Online Marriage & Family Counseling (Therapy) Certificate

Typical Admissions Requirements for Online MFT Certificate Programs

Schools in different states are not always in agreement about admissions requirements for online marriage and family counseling certificate programs. Online programs can vary as well, with some completely online, some a hybrid of in-person and online courses, and some online courses that may require an in-person visit or residency at some point in the program. 

Prerequisites vary, so be sure to check with the college of choice to become familiar with their admissions requirements. Generally, a prospective student applying to an online marriage and family therapy program can expect certain standard requirements. 

• Since this is a post-master’s certificate, the student should have already acquired a master’s degree from an accredited institution in a clinical field such as counseling, nursing, psychology, or social work.
• Prior to that, the student should have earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university.
• Each school’s graduate certificate will specify other general requirements for admission, including minimum grade point average, standardized test scores, and other similar criteria as part of the application. 
• The student must fill out an official application and typically pay an application fee.
• Just as with the requirements for getting into the master’s degree program, most schools will require a personal statement of interest in the program, typically in the form of an essay. 
• Official transcripts demonstrating any previously completed coursework and GPA.
• At least one letter of recommendation from someone in the field is usually required.
• Some programs may want a resume or CV that shows relevant work history.
• If the student has any sort of related licensure, they may be asked to provide proof of that, or at a minimum, proof that they are eligible to be licensed. 
• Students must meet English proficiency requirements.
• Often, schools will require an interview with faculty members.

Supervised Clinical Hour Requirements & Internships in MFT Programs

To qualify for professional MFT licensure in most states, prospective marriage and family counselors must complete between 1,000 and 3,000 hours of professional practice post-certificate completion.

Counseling programs that lead to licensure typically have a supervised practicum or internship component. Once students reach a certain level in their completed coursework, they are eligible to begin internships that involve more hands-on learning, including seeing real clients, as long as they work under the tutelage of a licensed mental health professional. 

The supervised clinical hour requirements and internships phase is often the point at which students can begin to explore specialties or particular environments in which they wish to work. This is the real career preparatory phase for most students, in which they work in hands-on settings to cultivate a deep understanding of their future career. Some supervised programs lead toward competency for sitting for licensing exams and eventual licensure. Other programs are non-licensure tracks.

Licensure track certificate programs will have curriculum and practicum experience that should meet that state’s licensure board requirements. Non-licensure track certificates will typically not include practicums or capstone projects. Non-licensure track programs are designed to teach couple and family dynamics in a clinical setting. These tracks do not meet most states’ curriculum requirements and practicum experience for MFT licensure. 

Online program advisors will typically work diligently to find an opportunity for supervision hours within or close to their home communities if that is part of the program. If the state in which the student resides has a unique requirement, the online academic advisor can help ensure that the supervised environment meets the licensure or graduation requirements. 

Featured Online Marriage & Family Counseling (Therapy) Certificate Programs

Grand Canyon University – College of Humanities and Social Sciences 

Grand Canyon University is a private Christian university in Arizona with tens of thousands of online students attending classes from around the world.

This post-master’s certificate in marriage counseling provides an intensive overview of marriage and family-related issues, including premarital counseling, domestic violence, divorce, family reunification, and working with military families. Students can earn their marriage and family therapy certificate via the school’s collaborative and robust online platform. 

• Location: Phoenix, Arizona
• Duration: 15 credits; courses are eight weeks
• Accreditation: Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). GCU is also authorized in Arizona by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education

Capella University

Capella University’s systemic couple and family therapy graduate certificate is fully online and features five core courses for 20 total credits. Courses introduce the profession of marriage and family therapy and its underlying systemic theoretical framework, as well as discuss ethics, therapeutic strategies and techniques, family development, and couples theory. 

Capella offers a free trial course for a nongraded, noncredit way to experience the online course room. Students will need to pursue external supervised hours.

• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Duration: 12 months
• Accreditation: Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC); the marriage and family master’s degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) 

National University

National University’s online marriage and family therapy post-master’s certificates are designed to help professionals develop skill sets and knowledge in a particular therapy area beyond the master’s degree level. 

Classes start every Monday and there are four professionally relevant specializations: post-master’s certificate in general marriage and family therapy, post-master’s certificate in therapy with military families, post-master’s certificate in couple therapy, and post-master’s certificate in therapy with military families. No GRE or other standardized test scores are required to apply to National University. 

