The Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT) at Touro University Worldwide (TUW) is tailored toward licensed mental health clinicians holding a Master’s degree in MFT or a related degree. The DMFT program aims to empower clinical professionals to be innovative in education, administration, supervision, leadership, and research within the evolving field of Marriage and Family Therapy.
The online 60-credit hour DMFT program curriculum is designed to develop candidates with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their careers in the Marriage and Family Therapy field.
Graduates of the DMFT program will gain knowledge and expand their competencies in trauma and crisis intervention, advanced family therapy, grant writing, program development for families and communities, supervision, evaluation, and quantitative and qualitative research.
What Can You Do With a Doctor of Marriage and Family Degree?
The Doctor of Marriage and Family program at Touro University Worldwide prepares graduates to become leaders in the marriage and family therapy field. They can apply their unique skill set to a variety of careers. Potential job titles include the following:
- Agency Administrator
- Clinical Supervisor
- Private Practitioner
- Clinical Analyst
- Mental Health Educator
- Mental Health Researcher
- Leadership positions in mental health-related practices
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual salary for marriage and family therapists is $58,510. However, the top 10% earned more than $104,710. The BLS projects 16% job growth in the field over the next decade. The online TUW DMFT prepares graduates with skills and knowledge they need for success in the top jobs in this in-demand field.
What makes this Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy program different?
- 100% online
- Learn from scholar-practitioners with expertise in behavioral, relational, and mental health.
- Affordable tuition
- Nonprofit Accredited University
- No residency required
- No GMAT or GRE required
- Accelerated admissions process
- 6 starts throughout the year
- 8 week session
Note: This degree does not lead to any form of licensure or certification.
Students in the DMFT program can choose from two concentrations:
Organizational Systems in MFT provides graduates of the Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy with skills and knowledge to expand professionalism development in public and private organizations as well as focus on community leadership and/or educators.
Supervision provides graduates of the Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy with skills and knowledge to expand the MFT field in serving as qualified supervisors to developing practitioners as well as supervisor-to-supervisors trainers.
DMFT Mission Statement
The Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT) supports TUW’s mission and commitment to professional education and serves the needs of students globally desiring an advanced professional degree using an online delivery mode. The DMFT program provides an opportunity for growth, development, and application of critical skills necessary for today’s licensed mental health clinicians.
Program Benefits
The program is designed to:
- Provide students with the professional skills and tools to design evidence-based solutions in the field of mental health and Family Therapy.
- Provide a doctoral-level environment that includes faculty research guidance, technology and learning opportunities that lead to the development of the treatment research professional competencies needed to translate theory into practical solutions in Marriage and Family Therapy.
- Provides a support system dedicated to student success at the Doctoral level.
Core Requirements
36 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course assists candidates to explore skills necessary to develop a successful contribution in the field of family therapy. Candidates will examine professional development opportunities in a diversity of settings in relation to systems, patterns, interactions, communication to human behavior and relationships in MFT.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course, emphasis is on advanced knowledge and evaluation of the major empirically supported forms of couples therapy including Emotionally Focused Therapy, Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy, work of John Gottman, and other Contemporary Therapies. Special focus is on developing personal philosophy and approach in treating couples as well as theoretical underpinnings coupled with practical application and skill development.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The study of those systemic therapies informed by cybernetics and oriented to the social organization of communication are included in this course. Topics include the work of the Mental Research Institute, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Narrative therapy, and Collaborative therapy to provide an in-depth understanding of family therapy systems and practice. Special emphasis will include the work of the founders of Family Therapy.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Candidates are introduced to the fundamentals of teaching Marriage and Family Therapy for both the Graduate and Undergraduate learning environment. The course addresses the distinctions between clinical and theoretical courses, practicum instruction, as well as specific instructions to prepare candidates for state licensing examinations. Special topics cover a range of best practices in teaching that include syllabus/curriculum development, application of evaluative rubrics, and delivery.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will provide candidates with an introduction to the definitions of key concepts and theories associated with the various types and causes of private and public crisis and trauma. Candidates will examine the physiological and psychological perspectives of trauma. Candidates will become familiarized with the role of the therapist in the use of assessment and treatment of clients affected by crisis and trauma. They will learn the psychosocial factors associated with trauma response while receiving a general overview of behavioral, cognitive, affective, and neurological implications of progressive life trauma. Candidates will explore and identify interventions for treating clients affected with traumatic events in life.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is intended to provide the foundation for developing effective supervisory skills. It includes information on the major models of MFT supervision, the ethical dilemmas and legal responsibilities of supervision and various techniques that can be used in supervision. This course is both a didactic and experiential course on current theory, research, practice and dilemmas in marriage and family therapy supervision, which is modeled after the AAMFT supervision standards. For candidates in the Supervision concentration, they will provide oversight for supervisees from their work in the community and/or private practice, work with a TUW AAMFT Approved Supervisor, and begin working on a required portfolio that will be finalized and presented prior to completing the final research project in DMFT 730.
