Texas Tech University

Texas Tech’s Couple, Marriage and Family Therapy Program Earns Accreditation Renewal

Ryan McCullar

December 20, 2024

CMFT

Accreditation highlights legacy of excellence and commitment to high-quality clinical training.

The Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy (CMFT) master’s and Ph.D. programs at Texas Tech University have once again achieved accreditation renewal by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). This recognition, awarded without any stipulations, underscores the excellence of The Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy curriculum and their significant contributions to the field.

Jaclyn Cravens, CMFT master’s program director, explained that the review process involves seven years of data collection, continuous assessment, and adherence to professional standards. Both the master’s and doctoral programs prepared extensive self-studies, totaling over 1,600 pages of documentation, to demonstrate their compliance with COAMFTE's requirements.

Both programs received the highest outcome possible—a full seven-year accreditation renewal without stipulations—highlighting the program’s quality and rigorous adherence to professional standards. This achievement adds to the doctoral program’s over 43 years of continuous accreditation, making it one of the longest-running in the nation.

“For graduates from the Ph.D. program, this provides a level of assurance to potential employers that they are thoroughly prepared for faculty positions in MFT programs, including teaching core MFT classes, providing clinical supervision, and conducting high-quality research,” Stephen Fife, CMFT Doctoral Program Director, said.

This renewal signals to prospective students that the program meets the highest professional standards and offers a well-rounded educational experience. For current students, it reinforces confidence in the quality of their training and the credibility of their degree. This recognition also plays a key role in attracting and retaining students.

The Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy curriculum at Texas Tech is distinguished by their high-quality clinical training, supported by two on-campus clinics—the Family Therapy Clinic and the Children’s Behavioral Health Clinic, which operates in partnership with the University Medical Center Pediatric Trauma Unit.

“These clinics serve our Lubbock, West Texas, and Texas communities treating a wide range of clinic problems,” Cravens said. “Our students receive clinical supervision from our CMFT Core Faculty, which ensures that students who attend our graduate programs not only receive their educational training from the core faculty, but also receive direct clinical training from the program faculty. This does not happen at all CMFT graduate programs.”

Additionally, the courses provide a strong faculty-to-student ratio and unique opportunities for collaboration between master’s and doctoral students. Ph.D. candidates gain experience in clinical supervision by working directly with Master’s students, while both programs offer valuable opportunities for joint research alongside faculty members.

“The Texas Tech Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy doctoral program is one of the longest accredited programs in the country (43 years)." Fife said. "It has a long tradition and strong national reputation for producing top-notch scholars who have contributed significantly to the field of marriage and family therapy. ”

With this renewed accreditation, Texas Tech’s CMFT programs continue to solidify their status as leaders in the field of marriage and family therapy education, offering students a foundation that prepares them to excel as scholars, clinicians, and advocates.