Human Development and Family Studies: Marriage and Family Therapy

The Marriage and Family Therapy Program prepares students to work in mental health, family service, medical, and human service settings. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education and meets the academic requirements for clinical membership in the AAMFT. The Program generally takes two years including two summers and requires five hundred (500) hours of clinical practice in order to graduate.  Additional hours of clinical practice under supervision are required after graduation to meet state licensure standards and qualify for clinical membership in AAMFT. 

The Marriage and Family Therapy Program contributes to the well-being of individuals and families through knowledge, teaching leadership and professional practice.  The program is fully accredited by COAMFTE and meets the academic regulations for clinical membership in the American Association for MFT.  Through connecting research, practice and policy our faculty conducts significant research on a range of issues facing individuals, couples and families in today's society.

Clinical training offered within the MFT Program emphasizes treating individuals, couples, and families in relationship to larger systems that influence them. Supervised practica are continuous throughout the program. MFT program graduates learn to function as competent and ethical marriage and family therapy professionals and have a solid knowledge base of marriage and family therapy theory and research as well as clinical practice principles. The MFT Program successfully prepares graduates for employment as marriage and family therapists in community agencies and private practice.

Part-time MFT students will be admitted for the fall semester only.  Part-time admission to the MFT is available on a case-by-case basis until January 15th to begin matriculation in the fall semester.  Interested applicants should contact Dr. Barbara Frankel, Graduate Coordinator, for information.  An interview may be required.  Part-time MFT students are not accepted for the spring semester.

All students are expected to:

• Minimum of two years of full-time study, including two summers.
• Students must complete 72 credits of required coursework, which includes 24 successfully completed credits of practicum.
• 500 hours of supervised clinical practice.
• Satisfactorily complete an integrative paper and presentation.

What makes our program special?

• Competitive Stipends, Travel Stipends, and Scholarship opportunities.
• Award-winning mentorship from nationally-recognized faculty.
• Collegial and supportive culture.
• On-campus clinical facilities.
• Access to UNH's Career and Professional Development .
• Opportunities to conduct research, publish and present at conferences.
• 97% of students who have enrolled in the UNH Marriage and Family Therapy Program have graduated.
• 100% of graduates who have taken the national exam have passed.
• Exceptional placement rate post-graduation.

All applications for admission must be submitted electronically using the Graduate School Website.  For application information please visit the MFT website.

Students demonstrate a knowledge of the major models of marriage and family therapy and other systems related theories that support the MFT field students will acquire the clinical skills to assess and treat a wide range of problems from a systems paradigm demonstrate an understanding of multicultural diversity, larger systems and family/individual development across the lifespan develop ethical principles and practices in the field of marriage and family therapy develop systemic knowledge of marriage and family therapy research, striving toward a theoretically driven and research informed clinical practice.

• Transcript evaluation by a third party is not required as long as an application is in English. Translation services and evaluation services may be requested at the discretion of the academic department.
• Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.
• International applicants may submit copies of official transcripts by emailing [email protected]. We will upload those transcripts to your application checklist. 
• Official transcripts will be required if admitted. These can be hand-delivered in a sealed envelope upon arrival, emailed to [email protected], or mailed hardcopy to UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall, 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824.