M.A. Marriage & Family Therapy Course Descriptions

This course is an overview of career development theories, career decision-making, lifestyle considerations, and the use of assessment instruments that help facilitate lifelong career development. (Prerequisite: None)

This course is an overview of career development theories, career decision-making, lifestyle considerations, and the use of assessment instruments that help facilitate lifelong career development. (Prerequisite: none)

This course provides an overview of the Marriage & Family Therapy profession including professional attitudes, integrity, and identity from a Christian worldview. It highlights ethical and legal issues, emphasizing application of the AAMFT and ACA codes of ethics to clinical situations. (Prerequisite: None)

This course addresses individual and family development and the interconnectedness of biopsychosocial and spiritual health from birth to later adulthood. It addresses the normal developmental processes that occur over the life span. It explores continuity and change within the developing family system. Health and wellness, the impact of technology in a person’s life and relationships, and digital literacy are explored. (Prerequisite: None)

This course serves as an overview to the field of marriage and family therapy and is designed to help students understand systems theory and the history and development of first generation family therapies. The emergence of specific approaches such as intergenerational models, marital and couples counseling, and sex therapy is discussed. It identifies leading figures in history and key influences in the field of marriage and family therapy. (Prerequisite: None)

This skills-based course focuses on basic counseling skills and techniques for working with individuals, couples, and families. Using role plays, students facilitate a counseling session, demonstrate micro-skills, and practice interpersonal effectiveness. This course is a hybrid course requiring online work and an intensive weekend spent on campus with hands-on training. (Prerequisite: MFT 513)

This course examines the etiology of psychopathology, the recognition and categorization of dysfunctional psychological and emotional patterns, and the diagnostic criteria as specified by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5). It also examines individual pathology from a systemic lens. (Prerequisite: None)

This course examines social and cultural foundations of behavior manifested in social systems, individuals, and diverse groups. Students are challenged to increase self-awareness, pursue understanding, and provide culturally sensitive therapy to all populations. (Prerequisite: None)

This course provides an overview of research methods, data collection and analysis, and reporting of results in the counseling and marriage and family therapy literature. Attention is given to the scholarly conducting of research, appropriate analysis, and critiques of research reports. In addition, program evaluation methods are review (Prerequisite: None)

This course addresses the historical and biblical understanding of theological perspectives on gender, singleness, marital covenant, family relationships, divorce and remarriage, sexuality, and parenting. (Prerequisite: None)

This course provides an overview of the major theories of counseling and their application to the helping relationship from a Christian worldview perspective. It presents the basic theoretical foundation for “classic” modern marriage and family therapy theories and examines the following sub-schools: Family Systems, Psychodynamic, Structural, Contextual, Strategic, Experiential, and Cognitive-Behavioral. Contrasts between theories are explored as well as an exploration of the tensions between the purposes and functions of family relationships. (Prerequisite: MFT 533)

This course considers the dynamics of marital, as well as premarital relationships by examining theoretical models of marital therapy and the skills and interventions in relationship counseling. Premarital counseling models are explored and evaluated. Students learn basic approaches to marital therapy along with systemic intervention techniques from a Christian perspective. Students practice applying their approach to therapy in a counseling setting with instructor feedback. This course is a hybrid course requiring online pre-work, an intensive weekend spent on campus with hands-on training, and online post-work. In addition to regular tuition, a course fee of $150 will be charged for the Prepare-Enrich certification. (Prerequisite: MFT 543)

This course builds on the course on psychopathology and diagnosis giving special emphasis to treating dysfunctional individual, couple, and family dynamics within a family systems perspective. This course involves selecting and applying interventions and techniques based on a range of MFT theories, and includes case conceptualization, assessment, diagnostic, 2022-2023 Graduate Studies Catalog & Handbook Page 48 and treatment planning skills using case examples. This course is a hybrid course requiring online pre-work, an intensive weekend spent on campus with hands on training, and online post-work. (Prerequisite: MFT 543)

This course examines and applies the practice of selecting, administering, and interpreting assessments. It provides an overview of psychological testing with emphasis on reliability and validity of instruments and results. Students provide written reports of various assessments discussed in class and used with volunteer participants. (Co-requisite: MFT 543)

This course helps students develop competencies in current and emerging contemporary issues, problems, and recent developments within Marriage and Family Therapy knowledge and practice. It prepares students to work effectively within complex community settings, such as medical and educational settings; develop an understanding of the history, concepts and consequences of social welfare policies of national, state, local and agency organizations; and equip them to utilize a networking system for resourcing needs. (Prerequisite: MFT 563)

This course covers aspects of sexuality development across the life span of individuals and families. It includes an overview of male and female sexual anatomy and physiology as well as sexual behavior across the life span. Sexual dysfunctions and difficulties, issues related to sexual identities and gender dysphoria, and the ways in which individuals’ sexual issues impact their intimate relationships are included. (Prerequisite: MFT 623)

This course examines contemporary and post-modern approaches to MFT such as Solution Focused, Narrative, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, the Gottman Method, and so on. The course provides an opportunity for students to continue to develop their own integrated, therapeutic framework as they form a deeper understanding of normal family development, the development of problems, and conditions for behavioral change. This course guides students in the conceptualization of family and couple dynamics, and the theory and application of interventions according to various therapeutic modalities. (Prerequisite: MFT 633)

This course focuses on applying the necessary skills of communication, intervention, and mediation that are essential in conducting family therapy. Students role play complex family situations and practice applying their own approach to therapy with immediate instructor feedback. This course is a hybrid course requiring online pre-work, an intensive weekend spent on campus with hands on training, and online post-work. (Prerequisite: MFT 543)

This capstone course in the MFT program pulls together the integration of faith, theological concepts about marriage, biblical application, professional identity, commitment to ethical practice, and the application of a Christ-centered approach to marriage and therapy. (Co-requisite: MFT 763)

This course introduces graduate students to the practice of counseling with actual clients in local placements. Students are required to secure outside placements with approved site supervision. Agencies provide onsite and students participate in groups supervision with program faculty. Practicum includes observation, shadowing, and supervised practice. Additional consideration of therapy ethics, person-of-the-therapist, self-care, and professional MFT skills examples of topics that are included. Prerequisites: MFT 543; MFT653.

This is an off-campus clinical internship and requires students to secure outside placements with approved site supervision. Students have the opportunity to practice and provide a variety of counseling related activities that would normally be expected of a counseling staff member. The 300-hour internship includes a minimum of 150 hours of direct service and weekly individual and group supervision. Prerequisites: MFT 661

The course is the final supervised, clinical internship in the program and provides students with the opportunity to integrate their knowledge, personal growth, faith, and clinical experiences and to refine competencies as a counselor/therapist with greater emphasis on professional identity and skill level of an entry level practitioner. Students are required to secure outside placements with approved site supervision. The 300-hour practicum includes a minimum of 150 hours of direct service with weekly individual and group supervision. Prerequisite: MFT 753.

This course is an overview of career development theories, career decision-making, lifestyle considerations, and the use of assessment instruments that help facilitate lifelong career development. Prerequisite: None.

This course allows students to study group theories, dynamics, process, and stages as well as provides the opportunity to learn and apply various systems to group counseling, by demonstrating learned skills and leadership. Students participate as a member of a group in order to gain a better understanding of group process. Prerequisite: None.

The Toccoa Falls College Orientation is designed for students who are new to graduate studies at TFC. The course equips students with knowledge, skills, and resources necessary for a positive experience as a graduate student at TFC. The College does not charge tuition for this course since it is a non-credit course; however, a passing grade in the course is a requirement to continue in the program. (0 hours, either semester)