Post-MS Marriage and Family Therapy Certificate
Further Your Counseling Career With a Post-Master of Science Marriage and Family Therapy Certificate
Couples and family therapy can be a fulfilling specialization in the counseling and behavioral health fields. You can enhance your counseling skills and focus your career on this specialization by earning your marriage and family therapy certificate. The Post-Master of Science in Counseling: Marriage and Family Therapy Certificate program at Grand Canyon University (GCU) is designed to further the professional growth of individuals who hold a master’s degree or doctorate in a related field.
The marriage counseling certificate online and evening program is offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. It provides an intensive survey of couples and family-related issues, including premarital counseling, domestic violence, divorce, family reunification and the integration of returning veterans. You will have opportunities to think critically about the evolving perspectives of family over time, and about the biopsychosocial perspectives of family and family systems.
Course Topics in a Marriage and Family Therapy Certificate Program
Emerge from this post-MS counseling certificate in marriage and family therapy program with a more in-depth understanding of family systems, family roles and the issues that may impact healthy relationships among couples and families.
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GCU is pleased to make higher education accessible to working professionals. You can earn your marriage counseling certificate online in a collaborative and interactive learning environment. You can benefit from lively discussions with peers who present a diverse range of perspectives and connect with qualified instructors who are experts in their fields. A total of 15 credits are required for completion. Marriage counseling certificate online courses are eight weeks in length.
You will study the following topics:
- The role, value and benefits of family systems therapy
- The historical and theoretical perspectives of couples and family dynamics
- The dynamic processes of diverse family systems
- How substance use and addictive disorders impact the family structure
Career Opportunities With a Post-MS Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy
As a working professional who has a background in counseling or behavioral health, you could sharpen your skills and be better equipped to serve couples and families with this Post-Master of Science in Counseling: Marriage and Family Therapy Certificate. Marriage and family therapy professionals are compassionate and empathetic individuals who are skilled at building rapport with couples and families, and creating a non-judgmental therapeutic environment.
Individuals who are licensed and trained to practice in marriage and family therapy often work with a diverse client list, including:
- Individuals (children, adolescents and adults)
- Couples
- Traditional and nontraditional family units
Depending on their areas of focus, they may also work in a variety of settings. These may include private offices, community-based organizations, social service agencies and Christian organizations.
Marriage and Family Therapy Certification FAQs
Read answers to common questions about the marriage and family therapy certificate program. For more specific questions or to learn more about GCU’s certificate program, complete the “get started” form on this page.
The steps to becoming an MFT will depend on your state’s requirements and your own educational background. While you should research and determine the best pathway for your career goals, the common steps are to:
- Earn a relevant bachelor’s degree
- Get your master’s in marriage and family counseling
- Obtain supervised clinical hours
- Take and pass your state’s required licensing exam and apply for state licensure
- Take continuing education courses
There are many benefits to becoming an MFT. First, you can play an important role in improving relationships and lives of individuals, couples and families with diverse backgrounds and needs. Second, MFTs are always learning and growing through regular exposure to new perspectives, research and required continuing education by state boards. Third, the job growth for marriage and family therapists is on track to grow by an estimated 14% from 2021 to 2031; accounting for about 9,100 new jobs in the field over the decade.1
As an MFT, you will work with a diverse group of clients with various forms and degrees of behavioral and mental health issues. To be successful in this career, you should have strong and effective counseling skills, analytical reasoning skills and business knowledge. What your certificate in marriage and family therapy cannot teach you is empathy and flexibility. These are also key characteristics of effective therapists.
The top employers for marriage and family therapists are individual and family services, health practitioner offices, outpatient care centers and state government agencies. Some MFTs have their own private practice.2 In May 2021, the median annual wage for marriage and family therapists was $49,880, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.3
1 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2022, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Marriage and Family Therapists, retrieved on March 9, 2023.
2 Retrieved from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Marriage and Family Therapists Work Environment, in Sept. 2022
3 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics(“BLS”), Marriage and Family Therapists as of May 2021, retrieved on Dec. 6, 2022. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may also impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the BLS. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers from across the country with varying levels of education and experience and does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as marriage and family therapists. It does not reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country. It also does not reflect a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. You may also wish to compare median salaries if you are considering more than one career path. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, and accept employment from, determines salary not only based on education, but also individual characteristics and skills and fit to that organization (among other categories) against a pool of candidates.
Core Courses
Course Description
This survey course provides an introduction to the graduate certificate programs in childhood and adolescence disorders, marriage and family therapy, substance use disorders and addiction, and trauma. Students are introduced to the University policies and procedures, the learning management system, the library, and proper APA formatting for academic writing. In addition, students are introduced to the current DSM and how the information relates to the field of counseling. Students also learn about researching and utilizing community resources, and becoming certified in specializations.
Course Description
This course examines the dynamic processes of traditional and nontraditional family and couple relationships and the role, value, and benefits of family systems therapy. The biopsychosocial perspectives of family and family systems are evaluated along with the foundational development of marriage and family therapy. Assessment and treatment of couples and families are also addressed.
Course Description
This course examines the development of problems within the family of origin, and the historical and theoretical perspectives of couples and family system dynamics. It addresses the dynamics of the parent/child relationship, family of origin influences, partner selection, and premarital therapy. Family roles and interactional patterns are examined, as are parenting and changes in the parental relationships across the lifespan, resilience, and divorce. Skills and techniques relevant to couples, premarital counseling, family therapy, parenting, and lifestyle transitions are explored.
Course Description
This course examines the dynamic processes of diverse family systems, including multicultural families, blended families, same-sex parents, grandparents as primary caregivers, single-parent families, adoptive, foster, transitional families, and separated families.
Course Description
This course examines the impact of substance use and addictive disorders on family systems. Various treatment interventions are discussed. The treatment roles and responsibilities of addicted individuals and their families are also examined.
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.
* Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change.