The Marriage and Family Therapy Program

The Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Seton Hill University leads to a Master of Arts degree. The faculty are dedicated to recruiting a diverse group of students who are committed to growth and learning. The program will provide students with the education and experience needed to become qualified family therapists who are eligible to seek licensure as Marriage and Family Therapist in Pennsylvania. The Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Seton Hill University has candidacy status with the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

The Marriage and Family Therapy Program is designed to expose students to family systems theory, research, and clinical techniques with special emphasis upon understanding family process within a broader socio-cultural context. While students study theories of human development, the uniqueness of the program resides in its focus upon studying relationship systems (at micro and macro levels) and preparing students to become effective relationship therapists. The program is committed to preparing students who possess a heightened awareness of themselves and the world around them with particular emphasis upon understanding how socio-cultural issues shape clinical practice and the broader mental health service delivery system. This emphasis is consistent with Seton Hill's commitment to advocating for marginalized groups, especially women, and striving to improve relationships between people and their environment.

Program Objectives

Graduates of the Marriage and Family Program will:

1. Be exposed to family systems theory in general, and to the wide variety of specific family systems theories and therapies;
2. Think and act systemically, which includes recognizing the connections that exist between micro-level and macro-level processes;
3. Be sensitized to issues of power and the ways in which structured inequalities shape family process and human relationships;
4. Develop effective skills and techniques for clinical assessment and intervention;
5. Critically read and evaluate the latest advances in Marriage and Family Therapy research and teach students how to critically digest, evaluate, and utilize research in their clinical practice;
6. Understand the current mental health delivery system and how the Marriage and Family Therapy profession is located within that environment;
7. Know the ethical and legal standards of the profession;
8. Develop critical thinking skills;
9. Develop a heightened sense of self-awareness through reflection;
10. Develop a unique style of family therapy practice through sufficient supervised practical experience.

Students who earn a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy will have met the academic requirements necessary to be eligible to sit for the examination to become Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists in Pennsylvania after the completion of 3600 hours of supervised clinical practice.