About
Appalachian’s Master of Arts in Marriage and Family program provides clinical and academic training in marriage and family therapy to students who are committed to effective practice and will function at a high level of clinical competence. This degree prepares students for work in a variety of settings.
Rather than teach or adhere to a single theory or approach to marriage and family therapy, faculty in this program teach all of the major approaches and expect students to be willing to examine each of these in their work with clients. The students learn how to integrate them into a personally meaningful and effective approach for helping families change and helping others understand families better through teaching and research.
Professional Licensure
This is a program that leads to licensure or certification. Appalachian State University cannot confirm whether this program will meet the requirements for professional licensure in other states or territories.
If this applies to you, check the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy for information on licensure requirements and licensing agencies in other states. Or, you may address questions to State Authorization at Appalachian at stateauthorization@appstate.edu or 828-262-7559.
People
Courses
Course titles and information can be found in the Graduate Bulletin.
Application Essentials
Required Entrance Exam: GRE (score must be no more than 5 years old)
Required number of references to specify in the online form: 3
Supplemental Information: Resume (Required upload for application submission); HPC Department Questionnaire (upload on the Additional Information page in the on-line application); Interview.
Basic Conditions for Consideration of Admission: Meeting or exceeding the conditions below does NOT guarantee admission. All applications for a given entry term will be weighed based upon the number of seats available and the quality of the complete application packages. With special permission from the Graduate School, a program may admit a limited number of students with exceptional circumstances who do not meet the graduate school minimums.
Graduate School: 3.0 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores from the appropriate admission test(s), OR 2.5 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores at the 25th percentile level from the appropriate admission test(s).
Admission to MFT: Both qualitative and quantitative aspects of applications are reviewed in comparison to the current applicant pool.
Application Deadlines
- Spring: x
- Summer Session 1: x
- Summer Session 2: x
- Fall: 2/1
*See full deadline information below under Application Essentials.
Why Appalachian?
- The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).
- A yearlong, 500-hour internship provides direct client contact under AAMFT-approved supervision prior to graduation.
- Fully funded internship stipends are available for internships in rural Appalachian communities.
- You can complete the program in two years when enrolled full time.
- Financial support is available for students from underrepresented populations.
- All graduate programs at Appalachian have small class sizes, providing intimate classroom interaction.
- The School of Graduate Studies offers scholarships, fellowships and assistantships to support eligible, full-time, degree-seeking students.
Method of Delivery
On campus
Careers
- Community mental health agencies
- Residential mental health facilities
- Private practice
- Mental health administration
- Hospitals
Contacts
Dr. Kristen Benson
Program Director
bensonke@appstate.edu
828-262-8884
Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling