Department of Marriage and Family Therapy

Marriage and Family Therapy (MS)

Admission Requirements
Contact Information

PROGRAM: Marriage and Family Therapy

Degree: Master of Science

Marriage and Family Therapist is a licensed profession in New York State. This program is in candidacy for accreditation by AAMFT: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to move toward licensure.

Campus Location: New Rochelle

Accreditation: The Iona Master’s in MFT received its “Initial Accreditation” from the Commission On Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education for a six year period: 1/31/2009 – 7/31/2015.

Does the program lead to licensure?
As of 2006 Marriage and Family Therapy is a Licensed Mental Health Profession in New York State. The Iona Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy is designated by the New York State Education Department as “Licensure Qualifying.” Upon completion of additional post-degree supervised clinical experience and successful passing of the National Marriage and Family Therapy Examination graduates are eligible for licensure in New York State. Graduates who intend to work in another state than New York are encouraged to review that state’s Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Requirements.

Supervised Practicum Hours: because the program is “Licensure Qualifying” the required, supervised clinical hours accumulated while in the program are applied toward the New York State requirements for Licensure as an MFT.

Supervised practicum requirements for the degree: the program has very rigorous requirements for both supervision and clinical experience. In order to graduate all students are required to complete: a.) 500 hours of supervised clinical experience, b.) these 500 hours must be face-to-face contact with clients: individuals, couples or families, c.) additionally 250 of the 500 must be with couples or families in the room, d.) graduates are required to accumulate 100 hours of clinical supervision with an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, e.) of those 100 hours of supervision – 50 must be “live supervision” via video, audio or live supervision ( cctv, one-way mirror, supervisor in the room).

For these reasons it is impossible for students to work full-time when the enter the clinical phase of their training in second year and third year. The supervised clinical experience requires a time commitment on the part of the student of at least one full day or several evening in addition to course work that is also taken in those two years.

Specific Foci of program: systemic and relational with an emphasis on structural, strategic, narrative and solution-focused models.

Key features:

• Program structured to meet COAMFTE accreditation guidelines
• One of only three “licensure-qualifying” programs in New York State, and the only one in the greater New York metropolitan area
• Small size of the program enables students to develop mentored relationships with faculty
• Vibrant clinical practice in the New Rochelle community with opportunities to work with a diverse, heterogeneous population
• Faculty are active in private practice, community organizations, and professional organizations
• Students represent a variety of ages, cultural and professional backgrounds

Sample job titles of alumni:
Assistant clinical director
Adjunct faculty
Marriage and family therapist
Counselor
Case manager

Faculty research areas/interests:
Varied, but include the effects of chronic illness on families, family therapy effectiveness, use of reflective teams in training marriage and family therapists

Calendar:
Semester (no summer classes)
Two hours, one evening a week
Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with some starting as early as 5:30 pm to enable completion of two classes in an evening

Entry terms:
Fall, spring (spring entry may be limited by program capacity)

Average course load per term:
3 courses (Three credits each)
Part-time study is possible but will lengthen the time to complete the degree. The degree must be completed within 5 years of the commencement of the program.

Credits to completion: 54

Average time to complete degree: 3 to 3.5 years

Internship/practicum required for degree completion:
Practica and internships are an integral part of the program and begin in the second year of full-time study, and are performed within the clinical practice at Iona and at community agencies under qualified supervision. Five hundred of the clinical hours may be applied toward licensure.

Preferred academic preparation or background experience:
Preference in admission will be given to behavioral science majors and those with related experience

Application deadline:
March 1 is strongly suggested

Admission requirements:

• Application for admission
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended
• Two professional letters of recommendation
• Minimum GPA 3.0 or at discretion of the director
• GRE (if cumulative undergraduate GPA is below 3.0; minimum 450 on verbal section)
• Autobiography/personal statement
• Resume
• Interview with program chair

Cross reference:

• Post-Master’s Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy
• MA in Mental Health Counseling

Department Contact: Dr. Robert A. Burns (914) 633-2073 rburns@iona.edu

Admissions Contact: (914) 633-2502 admissions@iona.edu

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