• Location: San Diego, California
• Duration: 18 credits, six courses, 13 months
• Accreditation: National University is regionally accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission; the MFT program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE); and the International Accreditation Commission for Systemic Therapy Education (IACSTE)

Regent University

The certificate of graduate studies in marriage, couple & family counseling, offered online and on-campus in Virginia Beach, is for students who already hold a master’s or doctorate in any mental health field. It is not intended for initial licensure as a counselor. 

Students will explore the stages of relationship development, sexual dysfunction, addiction, and couples therapy methodologies. Regent’s certificate programs are presented from a Christian worldview. 

• Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Duration: 18 credits, one year; program must be completed within five years
• Accreditation: Regent University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); the master of arts in marriage, couple, and family counseling is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) 

Adler Graduate School

Adler’s Graduate School’s post-master’s certificate in counseling is not designed for initial licensure as a counselor but is offered as an endorsement for licensure to meet state credentialing requirements for students who may have earned a clinical master’s degree but have not completed the current educational requirements for state licensure. 

This specialized program offers two specialty tracks: clinical mental health counseling and marriage, couples, and family counseling. It offers counselors with specializations in other areas (such as addictions, school, or career counseling) to gain specialized experience with families.  

• Location: Minnetonka, Minnesota
• Duration: 21 to 27 credits
• Accreditation: Adler Graduate School is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

George Fox University

George Fox University is Oregon’s oldest and largest Christian university. Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) in Oregon are required to have either a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy or a master’s degree in a mental health field with a certificate in marriage and family therapy. 

George Fox University’s marriage, couple, and family counseling certificate program is open to students who already have a mental health degree or for mental health professionals who want to be better equipped to work with families. 

• Location: Portland, Oregon
• Duration: 2-4 years 
• Accreditation: George Fox University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; the master of arts in marriage, couple, and family counseling is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

Degrees Related to Marriage & Family Counseling (Therapy) Certificate Programs

Maryville University

Aspiring marriage and family therapists must first complete a bachelor’s degree before enrolling in a master’s level program. Maryville University offers an online bachelor of arts in human development and family studies to help students prepare for additional studies and a potential career in counseling. The flexible coursework can be completed on the student’s schedule, allowing space to care for family or work while earning this degree. For ambitious students, there are service learning opportunities that help them gain real-world experience. 

With no SAT or ACT score requirements and a waived application fee, enrolling in this program can be very simple. The only requirements for admission include a high school diploma or GED, a 2.5 minimum GPA, and official transcripts. 

• Location: St. Louis, Missouri
• Duration: Four years
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Walden University 

Walden offers a master of science in clinical mental health counseling, a master of science in school counseling, and a dual degree of the two educational tracks. Walden has been a pioneer in offering online access to higher education; in 1995 Walden offered the nation’s first fully online master’s program in education. 

Within the general clinical mental health counseling program, students choose from six specialties: marriage and family counseling, military families and culture, trauma and crisis counseling, forensic counseling (which works in tandem with the criminal justice system to determine the proper resolution of cases and the most effective treatment for offenders), and addiction counseling.

This fully online school offers monthly payment plan options that allow students to pay tuition in installments with no interest. 

• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Duration: The general program is 111 credits; specialties are 121 credits.
• Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

Liberty University 

With 263 master’s programs, many 100 percent online, faith-based Liberty University is a leader in online education. Liberty offers several master’s programs with variations in counseling and specializations. Underneath the umbrella of pastoral counseling are the options of a master of arts in pastoral counseling, addiction and recovery, life coaching, crisis response and trauma, military resilience, and marriage and family studies. All of these comprise eight-week courses that total 36 credits. 

A marriage and family therapy master of arts prepares students for licensure as a marriage and family therapist (MFT). This MA degree is designed to meet the requirements for licensure as an MFT in Virginia, and they have provided a State Requirements page for information about other states’ licensure requirements.

While the counseling master’s degree programs are available online, there are also optional on-campus intensives. The online pastoral counseling program is overseen by the School of Behavioral Sciences but still receives the School of Divinity’s discounted graduate tuition rate (see below).

• Location: Lynchburg, Virginia
• Duration: 36 credits and one and a half years for pastoral counseling programs; 60 credits and two to three years for marriage and family therapy
• Accreditation: Liberty University and the pastoral counseling programs are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); the marriage and family therapy program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

Capella University 

Capella University’s online master of science in marriage and family therapy uses a combination of online education and in-person learning experiences. They also offer an online bachelor’s in psychology in pre-counseling for students who are considering a career in counseling. 

The flexible master’s program prepares students for state licensure. This degree requires the completion of two residencies, which allow students to interact with other students and faculty in person. Each residency is embedded within a six-week online course. During weeks one through three, students work exclusively online. A six-day in-person residency follows during week four. Weeks five and six are once again completed online. During the residency experience, students will consult with faculty to receive direction and feedback, and participate in peer review sessions.

