Purpose

The Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT) program at Liberty University Online prepares students for state licensure as Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) by integrating evidence-based clinical practice with a biblical worldview. This program equips students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical foundation necessary to provide competent, compassionate, and faith-integrated therapy to individuals, couples, and families. Through rigorous coursework, supervised clinical training, and research-informed therapy models, graduates will be prepared to work in mental health clinics, private practice, ministry settings, military and VA counseling services, and community-based organizations. Rooted in Christian values and professional excellence, the MMFT program empowers students to strengthen relationships, promote emotional well-being, and serve diverse populations with integrity and compassion.

Program Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to:

• Demonstrate ethical, legal, and professional competency consistent with AAMFT Code of Ethics and COAMFTE standards.
• Understand equitable, inclusive, and culturally responsive systemic therapy practices.
• Use systemic family therapy theories and interventions when establishing relationships or developing treatment plans.
• Conduct relational assessments which incorporate systemic, trauma-informed, or evidence-based diagnostic approaches to treatment planning.
• Integrate systemic theories and evidence-based interventions in assessing, diagnosing, and treating relational and mental health concerns in individuals, couples, and families.

In addition to the General Admission Procedures outlined in this Catalog, Master’s applicants to the Marriage and Family Therapy program must have:

1. Apply online or download application for admission and submit via mail.
2. Fax/scan unofficial college transcripts.
   • Please Note - Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a transcript request form.
3. Mail official college transcripts (sealed, unopened copy).
   • Regionally or Nationally accredited bachelor's degree with at least a 2.7 GPA for good standing.  Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution may be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.  NOTE:  Once accepted into the program, a 3.0 graduate GPA is needed to maintain good academic standing in the program.
4. Students without the following coursework on their undergraduate transcript will be required to complete the following class upon admission to the program:
   • 3 credit hours in Statistics (can be MATH 201 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (3 c.h.))
5. Admission to this program requires:

   1. Contact information for two recommenders (login required). As a part of the application process, we require contact information from two professional sources (i.e., not family/friends but individuals who have supervisory or evaluative knowledge of your work, volunteer, church, or academic experience). These individuals should be qualified to address the applicant’s ability to complete graduate level coursework, their disposition and ability to become a counselor, and their maturity, motivation, and ethics. Some examples of individuals that may be suitable include professors, employers, or leaders in an organization where the applicant volunteers.

   2. Prompts for statement of purpose, please address each of the following items:

      1. Please describe in 200-250 words why you desire to become a counselor and indicate the type of counselor certification you plan to seek after graduation?
      2. Describe in 200-250 words an occasion in which you have interacted with an individual or a group of individuals from another culture. Identify the cultural differences which were present and how you demonstrated respect for those differences.
      3. Describe in 200-250 words how you form effective interpersonal relationships with others in individual and group settings.
6. Students seeking to be admitted into this program and plan to finish it outside of the US will be required to sign an International Disclosure Agreement.

Students must agree to the Department of Counselor Education and Family Study’s Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy Mission Statement and Diversity Statement, which is available at the following link: https://www.liberty.edu/behavioral-sciences/counselor-ed/.

Notification of Admission

Admission decisions normally are made within a few days following the receipt of all of the student’s documentation. Official notification of admission, and of any conditions attached to that admission, is sent by letter to the applicant by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Correspondence or notification from other sources does not constitute official notice of admission. The term for which the applicant is admitted is stated in the official admission letter from the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Transfer of Credit

Students may transfer up to 30 hours of coursework into the 60-hour Marriage and Family Therapy program. For a transferred course to replace a Liberty University course, the following requirements must be met:

1. The school at which the course was taken must be appropriately accredited.
2. The course credit must be at least three semester hours or five quarter hours.
3. The student must have earned a grade of B- or better in the course.
4. The course must overlap one of Liberty’s courses by at least 80%.

Courses related to marriage and family therapy that meet all but the last criterion may be transferred in as elective courses. Course work must have been completed within the previous ten years. Transfer credits will not be accepted for the following courses: MMFT 500, MMFT 692, MMFT 693, MMFT 694, MMFT 696

Delivery Format: Online Only

Graduates of the MMFT program can pursue a variety of careers in mental health counseling and family therapy, including:

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)¹ – Requires passing the national MFT exam and fulfilling state licensure requirements.
• Private Practice Therapist
• Military and Veterans Affairs (VA) Therapist
• Faith-Based Counseling and Ministry Roles
• Community Mental Health Counselor
• Trauma and Crisis Intervention Specialist
• School-Based Family Therapist – Assisting students and families in educational settings to support emotional and behavioral well-being.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Counselor – Providing workplace-based counseling services for employees and organizations.

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¹

Requires passing the national MFT exam and fulfilling state licensure² requirements.

²

State Licensure: Students must complete supervised clinical hours and pass licensure exams specific to their state.