The certificate program requires a student to complete 21 hours of credit. This includes 15 credits of core courses and 6 credits of practicum (see details below). A grade of “B” or higher must be earned for a course to count toward completion of the certificate. To see a full list of certificate courses and when they are usually offered, please refer to pages 4-6 of the CMFT Handbook.
Core Courses (15 hours)
- 3 hours in MFT Ethics;
- 6 hours in Couple and Family Studies; and
- 6 hours in Marriage and Family Therapy
These courses are not necessarily offered every year. Check Athena to see course listing for a specific semester. At least 6 hours of the core course hours must be taken outside of the student's department/school.The professional studies course HDFS/ECHD/SOWK 7350 counts towards 3 of the 6 hours even if the course is taught in the student's own department. No more than 3 of the 15 hours may be taken in split graduate/undergraduate courses.
Students are urged to take a course outside of the department very early in their program (i.e., in the first year of their respective graduate program). Students who wait until late in their program to take an out-of-department course often struggle to complete the certifciate due to class seat availability and/or competition with their practicum or within-department class schedule. Students must be mindful of any prerequisites that are required for courses outside of their deparment (noted in Handbook). Students should contact the professor of the course they are interested in taking for permission of department (POD).
Practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy (6 hours)
Students will register for practicum in their own programs of graduate study. Most agencies require at least two consecutive semesters of time commitment for practicum. The certificate program requires at least a two-semester commitment. Students are encouraged to enroll in more than the minimum hours of practicum. An appropriate practicum must provide the student the opportunity to work with couples and family clients under faculty supervision. Students whose practica allow opportunity for practice from a family systems perspective may earn the MFT certificate. Students are urged to seek practicum sites that meet this requirement through her/his own department/school.
Disclaimer: The hours accrued during practicum will not count towards MFT licensure unless supervised by an AAMFT approved supervisor and meet the definitions for practicum as set for in the Composite Board Rule 135-5.05 (12 months, minimum of 500 hours of direct clinical experience, etc.). Generally, certificate students who would like MFT licensure will need to complete supervised hours post-graduation.
Note: Please check State of Georgia requirements for MFT Licensure if you are interested in seeking licensure as an MFT via the certificate program (Chapter 135-5-.06). This information is available at: https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-marriage-and-family-therapist