In addition to the two six-day residencies, the degree requires a minimum of 500 internship hours. The four internship courses require 500 direct client contact hours, with 200 or more of those hours being relational. The internship is supervised and performed at an approved fieldwork site. The capstone exam is a 200-question, multiple-choice national licensing exam. Capella also offers a free trial course for a nongraded, noncredit way to experience the online course room. 

The bachelor’s degree in psychology in pre-counseling requires 180 credits to complete, but up to 135 credits can be transferred from previous institutions. Students can also complete a prior learning assessment to receive credit for professional experience or certifications. As part of this program, students will complete three master’s level classes that will give them a jump start towards their future degree in counseling.  

• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Duration: Bachelor’s 180 credits (four years); master’s 72 credits (two years)
• Accreditation: Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC); the marriage and family program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)

Alliant International University 

Alliant’s master of arts in marriage and family therapy offers its coursework completely online and is one of only five such programs in the nation to be COAMFTE-accredited. They also have a traditional on-campus program offered at several California campuses, which is one of only eight COAMFTE-accredited programs in the state of California. 

Alliant requires all applicants to have a minimum 3.0 GPA, along with official transcripts, a resume or CV, letters of recommendation, and a personal essay. Marriage and family therapy students have the option to earn a specialization in chemical dependency, which prepares students to help people facing addiction. 

The master’s program is offered as both a semester-long and eight-week term program and is open for enrollment during each of those respective enrollment periods. The program is 60 credits and takes a minimum of two years to complete, either across six semesters or 13 terms. This program includes 500 hours of direct client contact—at least 250 with couples or families. Students receive at least 100 hours of individual and group supervision, at least 50 hours of which are based on direct observation or videotape.

• Location: San Diego, California (in-person campuses located in Fresno, Irvine, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco
• Duration: 60 credits, two years
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE); the chemical dependency program is accredited by the California Association for Drug/Alcohol Educators 

Arizona State University

Arizona State University offers students two options for online undergraduate degrees that will help prepare them for future marriage and family counseling studies. They are a bachelor of science in family and human development or a bachelor of science in counseling and applied psychological science. Both degrees require approximately four years of full-time studies but can be completed in less if students have transfer credits. 

The bachelor of science in family and human development emphasizes the theory and practical skills behind healthy human development and relationships, while the bachelor of science in counseling and applied psychological science focuses on mental well-being, counseling theory, trauma, and ethics. Both degrees require students to complete clinical practices, adequately preparing them for non-licensure jobs in behavioral health or for additional studies to become licensed counselors. 

• Location: Phoenix, Arizona
• Duration: Four years
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Lamar University

Lamar University offers an online master’s of education in counseling and development. This degree has an optional concentration in marriage, couple, and family counseling. In just two years of distance education, students can be prepared to work with clients and help them improve their relationships. Students should be aware that while this program does meet the requirements for licensing in the state of Texas, it may not meet the education requirements for other states. 

Although the bulk of this degree is through online learning, students are required to attend one five-day residency at the beginning of their studies. The faculty who teach in the online program are the same ones who teach on-campus, so students will receive the same quality of education no matter where they study.     

• Location: Beaumont, Texas
• Duration: As little as 30 months
• Accreditation: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Jobs for Marriage & Family Counselors

Become an Outpatient Care Center Counselor

There are a wide variety of outpatient care centers where MFTs are employed. These centers involve office visits with no overnight stays and can be private offices, community mental health centers, veteran’s centers, hospital centers, or other settings where visitors are seen. 

Therapists at these centers can work with children, adolescents, adults, and seniors and they may help with general life management issues or issues as specific as depression, substance abuse, sexual trauma, or sexual identity. Marriage and family therapists may work with specific populations, such as the LGBTQ community, military veterans, or the prison population, helping them deal with issues that affect their relationships and families.

Become a School Counselor

People with MFT certificates or degrees work at all levels of the school system from K-12 to graduate students, in both public and private educational settings. The families of troubled elementary school students need help from MFTs, as do out-of-control teenagers or graduate students struggling with identity issues or eating disorders, just to give a few examples. 

School counseling provides a setting with a lot of variety. During their workday, a school counselor can support the entire student body with social/emotional issues, schoolwide prevention, and intervening in issues among parents, teachers, administrators, and the larger community. They can also help with testing and interpreting results, advocating for students, and helping school leadership identify and resolve issues affecting the entire student body.