Marriage and Family Therapy
The Marriage and Family Therapy graduate programs at TTU provide systemic clinical training to prepare students for clinical licensure and scholarly achievement. TTU is known for its supportive and rigorous programs, and provides one of the largest groups of MFT faculty in the country (the department has 9 faculty who are licensed MFTs and teach courses in the graduate programs). Our graduates have found success in a wide variety of academic, clinical and other settings. There are two graduate programs in MFT at TTU; a doctoral and a master’s program.
The MFT doctoral program has a long and distinguished history of preparing students for contributions in academics, administration and clinical work. There is a strong emphasis on training in research methodology as well as theoretical and clinical sophistication. Many of TTU’s doctoral graduates can be found in academic institutions around the country. The doctoral program has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) since 1981. Click here for the doctoral program mission statement.
The master’s program at TTU is a clinically-focused program that includes an emphasis in the treatment of addictions within a relational context. The MFT faculty work in partnership with the Addictive Disorders and Recovery Studies (ADRS) faculty to provide training that prepares students for licensure as an MFT, LCDC, or for future doctoral work.
Students
Students entering the program have a wide range of academic backgrounds. They not only come from all over the United States, but the world. This diversity facilitates growth and fosters understanding.
Texas Tech, as well as the Marriage and Family Therapy program, is committed to the principle that in no aspect shall there be differences in the treatment of persons because of age, race, culture, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, social class, or disability, and that equal opportunity and access to facilities shall be available to all.
Faculty
The MFT faculty at Texas Tech come from a wide variety of backgrounds and have many different experiences. However, they all share a commitment to students, to the scientist-practitioner model, and to excellence in training. What does this mean for those who study here? First, we are committed to helping students develop as consumers and producers of research. This involves opportunities to work closely with faculty mentors on scholarly projects. All of the faculty at TTU are actively engaged in scholarship that is contributing the field of MFT, and students are involved at every level of this process. Second, faculty are clinicians who are not only committed to helping students reach clinical excellence, but they are all active therapists who can walk the talk of therapy. Third, they are invested in helping students become professionals who are prepared to teach, train, and supervise others, and contribute to the field of Marriage and Family Therapy.
Teaching
All doctoral students are required to teach at least one undergraduate class for one semester under the supervision of a faculty member. The majority of our doctoral students receive a teaching assistantship and gain valuable experience for academic or other positions that require presenting scholarly material to an audience.