Department of Marriage and Family Sciences

Mission Statement

The mission of the Northcentral University Department of Marriage and Family Sciences is to provide personalized educational opportunities to students throughout the world that will allow them to acquire the knowledge, skills, and values integral to professional practice within the marriage and family sciences.

Vision Statement

The vision of the Northcentral University Department of Marriage and Family Sciences is to improve the human condition by engaging a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students through education, research, and practice.

Department Goals

The Northcentral University Department of Marriage and Family Sciences promotes the development of:

Specialized knowledge and skills in discipline-specific models and theories
Ethical professionals
Commitment to affirm and promote diversity
Research competency
Practical skills that positively impact individuals, families, and communities

Licensure and Accreditation

Students wishing to use their graduate training to acquire clinical licensure are advised to enter the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT) program or the Master of Social Work (MSW) program. Northcentral University does not approve or endorse students attempting to become clinically licensed without successfully completing a formal clinical degree program. Northcentral University does offers two programs that qualify students to apply for clinical licensure in most states - the MAMFT and MSW programs.

Only state licensure boards can guarantee or approve a degree to meet each state’s specific educational requirements. NCU has designed the MAMFT and MWS programs to meet most state licensure requirements. However, it is the responsibility of any student who intends to seek licensure or certification to become familiar with their state requirements and ensure the degree meets whatever requirements are stipulated by licensing or certification bodies within their locality and their field of endeavor. Northcentral University faculty can provide assistance to students regarding the interpretation or understanding of a state’s licensure requirements, or the requirements of any other such entity, but cannot speak for a state licensing board that makes the final determination and interpretation of any state requirements. Northcentral University cannot guarantee that a graduate of the MFT or MSW programs will be able to obtain a license in a state where they may seek licensure.

Students who complete courses with practical application are responsible for keeping all clinical demographic data and supervision records for presentation to any licensing or certification agency. Northcentral provides access to a web-based hours tracking system, however, the University is not responsible for maintaining these records and may not be able to provide this information if a student applies for licensure or certification.

If you wish to pursue licensure, it is important to know that some states require that students have a degree from a program that carries a particular accreditation, such as the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), the Council for Social Work Accreditation (CSWE), the American Psychological Association (APA), or the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The MAMFT and the PHDMFT programs are COAMFTE accredited and the MSW program is in the process of seeking accreditation.

Liability Insurance

Students in internship or practicum courses must purchase liability insurance prior to starting work with clients. Many practicum/internship sites require students to show evidence of liability coverage prior to beginning a practicum/internship. Northcentral requires students participating in practicum/internship to purchase student professional liability insurance, typically available at a lower student rate. Students are required to provide proof of this insurance with minimum coverage accounts of $1,000.000/$3,000,000. Insurance is included in the benefits of student membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) or the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT). Information regarding application for membership is provided in the ethics course of the MAMFT program. Information regarding liability insurance for the MSW program will be provided as students approach their field placement and practicum experiences.

Marriage and Family Therapy Information

MFT Preparation for Practicum

The clinical training process can begin any time after completion of the ninth course (students in the MAMFT-CA program are encouraged to begin after the twelfth course). Once this requirement is met, students are required to complete the Practicum Preparation Process (PPP), including all pre-practicum documents, before they can enroll in their first practicum course and before they can legally see clients in a clinical training site.

Non-Degree Seeking Students - In order to be eligible for clinical work while a student at NCU, non-Degree seeking students need to demonstrate passing grades in all pre-requisite (or equivalent) courses from an accredited university. The six content areas for pre-requisite coursework include: one course in theoretical foundations, one course in professional ethics, one course in clinical assessment, one course in diagnosis/psychopathology, and two courses in treatment methods/models of therapy/counseling. Non-degree students will need to provide a copy of their transcripts to confirm successful completion (passing grades) of these pre-requisite courses.

Practicum Information

Participation in Marriage and Family Therapy practicum courses requires approval from the Director MFT of Clinical Training prior to enrollment in the clinical courses. Students wishing to enroll in a practicum course should begin the approval process with their Academic and Finance Advisor at least three months prior to their anticipated practicum enrollment date. Additional details regarding practicum options within each degree program are included in the program description section.

Internship Information

The Marriage and Family Therapy internship courses require pre-internship approval from the Director MFT of Clinical Training prior to enrollment. The student’s Academic and Finance Advisor should be contacted in order to begin this process. Additional details regarding internship options within each degree program are included in the program description sections.

Non-Degree Seeking Students

Students who are not pursuing a degree with NCU, but who wish to enroll in Practicum or Internship courses must demonstrate that they meet the same clinical readiness standards as NCU degree seeking students.

These standards include:

Successful passing of a background check
Successful completion of pre-requisite (or equivalent) courses (demonstrated by transcript from an accredited university)
Acknowledgement of the informed consent, technology checklist, and clinical handbook documents
Proof of an active professional liability insurance policy
Clinical readiness interview

Non-degree seeking students must complete the same SASVAC (site and supervisor vetting and contracting) process as degree seeking students. In addition, non-degree seeking students are required to complete an individualized clinical training plan. This plan must be signed by the student and it outlines student and NCU expectations and responsibilities related to the completion of clinical training.

Programs

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy

Master of Social Work

Post-Master’s Certificate

Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy

Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy