroll in HBU's online master's in marriage and family therapy.

The full MFT online program requires 60 credits of coursework and 700 supervised counseling hours. The core curriculum incorporates courses from the university's Baptist affiliation, including spirituality, theology, and counseling. Courses focus on premarital counseling and therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. Students complete their onsite practicum hours over three semesters.

To graduate, learners must maintain a 3.0 GPA and pass a written comprehensive examination. This degree prepares graduates to apply for the licensed marriage and family therapist credential in Texas.

Houston Baptist University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Mid-America Christian University (MACU) enrolls about 2,000 students. Learners can attend courses on the university's Oklahoma City campus or enroll in one of MACU's distance learning programs. The online master of science in counseling includes a concentration in marital, couples, and family counseling and therapy.

The degree prepares students for marriage and family therapy licensure in Oklahoma. Because of MACU's Christian affiliation, curriculum approaches the subject from a biblical worldview. The total program consists of 60 credits, including 42 credits of core courses and 18 concentration credits. Curriculum covers marital and family treatment techniques, and clinical issues related to old age and death.

Students must also complete a practicum and participate in an internship. These experiences help learners apply their knowledge through online coursework to real-world settings.

Mid-America Christian University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

With a campus at the foothill of the Appalachian Mountains in Cleveland, Tennessee, Christian-affiliated Lee University offers several online programs for distance learners. One of those programs is the master of science in marriage and family studies.

Full-time students can complete the 36-credit program in two years. The curriculum focuses on human growth and development, cross-cultural communication, and guiding special needs populations. The degree does not prepare learners for marriage and family therapist licensure. Instead, graduates go on to work for family-related church ministries.

Lee offers online courses in seven-week sessions. Students can expect both asynchronous and synchronous elements to their courses, as classes may meet at scheduled times. Online courses usually involve video lectures, web-based discussion forums, and assignments that distance learners work on independently.

Lee University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Texas-based Abilene Christian University (ACU) opened its doors to 25 students in 1906. Today, ACU educates more than 5,000 learners and offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees, including an online master's degree in marriage and family therapy.

The curriculum for this online MFT program consists of 60 credits, which students can complete in 33 months. Distance learners may opt to pursue a concentration in medical family therapy, treatment of trauma, and child and adolescent therapy. In their online classes, learners gain practical skills in working with patients suffering substance abuse, mental illness, and addiction. They also learn about assessment and diagnosis. At the end of the program, learners can practice these skills in a real-world setting through a 500-hour internship.

This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.

Abilene Christian University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Located in Fresno, California, Fresno Pacific University (FPU) runs a biblical seminary that offers graduate degrees and certificates. Among these programs, the master of arts in marriage and family therapy teaches students how to become counselors from a Christian perspective. It also prepares students for state licensure as a marriage and family therapist.

The 65-credit program operates in a blended format, meaning students complete both online and on-campus coursework. Courses explore topics such as grief counseling, family violence, and substance abuse. The curriculum also integrates bible-related courses, such as theology for integration and discipleship and ethics. Learners can opt to study in Israel during the summer or attend FPU's Hispanic Summer Program. Degree-seekers must participate in at least two practicum courses.

The marriage and family therapy program is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools.

Fresno Pacific University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

As a private, nonprofit institution, City University of Seattle (CityU) offers several on-campus, hybrid, and online programs to its 7,000 students. The hybrid master's degree in counseling allows students to pursue a marriage, couple, and family counseling track for individuals hoping to become marriage and family therapists.

The degree consists of 90 credits. Students will complete coursework both on campus and online. CityU provides a full-time option, which students can finish in two years, and a part-time option for working professionals, which typically takes three years to complete. Students take four practicum courses and three internship courses to fulfill their clinical requirements. At the end of the program, they must also complete a capstone project and pass a comprehensive exam that evaluates their curriculum knowledge.

The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

City University of Seattle is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Touro University Worldwide operates as the distance learning institution within the Jewish-affiliated Touro University system. The school offers an online master's in marriage and family therapy.

The program includes clinical, nonclinical, and licensed professional clinical counseling tracks. Students must complete 72-82 credits, depending on their chosen track. While distance learners complete their coursework entirely online, they must also fulfill practicum hours onsite at a therapy clinic. Candidates pursuing the clinical and licensure tracks must complete 500 direct contact hours with clients. Students on the nonclinical track can avoid these practicum requirements. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences approves the marriage and family therapy program, so master's graduates qualify for state licensure.

The marriage and family therapy program is also currently in the process of applying for accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.

Touro University Worldwide is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Amridge University, based in Montgomery, Alabama, was one of the earliest higher education institutions to offer online courses, first offering distance learning through the web in 1993. One of the online programs offered at this private university is a master's degree in marriage and family therapy.