*Please note that DMFT 710 does NOT replace the required AAMFT 30-hour Fundamentals of Supervision Course needed for the Approved Supervisor Designation (see requirements here: https://www.aamft.org/Supervision/Supervision.aspx).
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course emphasizes the study of systemic and language-based theories underlying the practice of family therapy. Special topics include the integration of Gregory Bateson’s ideas of eco-systemic views, cybernetic ways of thinking, relational nature of language in examining modernism and postmodernism in the context of relationships.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course, candidates examine tools used in the processes of organized inquiry in the field of MFT. Candidates learn basic concepts and processes of research methodology, data analysis and evaluation of MFT research coupled with a significant review of MFT literature.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides an in-depth focus on contemporary family therapy models including examining the conceptual roots and paradigm shifts associated with these models as well as a focus on their application to culturally diverse populations in today’s society.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course addresses the fundamental concepts and practices in quantitative research methods including an overview and use of SPSS. Topics include measurement and statistics, survey/questionnaire development, and experimental and quasi-experimental research designs for the human sciences, particularly associated with studies in family therapy literature.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course examines core components of systemic/relational programs designed to address mental health problems within the context of families and larger systems. Candidates review the elements of systemic programming that address clinical treatment problems/populations and areas of diversity impacting family and community systems. Using the systemic/relational paradigm of the field, candidates produce program design foundations, such as literature-based needs assessments, reflecting their areas of interest.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course, candidates learn the principles and philosophy underlying qualitative methods of research in the larger field of behavioral sciences along with a specific focus on the field of MFT. Candidates evaluate published qualitative research and review the most widely used qualitative methods of research relevant to the practice of MFT.
CREDITS
3
Organizational Systems in MFT Concentration Courses
12 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides candidates with fundamental knowledge in organizational behavior from a managerial perspective. Special topics include principles of developing models and applicable theories to support decision making, operations, and management that impact organizational behavior in a variety of settings.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides MFT doctoral candidates with fundamental skillsets of leadership in a variety of human service programs and agencies. Candidates will use a case-based approach of administrative leadership ranging from private practice to promoting growth in both for profit and not for profit organizations. Candidates will select a practice, organization and or agency and apply principles of leadership including coaching that is goal focused for organizational expansion while growing human potential using systems theory applications.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course provides candidates with a basic knowledge of mediation and dispute resolution. Candidates explore concepts that include neutral evaluation, negotiation, conciliation, and arbitration. Candidates learn the theoretical and practical processes in mediation and dispute resolution relevant to skills in family and organizational systems. Special areas of interest include techniques of transitioning in divorce, child custody, and developing effective parenting plans for two homes with two parents, etc.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course introduces candidates to the basics of grant writing and funding opportunities in a variety of settings. Candidates will learn about the different types of funding agencies, where to look for funding, idea development, writing letters of inquiry, preparing a budget, and how to develop a complete proposal for a selected agency, practice, or organization.
