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Marriage and family therapists are highly trained mental health professionals who bring a family-oriented perspective to health care. They evaluate and treat mental and emotional disorders and other health and behavioral problems and address a wide array of relationship issues within the context of the family system. Marriage and family therapists are licensed or certified in 50 states and are recognized by the federal government as members of a distinct mental health discipline. According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), marriage and family therapy is one of the fastest-growing mental health disciplines. Its prominence in the mental health field has increased due to its brief, solution-focused treatment, its family-centered approach, and its demonstrated effectiveness.

At Syracuse University, the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy is the longest-standing department of its kind in the country and prepares students for careers through comprehensive clinical training. It is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). From working with LGBTQ clients, issues of trauma, and challenges of childhood and parenting to marital and couple difficulties, moving beyond family violence, or easing relationship and communications struggles, students have specialized skill sets upon completion of the program that set them apart in the job search process. Degree programs include:

• The Marriage and Family Therapy M.A. prepares students for rewarding work in marriage and couples counseling and family therapy.
• The Marriage and Family Therapy M.A. Online, a 60-credit online curriculum with a short residency, allows students to study at your own pace. Both the residential and the online M.A. programs are accredited by COAMFTE and designed to meet the academic requirements for clinical membership in the AAMFT.
• The Marriage and Family Therapy and Social Work Dual Degree M.A./M.S.W.—the only one in the country—allows students to complete a master’s degree in two distinct professions in three years, while exposing students to philosophical and legal distinctions of both degrees.
• The Marriage and Family Therapy Ph.D., accredited by COAMFTE, is designed to provide students with an understanding of advanced theory with expertise in process and outcomes research methodology in marriage and family therapy.

Syracuse University is an accredited marriage and family therapy training program approved by the International Accreditation Commission for Systemic Therapy Education. Get more information on our degree programs.

Supervised Clinical Practice

The Department is housed in Peck Hall, which offers advanced teaching technologies and learning environments that further distinguish Syracuse’s program in marriage and family therapy from others across the country. With extensive hands-on training, both at the Couple and Family Therapy Center (CFTC), an on-campus clinical training and research facility, and at local community sites, students complete 500 hours of supervised clinical practice with individuals, couples and families.

The CFTC provides confidential therapy services to diverse clients from across Central New York. Here, students complete a large portion of their required supervised therapy hours working with actual clients referred from mental health and human service agencies, under the supervision of faculty who are licensed therapists, currently engaged in clinical practice, and AAMFT-approved supervisors. Special extensions of the CFTC include:

• The Gender Expansive Support Team (GEST) offers students training and experience working with individuals, couples, and families with a transgender/gender-expansive experience.
• In collaboration with Syracuse Community Connections (SCC), students provide therapy services at the Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility, Inc., which provides services to predominately African American, low-income residents and neighborhoods in the City of Syracuse.

In addition, the department develops and maintains partnerships in the community to provide clinical experience opportunities in hospitals, behavioral health clinics, health centers, private practices, and community non-profits. Internships start in the second year and students gain pre-employment experience alongside licensed mental health professionals.

• Peck Hall is situated adjacent to the McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center, enhancing collaborations specifically around issues of child and family trauma.
• The CFTC has ongoing relationships with several community agencies that serve resettled refugees, where students can provide clinical services and engage in research.
• Additional long-standing community partnerships include St. Joseph’s Hospital, The Salvation Army, Liberty Resources, and Vera House, a comprehensive domestic and sexual violence service agency, among many others.

Research

Students pursue their own research interests under faculty advisement or join faculty-led research projects. Faculty research and scholarly work in the Falk College Department of Marriage and Family Therapy has received federal and state grants and resulted in best-practices presentations and publications that span critical topics, such as trauma-informed practice, mental health training and service delivery for veterans and military families, supporting transgender youth and their families in therapy, and family relationships and mental health of refugees resettled in the U.S., among many others. For current research projects, visit the Falk Research Center website.

Employment Settings

Listed below are a series of market segments, as well as the types of potential employers looking for students with degrees in marriage and family therapy.

Health Care

According to BLS, much of the projected growth in employment of marriage and family therapists is due to the rise of patient treatment teams in health care systems. As part of these teams, therapists work together with other health professionals, such as physicians, nutritionists, and nurses, to provide holistic patient care.

Employment settings: Inpatient and outpatient centers and hospitals, health maintenance organizations, substance abuse and addiction treatment facilities, offices of health practitioners, mental health and counseling programs.

Government and Social Services

Therapists can pursue careers in government roles and social service agencies in direct service delivery, administration, and policy planning.

Employment settings: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, agencies and nonprofit organizations serving specific populations such as children, seniors, people with disabilities, or veterans and military families, and law firms, courts, prisons, and criminal justice systems.

Private Practice

Many marriage and family therapists work as private practice clinicians. In private practice, self-employed therapists work with clients of their own practice, which include individuals, couples, and family groups.

Education

Some therapists work in educational settings, where they directly serve children and adolescents, parents and guardians, and advise leadership on policy and administration.

Employment settings: Schools, school districts, Head Start and childcare centers.

Business

Marriage and family therapists can use their skills to serve employees as part of organizational wellness initiatives, either through direct service delivery or through consulting directly with business leaders on their employee benefits programs.

Employment settings: Business and consulting companies, human resources and employee assistance programs.

Research

Students who pursue a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy are prepared primarily for teaching, supervisory, and research positions. Researchers conduct studies to inform best practices for therapists so that patients receive the best possible care.

Employment settings: Graduate degree-granting institutions, training institutes, research organizations.

Build Your Network

To learn more, students interested in marriage and family therapy careers should explore related professional associations:

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Family Therapy Academy
American Psychological Association
Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
International Family Therapy Association
National Council on Family Relations

Learn More

For more information, please contact:

Falk College Office of Admissions
315.443.5555 | falk@syr.edu | visit the admissions website

Falk College Career Services
315.443.3144 | falkcareers@syr.edu | visit the career services website

Falk College Department of Marriage and Family Therapy
315.443.3023 | visit the marriage and family therapy website