Marriage & Family Counseling (M.A.)
Important: This degree plan is effective for those starting this degree program in fall 2025 through summer 2026. This degree plan will remain in effect for students who do not break enrollment or who do not change degree programs, concentrations, or cognates.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Progam Courses | ||
| Early Core Courses | ||
| COUC 500 | Orientation to Counselor Professional Identity and Function | 3 |
| COUC 501 | Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 502 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| COUC 503 | Gate 1/Counseling Foundations: Orientation to the Program | 0 |
| COUC 504 | Multicultural Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 505 | Counseling Techniques and the Helping Relationship | 3 |
| COUC 506 | Integration of Spirituality and Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 508 | Gate 2/Field Placement Preparation and Professional Readiness | 0 |
| COUC 510 | Theories of Counseling | 3 |
| Advanced Core Courses | ||
| COUC 512 | Group Counseling 1 | 3 |
| COUC 515 | Research and Program Evaluation 2 | 3 |
| COUC 521 | Assessment Techniques in Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 522 | Career Development and Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 546 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| COUC 601 | Theories of Family Systems | 3 |
| Specialization Courses | ||
| CEFS 670 | Comprehensive Exam - CPCE 3 | 0 |
| CEFS 671 | Comprehensive Exam - Integration 3 | 0 |
| COUC 602 | Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning in Marriage and Family Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 603 | Advanced Couple and Marital Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 620 | Counseling Children, Adolescents, and Their Families | 3 |
| COUC 650 | Gate 3 / Practicum Application and Fieldwork Readiness | 0 |
| COUC 685 | Gate 4 / Internship I Application and Career Readiness | 0 |
| COUC 690 | Gate 5 / Internship II Application and Future Planning | 0 |
| COUC 692 | Counseling Practicum | 3 |
| COUC 693 | Counseling Internship I | 3 |
| COUC 694 | Counseling Internship II 4 | 3 |
| Marriage and Family Electives | ||
| COUC 610 | Human Sexuality 5 | 3 |
| or COUC 691 | Substance Abuse: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
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A background check will be required
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Students must successfully complete three hours of undergraduate course work in statistics. Those who did not complete these courses in their undergraduate programs may fulfill this prerequisite requirement during the first two semesters of the program
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Counseling Comprehensive Exam Prerequisites: COUC 500, COUC 501, COUC 502, COUC 504, COUC 505, COUC 506, COUC 510, COUC 512, COUC 515, COUC 521, COUC 522, COUC 546, COUC 601, & COUC 602
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Course may be taken a second time
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COUC 691 has three hours of coursework in diagnosis and treatment of addictive behaviors is required in Virginia for LMFTs
All applicable prerequisites must be met
Graduation Requirements
- Complete 60 total hours
- A maximum of 50% of the program hours may be transferred if approved and allowable, including credit from an earned degree from Liberty University on the same academic level
- 3.0 GPA
- No more than two grades of C may be applied to the degree (includes grades of C+ & C-)
- No grade of D or below may be applied to the degree (includes grades of D+ & D-)
- Successful completion of Comprehensive Exam
- Liberty University course work that is more than 10 years old may not be applied towards this degree. Students are required to repeat the course if it has exceeded the age limit
- Degree must be completed within 7 years
- Submission of Degree Completion Application must be completed within the last semester of a student’s anticipated graduation date
Program Offered in Resident Format
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| COUC 500 | Orientation to Counselor Professional Identity and Function | 3 |
| COUC 501 | Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 502 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| COUC 503 | Gate 1/Counseling Foundations: Orientation to the Program | 0 |
| COUC 510 | Theories of Counseling | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| COUC 504 | Multicultural Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 505 | Counseling Techniques and the Helping Relationship | 3 |
| COUC 506 | Integration of Spirituality and Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 508 | Gate 2/Field Placement Preparation and Professional Readiness | 0 |
| COUC 601 | Theories of Family Systems | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Third Semester | ||
| COUC 515 | Research and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| COUC 521 | Assessment Techniques in Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 522 | Career Development and Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 546 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| COUC 650 | Gate 3 / Practicum Application and Fieldwork Readiness | 0 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| COUC 512 | Group Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 602 | Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning in Marriage and Family Counseling | 3 |
| COUC 603 or COUC 620 |
Advanced Couple and Marital Counseling or Counseling Children, Adolescents, and Their Families |
3 |
| COUC 685 | Gate 4 / Internship I Application and Career Readiness | 0 |
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fifth Semester | ||
| COUC 603 or COUC 620 |
Advanced Couple and Marital Counseling or Counseling Children, Adolescents, and Their Families |
3 |
| CEFS 670 | Comprehensive Exam - CPCE 2 | 0 |
| CEFS 671 | Comprehensive Exam - Integration 2 | 0 |
| COUC 690 | Gate 5 / Internship II Application and Future Planning | 0 |
| COUC 692 | Counseling Practicum | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Sixth Semester | ||
| COUC 693 | Counseling Internship I | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Seventh Semester | ||
| COUC 694 | Counseling Internship II 3 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
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Counseling Comprehensive Exam Prerequisites: COUC 500, COUC 501, COUC 502, COUC 504, COUC 505, COUC 506, COUC 510, COUC 512, COUC 515, COUC 521, COUC 522, COUC 546, COUC 601, & COUC 602
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Course may be taken a second time
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Remember: The M.A. Marriage and Family Counseling program is designed to meet the Virginia Board of Counseling educational requirements for license as a Marriage and Family Therapist. Additionally, the Virginia Board of Counseling requires 3 hours of coursework in diagnosis and treatment of addictive behaviors for LMFTs