Counseling & Human Resource Development - Marriage & Family Counseling

Students who successfully complete this 60-credit hour specialization will earn a Master of Science in Counseling and Human Resource Development specializing in Marriage and Family Counseling. The specialization in Marriage and Family Counseling is designed to meet the requirements of the South Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners. Once graduates complete an approved supervised clinical experience and pass the appropriate examinations, they are eligible for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist. 

Students who have completed the requirements for the Marriage and Family Counseling specialization and graduated from the program are endorsed for counseling in a marriage and family setting. Many marriage and family counselors work in private practice. Others may work in hospitals and clinics, social service agencies, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations.

• Have a desire to help people
• Work well with diverse groups of people
• Are an analytical thinker
• Are inquisitive
• Have strong listening, speaking and problem-solving skills

• A minimum GPA of 3.0 to receive unconditional admission. 
• A professional academic transcript evaluation for degrees earned outside the United States (This requirement cannot be waived unless your highest degree was earned or will be earned in the U.S. prior to enrollment at SDSU).
  • If you are completing your bachelor's degree at the time of application, you may submit an incomplete evaluation. If you are accepted, a complete transcript and/or evaluation with completed degree will be required by the end of your first semester of coursework.
• Official U.S. transcripts where a degree is earned (or will be earned), and official U.S. transcripts where graduate level coursework has been taken.
• A minimum TOEFL score of 71, TOEFL Essentials score of 7.5, IELTS score of 6 or Duolingo score of 100.
  • SDSU accepts MyBest TOFEL scores. 
  • Some programs have higher minimum requirements. Find program specific requirements by selecting your program of interest in the Graduate Catalog.

• Marriage and Family Counselor