Couples and Family Therapy
The program trains clinicians to be well-versed in major models of couple and family therapy. PBU prepares professionals to be specialists in Couple and Family Therapy through advanced training. Our program prepares doctoral candidates with advanced specialized skills, experience, and knowledge as clinicians, educators, and researchers. The PhD in Couple and Family Therapy curriculum prepares students to serve a culturally diverse society. The PhD curriculum in Couple and Family Therapy is based on the Doctoral Form 605 (Effective July 2013) Page 5 of 14 Curriculum set forth by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
Program Description:
The Clinical Sexology program is committed to providing high quality education and to prepare licensed psychologists. psychotherapists. Social workers, and other mental health and medical providers to provide clinical sexology to their already licensed practice. The program does not prepare unlicensed students to meet initial licensing requirements in any field. This program is taught in person.
Program Outcomes:
Upon Completion, participants will be able to:
✇ Educate at a college and master’s level
✇ Supervise marriage and family therapists
✇ Explore a branch of the field and use it in clinical practice
✇ Provide psychotherapy to couples and families
Objectives:
1. To prepare students to serve a culturally diverse society.
2. To train students who become professional counselors to practice within ethical, legal, multicultural, social justice and advocacy competency guidelines of the profession
3. To provide didactic and experiential opportunities for students to assess, conceptualize, diagnose and treat couples and families from a strengths-based perspective unique to the counseling profession.
4. To help students prepare for and develop successful careers in academia, health care administration, private practice, research and behavioral health.
5. To train students to be highly competent advanced clinicians in CFT and to develop students who are competent in teaching CFT, in providing clinical supervision in CFT, and in conducting CFT-related research utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. CFT doctoral students will also develop a focus on social justice and human diversity issues across all areas of the curriculum
Courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
| DCFT 700 | Couples therapy theory and Research | 3 |
| DCFT 701 | Advanced Theories in CFT | 3 |
| DCFT 702 | Dynamics of Family Interaction | 3 |
| DCFT 703 | Scholarly Literature Review in MFT | 2 |
| DCFT 704 | Culturally Sensitive Care in CFT | 3 |
| DCFT 705 | Fundamental of Supervision in CFT | 3 |
| DCFT 706 | Couple Therapy: Clinical Application | 3 |
| DCFT 707 | Introduction to Systems Theory & Thinking | 3 |
| DCFT 708 | Substance Abuse/Addictions | 1 |
| DCFT 709 | Law and Professional Ethics | 3 |
| DCFT 710 | Systemic Family Therapy I | 3 |
| DCFT 800 | Systemic Family Therapy II | 3 |
| DCFT 801 | Research Methods in MFT | 2 |
| DCFT 802 | Quantitative Analysis in MFT | 3 |
| DCFT 803 | Quantitative Measure and Design in MFT | 3 |
| DCFT 804 | Grant Writing & Funding Opportunities | 1 |
| DCFT 900 | Internship | 10 |
| DCFT 901 | Couple & Family Therapy Dissertation | 10 |
| DCFT 902 | Couple & Family Therapy Dissertation Defense | 10 |
| DCFT SM1 | Doctoral Seminar I | 1 |
| DCFT SM2 | Doctoral Seminar I | 1 |
| DCFT SM3 | Doctoral Seminar I | 1 |
Internship Course
Palm Beach University requires students to complete an internship course for the Couple and Family Therapy program. The internship course is offered in three consecutive semesters, Spring, Summer and Fall. Students may repeat this course for credit. Each semester students accrue a minimum of 100 supervised hours of direct service to clients in
an approved clinical setting. The course covers topics of: professional roles and functions in clinical settings, ethical decision making, strategies for providing marriage and family therapy with diverse populations. The course also examines issues of pedagogy for the Marriage and Family practitioner.
Tuition & Fee
Tuition/Fees for Ph.D. in Couple and Family Therapy | Dollar Amount |
Tuition | $30,000.00 |
Application Fee - non-refundable | $100.00 |
Course Re-take Fee | $50.00 |
Duplicate Diploma | $75.00 |
Supervision Fee | $100.00 |