Program Statistics
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Last Updated: August 28, 2026
Marriage and Family Therapy
Overview
Degree Type: Master of Science
The Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy (MSMFT) is offered through The Family Institute at Northwestern University, a nationally recognized leader in behavioral health education, clinical service, and research. Rooted in more than five decades of leadership in the field of marriage and family therapy, the program prepares students for meaningful careers centered on understanding, strengthening, and transforming relationships.
Students receive a world‑class education that integrates rigorous academic study with immersive clinical training. Through close mentorship with nationally known faculty and supervisors, students develop the theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, and professional identity required for effective practice with individuals, couples, and families. Graduates emerge prepared to deliver ethical, culturally responsive, and evidence‑informed care across diverse clinical settings.
Vision, Mission, and Learning Objectives
Vision: The MFT program at The Family Institute at Northwestern University envisions cultivating a diverse, inclusive, and student-centered learning environment that prepares clinicians to serve a wide range of communities with excellence and integrity. It emphasizes collaborative leadership, continuous improvement, and strategic alignment across academic and clinical domains to support both student development and community impact.
Mission: The mission of the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Northwestern University is to educate students to become knowledgeable, competent, systemic, culturally sensitive, ethical, and empirically informed Marriage and Family Therapists.
Learning Objectives:
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of core concepts, common factors, and major theoretical models in marriage and family therapy.
- Students will apply a systemic, integrative, and empirically informed approach to the assessment, planning, and delivery of treatment.
- Students will critically evaluate research, incorporate research findings into clinical practice, and use client progress data to inform clinical decision-making.
- Students will demonstrate beginning-level professional competence in delivering systemically informed therapy with individuals, couples, and families.
- Students will incorporate cultural awareness, humility, and responsiveness into clinical work across diverse populations.
- Students will demonstrate awareness of their personal reactions in clinical contexts and effectively manage and use these reactions to support the therapeutic process.
- Students will demonstrate a developing professional identity as marriage and family therapists
- Students will apply ethical decision-making and adhere to professional standards in accordance with the AAMFT Code of Ethics.
Accreditation and Licensure Preparation
The Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy (MSMFT) is a terminal degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Upon completion of the degree and a required period of post-graduate supervised clinical practice, graduates are eligible to pursue licensure as marriage and family therapists. The program is designed for students drawn to the field of mental health who are passionate about understanding and treating relationships as well as viewing individuals from a systemic perspective.
Program Format and Structure
The program is offered in both on-campus and online formats, maintaining consistent academic and clinical rigor.
- On-Campus Format: Full-time, fall entry only; typically completed in 21 months.
- Online Format: Offered in both full-time and part-time options, combining live online classes with asynchronous coursework and supervised clinical field placements at approved sites. Full-time students may complete the program in as few as 18 months, while part-time students typically complete the program in up to 36 months.
- Immersion Requirement: Online students complete a required on-campus immersion experience.
Professional and Theoretical Foundations
The program prepares students by using a 21st-century approach to therapy developed over more than 25 years at The Family Institute, Integrative Systemic Therapy. This approach emphasizes the integration of theory, research, and clinical practice to support effective work with individuals, couples, and families. Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST) understands individuals within the context of their relationships, families, communities, and broader social systems, drawing flexibly from multiple therapeutic models to address problems as emerging from interactions between personal experiences and relational, cultural, and structural influences.
Curriculum Overview
The curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive foundation in marriage and family therapy through an integrated sequence of coursework, clinical training, and professional development. Students engage in the study of major theoretical models, systemic approaches, and evidence-informed practices, while developing clinical skills through concurrent supervised experiences. Professional identity formation is supported through seminars and a capstone experience, culminating in preparation for entry-level clinical practice.
Clinical Training and Supervision
Clinical training is a central component of the program and includes:
- Six quarters of supervised clinical internship
- Placement at the Bette D. Harris Family & Child Clinic (on campus) or approved clinical sites (online)
- Minimum of 400 direct client contact hours, including work with couples and families
- 200+ hours of supervision, including individual and group formats
This experience prepares graduates for entry-level clinical practice and the transition toward licensure.
