Marriage & Family Counseling (M.A.)

Marriage & Family Counseling (M.A.)

Important: This degree plan is effective for those starting this degree program in fall 2024 through summer 2025. This degree plan will remain in effect for students who do not break enrollment or who do not change degree programs, concentrations, or cognates.

Early Core Courses
COUC 500Orientation to Counselor Professional Identity and Function3
COUC 501Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling3
COUC 502Human Growth and Development3
COUC 504Multicultural Counseling3
COUC 505Counseling Techniques and the Helping Relationship3
COUC 506Integration of Spirituality and Counseling3
COUC 510Theories of Counseling3
Total Hours21
Advanced Core Courses
COUC 512Group Counseling 13
COUC 515Research and Program Evaluation 23
COUC 521Assessment Techniques in Counseling3
COUC 522Career Development and Counseling3
COUC 546Psychopathology3
COUC 601Theories of Family Systems3
Total Hours18
1

A background check will be required

2

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

Specialization Courses
CEFS 670Comprehensive Exam - CPCE 10
CEFS 671Comprehensive Exam - Integration 10
COUC 602Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning in Marriage and Family Counseling3
COUC 603Advanced Couple and Marital Counseling3
COUC 620Counseling Children, Adolescents, and Their Families3
COUC 692Counseling Practicum3
COUC 693Counseling Internship I3
COUC 694Counseling Internship II 23
Total Hours18
1

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

2

Course may be taken a second time

Marriage & Family Elective
Choose one of the following:3
Human Sexuality
Substance Abuse: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention 1
Total Hours3
1

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

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
First SemesterHours
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 510 Theories of Counseling 3
 Hours12
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 601 Theories of Family Systems 3
 Hours12
Second Year
First 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
 Hours12
Second Semester
COUC 512 Group Counseling 3
COUC 602 Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning in Marriage and Family Counseling 3
COUC 603
Advanced Couple and Marital Counseling
or Counseling Children, Adolescents, and Their Families
3
Elective 1 3
 Hours12
Third Year
First Semester
COUC 603
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 692 Counseling Practicum 3
 Hours6
Second Semester
COUC 693 Counseling Internship I 3
 Hours3
Fourth Year
First Semester
COUC 694 Counseling Internship II 3 3
 Hours3
 Total Hours60
1

Choose one of the following courses: COUC 610 or 691**

2

Counseling Comprehensive Exam prerequisites: COUC 500, 501, 502, 504, 505, 506, 510, 512, 515, 521, 522, 546, 601, and 602

3

Course may be taken a second time

**

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.

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