CREDITS
3
Supervision Concentration Courses
12 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is the first of four (4) courses in Supervision Concentration and each course must be taken one at a time and not coupled with another supervision course in the concentration. In this first course, candidates provide supervision to supervisees and engage weekly in discussion assignments on supervision administration and developing supervision contracts. Candidates begin working with a TUW AAMFT Approved Supervisor which they identified in DMFT 710 and participate in a weekly Zoom Conference seminar where they are exposed to different professional functions at the doctoral level. Candidates record at least two sessions with supervisees for presentations with their TUW AAMFT Approved Supervisor (AAMFT AS) professor. Candidates will continue working on the Portfolio that began in DMFT 710. Pre-requisite AAMFT Member and Associate or Licensed Clinician.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Candidates build on lessons learned in DMFT 709 and continue to provide supervision to supervisees and engage weekly in discussion assignments on supervision administration and developing the supervision contract. Candidates continue working with a TUW AAMFT Approved Supervisor which they identified in DMFT 710 and participate in a weekly Zoom Conference seminar where they are exposed to different professional functions at the doctoral level. Candidates record at least two sessions with supervisees for presentations with their TUW AAMFT Approved Supervisor (AAMFT AS) professor. Candidates will continue working on the Portfolio that began in DMFT 710. Pre-requisite AAMFT Member and Associate or Licensed Clinician.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Candidates build on lessons learned in DMFT 711 and continue to provide supervision to supervisees and engage weekly in discussion assignments on supervision administration and developing the supervision contract. Candidates continue working with a TUW AAMFT Approved Supervisor which they identified in DMFT 710 and participate in a weekly Zoom Conference seminar where they are exposed to different professional functions at the doctoral level. Candidates record at least two sessions with supervisees for presentations with their TUW AAMFT Approved Supervisor (AAMFT AS) professor. Candidates will continue working on the Portfolio that began in DMFT 710. Pre-requisite AAMFT Member and Associate or Licensed Clinician.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this final supervision concentration course, candidates build on lessons learned in all supervision courses and continue to provide supervision to supervisees and engage weekly in discussion assignments on supervision administration and developing the supervision contract. Candidates continue working with a TUW AAMFT Approved Supervisor which they identified in DMFT 710 and participate in a weekly Zoom Conference seminar where they are exposed to different professional functions at the doctoral level. Candidates record at least two sessions with supervisees for presentations with their TUW AAMFT Approved Supervisor (AAMFT AS) professor. Candidates select a date for Portfolio and Supervision Case Presentation. Pre-requisite AAMFT Member and Associate or Licensed Clinician.
CREDITS
3
Proposal Development
6 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is the first of four in the doctoral research project sequence and all courses in the core and concentration must be completed before entering the doctoral research project phase. In this course, candidates work independently with their Chair on their proposed research project in the field of MFT. Candidates will explore their topic of research and begin working on the research project with fundamental supportive MFT literature.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course, candidates continue to work independently with their Chair on their proposed research project in the field of MFT. In this phase, candidates will present their research project to the Chair and committee in preparation for the research project proposal oral defense. Upon a successful defense and approval of the research project proposal, Candidates will submit an application for review from the TUW IRB prior to data collection and or any research with human subjects. Candidates should continue to enhance previous work while the application to IRB is pending.
CREDITS
3
Doctoral Research Project
6 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course, candidates continue to work with the Chair toward completion of the final research project based upon the successfully defended proposal in DMFT 726. In this phase, candidates work on data collection as applicable and simultaneously work on strengthening portions of the project, e.g., enhanced literature review, begin collating applicable sections of the project, etc.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this final phase of the doctoral program, candidates will finalize and orally defend the research project. Candidates should submit a completed research project to the Chair no later than the 4th week of the session to give ample time for the Chair and Committee to provide substantive feedback prior to the Chair and candidate scheduling the final oral defense.
CREDITS
3
*Please note that DMFT 710 does NOT replace the required AAMFT 30-hour Fundamentals of Supervision Course needed for the Approved Supervisor Designation (see requirements here: https://www.aamft.org/Supervision/Supervision.aspx).
Credit Hours
60
Class Type
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer Credits
Transfer in up to 6 credits
Accreditation
WSCUC
Request Information
Tuition Information
TUW’s tuition for the Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy is $700 per semester credit unit.
Your employer may offer a tuition assistance program so speak with your human resource representative to find out if financial support is available to you. A TUW Tuition Assistance Counselor is available to you in order to determine your eligibility for financial aid and other tuition assistance programs.