Research and Scholarly Development
Research is an integral component of the MSMFT program. Coursework is research-informed, and students learn to apply research findings to their clinical work. Students interested in pursuing a doctorate following graduation may engage in research opportunities and elect to complete a thesis as part of the Capstone.
Additional resources:
Program Contact
Contact
Yadira Wardlow
Coordinator of Education Programs
847-733-4300
Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
Total Units Required: 25
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| MS_FT 400-0 | Professional Identity Seminar |
| MS_FT 400-6 | Professional Identity Seminar |
| MS_FT 401-0 | Basic Concepts of Systems Therapy |
| MS_FT 401-6 | Basic Concepts of Systems Therapy |
| MS_FT 402-0 | Methods of Systems Therapy |
| MS_FT 402-6 | Methods of Systems Therapy |
| MS_FT 403-0 | Self and Other Systems: Theory and Interventions |
| MS_FT 403-6 | Self and Other Systems: Theory and Interventions |
| MS_FT 410-0 | Human Development and the Life Cycle |
| MS_FT 410-6 | Human Development and the Life Cycle |
| MS_FT 411-0 | Intimate Relations I |
| MS_FT 411-6 | Intimate Relations I |
| MS_FT 412-0 | Special Problems and Populations |
| MS_FT 412-6 | Special Problems and Populations |
| MS_FT 413-0 | Intimate Relations II |
| MS_FT 413-6 | Intimate Relations II |
| MS_FT 421-0 | Systemic Assessment |
| MS_FT 421-6 | Systemic Assessment |
| MS_FT 422-0 | Family Research |
| MS_FT 422-6 | Family Research |
| MS_FT 424-0 | Group Therapy |
| MS_FT 424-6 | Group Therapy |
| MS_FT 427-0 | Family of Origin: Systemic Perspectives on Risk and Resilience |
| MS_FT 427-6 | Family of Origin: Systemic Perspectives on Risk and Resilience |
| MS_FT 428-0 | Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 428-6 | Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 429-0 | Sex Therapy |
| MS_FT 429-6 | Sex Therapy |
| MS_FT 430-0 | Power, Privilege and Difference: Practicing Cultural Curiosity and Humility in a Multicultural World |
| MS_FT 430-6 | Power, Privilege and Difference: Practicing Cultural Curiosity and Humility in a Multicultural World |
| MS_FT 436-0 | Family Therapy Treatment Models |
| MS_FT 436-6 | Family Therapy Treatment Models |
| MS_FT 437-0 | Family Therapy with Children and Adolescents |
| MS_FT 437-6 | Family Therapy with Children and Adolescents |
| MS_FT 440-0 | Systemic Perspectives in the Treatment of Substance Use/Misuse and Addiction |
| MS_FT 440-6 | Systemic Perspective in the Treatment of Substance Use/Misuse and Addiction |
| MS_FT 480-0 | Pre-Practicum in Marriage & Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 480-6 | Pre-Practicum in Marriage & Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 481-1 | Internship in Marriage & Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 481-2 | Internship in Marriage & Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 481-3 | Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 481-6 | Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy 1 |
| MS_FT 481-7 | Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy 2 |
| MS_FT 481-8 | Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy 3 |
| MS_FT 482-1 | Advanced Internship in Marriage & Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 482-2 | Advanced Internship in Marriage & Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 482-3 | Advanced Internship in Marriage & Family Therapy |
| MS_FT 482-6 | Advanced Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy 1 |
| MS_FT 482-7 | Advanced Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy 2 |
| MS_FT 482-8 | Advanced Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy 3 |
| MS_FT 495-0 | Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy Capstone Project I |
| MS_FT 496-0 | Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy Capstone Project II |
| MS_FT 495-6 | Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy Capstone Project I |
| MS_FT 496-6 | Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy Capstone Project II |
Other MSMFT Degree Requirements
Clinical practicum involving over 400 hours of therapy and approximately 250 hours of group and individual supervision.
For Online branch students: Participation in an on-campus immersion event during their time in the program.