The online MFT program trains students in the clinical practice of marriage and family therapy, preparing them for licensure in the field. The curriculum includes 60 credits of coursework, with courses such as counseling for abusive relationships and marital and family systems.

Required courses include two clinical training practicums. Distance learners must independently make arrangements for their supervised clinical work. Students can enroll part time or full time. Many learners graduate after seven semesters. Master's candidates who also enroll in the professional counseling program can pursue a dual degree.

Amridge University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Part of the nine-institution Concordia University system, Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) is affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The school offers distance learning degrees, including a master of science in family life.

The program, which teaches students how to work as family life educators with a Christian perspective, consists of 36 credits. Courses include family law and public policy, human sexuality, and individual and group counseling. Master's candidates must complete a thesis in addition to 120 practicum hours. CUW runs an academic resource center for online students, including a writing lab and tutoring services. The university also offers several uncommon scholarships for adult and nontraditional learners.

Although the program does not possess a certified family life educator designation from the National Council on Family Relations, CUW is in the process of applying for this designation.

Concordia University Wisconsin is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Nearly 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students attend Pepperdine University, a private, Christian university in Malibu, California. The school offers an online master's degree in clinical psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy.

The program prepares students to apply for licensure in California as licensed marriage and family therapists or licensed professional clinical counselors. Distance learners complete 62-68 credits of coursework. Courses cover topics such as diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders as well as topics within family and marriage therapy. Learners examine individual, couple, and family development throughout the lifecycle.

Degree-seekers complete four clinical practicum terms. Learners must fulfill 700 clinical hours. Candidates hoping for clinical counselor licensure need 280 face-to-face clinical hours with patients, while those aiming for marriage and family therapist licensure must spend 225 clinical hours with patients.

Pepperdine University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

As a Christian liberal arts institution affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Concordia University, Saint Paul (CSP) enrolls nearly 5,000 students. Aspiring family educators can pursue CSP's online master's degree in family science.

The program consists of 36 credits, and the curriculum explores systemic dynamics of families, family decision-making and communication, and intimate relationships. Master's candidates can choose either a certified or noncertified track, depending on whether they want to obtain the certified family life educator credential. All students end the program with a three-credit capstone course which takes a comprehensive look at the entire curriculum.

Online courses last seven weeks. Learners can study abroad, which allows them to gain first-hand experience as a family educator in a foriegn country. The master's program holds approval from the National Council on Family Relations.

Concordia University, Saint Paul is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Founded in 1919 in the northwest Arkansas town of Siloam Springs, John Brown University (JBU) operates as a private Christian school. JBU offers several undergraduate and graduate programs, including a master of science in marriage and family therapy.

The 64-credit degree features a hybrid format. This means that students may attend courses on JBU's Little Rock, Rogers, and Siloam Springs campuses, in addition to completing one-third of courses online. Learners can choose the play therapy emphasis, which focuses on using play and creative therapy techniques to help children communicate. Degree-seekers can also opt for a double degree, which allows them to simultaneously pursue a master's in clinical mental health counseling along with their marriage and family therapy degree.

Over the course of two practicum and two internship courses, students complete 500 direct client contact hours. At the end of the program, learners sit for a national certification exam in marriage and family counseling. Students can then apply for state licensure.

John Brown University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

With an interdenominational Christian affiliation, Messiah College enrolls students both on its Mechanicsburg campus in central Pennsylvania and online through distance learning. At Messiah, students pursue a master's degree in marriage, couple, and family counseling.

The online MFT program prepares graduates to become licensed marriage and family therapists in Pennsylvania and other states. The full program consists of 60 credits, which students can complete in 2-4 years. Courses last eight weeks and follow a synchronous format, which means students must log on at specific times. In addition, distance learners must also travel to campus for one-week intensive courses in January and July.

Curriculum covers group counseling, human sexuality, and lifespan development. Master's candidates also participate in a counseling practicum, which involves an initial 100-hour field placement. They then must complete two 300-hour internship experiences. Finally, Messiah requires all students to attend one conference.

Messiah's counseling master's program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Messiah College is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Based in Longview, Texas, LeTourneau University (LETU) operates as an interdenominational Christian institution of over 3,000 students. LETU offers a fully online master of arts in clinical mental health counseling.

The degree prepares students for the Texas licensed marriage and family therapist (MFT) credential, allowing graduates to work professionally in the state. The full curriculum consists of 66 credits, including six hours of clinical theology coursework. Core courses focus on human lifespan development, psychopharmacology, and counseling methods. Students specializing in marriage and family counseling also take courses such as family assessment and couples therapy.

The program includes a one-semester practicum and two-semester internship, where learners can apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world situations under professional supervision. Students need at least a 3.0 GPA to graduate.

LeTourneau University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.