Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) help couples and families overcome their interpersonal issues. They work with their clients in one-on-one sessions, family sessions and couples sessions to build a disciplined routine around mindful habits. They are required to earn certifications and hold a master’s degree from an accredited college or university to legally practice. 

An MFT degree teaches prospective therapists the necessary tools and techniques to help facilitate positive change in the lives of their clients. There are many online MFT programs available for students who are looking for flexibility in their schedules. For more information about LMFT degree programs in 2020, take a look at the list of programs below.

Earn Your Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy With Northwestern University

The COAMFTE-accredited online MFT can be completed in as few as 24 months. Enjoy the same rigorous curriculum and expert teaching as in the on-campus program. Full- and part-time options available.

• COAMFTE-accredited program
• Convenient 24-month option
• No GRE required to apply
• Full- and part-time tracks available

Request more info from Northwestern University.

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Pepperdine University’s Online MFT Master’s Program

Pepperdine prepares you to pursue licensure as an LMFT or LPC, allowing you to make a powerful impact in the lives of others in as few as 27 months. With no GRE required, apply to the master’s in marriage and family therapy online from Pepperdine and begin creating a positive social impact. Part-time track available.

• No GRE required
• Bachelor degree required
• Complete as few as 27 months

Request more info from Pepperdine University.

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Compare Online Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Degree Programs | What is an MFT? | MFT Degree Program Details | What Can You Do with an MFT Degree? | Licensure Requirements to Become an LMFT | Salary and Job Outlook | Resources for MFT Students and Graduates | FAQs | Return to Top

A marriage and family therapist (MFT) is a licensed professional who diagnoses, assesses and treats a variety of clients with different issues. To become an MFT , these professionals must earn at least an MFT degree (or similar) and complete a minimum threshold of clinical internship hours, supervision and board exams. An MFT can work in numerous settings including private practices, schools, government agencies, medical facilities and nonprofits.

Although the terms therapist and clinical psychologist are often used interchangeably, the titles are different.

A clinical psychologist requires a doctoral degree in a psychology discipline. Many psychologists conduct research, teach in higher education, and work alongside psychiatrists. They may also receive licensure through the American Psychological Association. That said, they may also provide clinical psychotherapy to individuals, families or couples.

Although some therapists have doctoral degrees, it is not a requirement for the career. Therapists and most mental health professionals must have master’s degrees  to provide services to clients independently. Therapists typically receive licensure from their individual state boards.

A licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) and a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) might seem like similar positions, but they are actually quite different. 

A LMFT focuses primarily on families and their immediate influences when providing therapy. They use many techniques to help individuals cope with their issues in a sustainable way. LMFTs typically use cognitive behavioral therapy to help their clients overcome unproductive thought patterns. 

On the other hand, an LCSW spends their time helping clients with mental, behavioral and emotional problems. Licensed clinical social workers are a unique group of social workers who can create treatment plans and diagnose their clients without the need of a specialized therapist. LCSWs are required to have a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and maintain their state certification.

There are two more professions that seem similar, but are actually very different. The two therapist roles are a LMFT and a licensed professional counselor (LPC).  

LMFTs provide families and couples help with managing their interpersonal issues. LMFTs teach their clients the importance of identifying destructive behaviors through one-on-one or family therapy sessions. Many work in private practices and meet regularly with their clients to maintain a disciplined routine.

LPCs evaluate their clients’ mental well-being and create treatment plans to help them reach their goals. They may specialize in mental health, but do not necessarily have to as they help clients deal with a variety of issues ranging from stress and low self-esteem to grief or loss of a loved one. LPCs work in private practices and other health care facilities including mental health and outpatient care centers.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in a helping profession, check out how to become a counselor.

The first step toward becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist is earning a marriage and family counseling degree. There are several traditional and online MFT programs available for prospective therapists. Students should consider school accreditation, location, length and rigor of the program, and financial aid when narrowing down their options. In terms of admissions, each school has its own GRE requirement and GPA requirement.

Each school has its own unique admission requirements. However, students may need:

Coursework will vary depending on the university, but coursework for a master’s in marriage and family therapy degree (PDF, 700 KB) may include:

Clinical case conceptualization and formulation

The clinical case conceptualization and formulation classes will help the aspiring clinician to collectively understand the client’s problems as a whole before addressing any specific problems. It is supported by a body of research that is used in tandem with the social, psychological and biological observations of the client.

Research methods and data analysis

An MFT must learn how to critically analyze a situation before they can step into the field. Research methods and data analysis provides the means for counselors to accurately diagnose their client’s issues and provide them with an action-oriented approach to overcoming their problems. 

Family systems

Family systems theory is all about families functioning as a collective unit, or system, where each member has their designated roles and responsibilities. An MFT learns to understand the various archetypes and devises a treatment plan to help introduce flexibility where rigid family paradigms exist.

Couples therapy

To be able to address the needs of couples and the individuals that make them up, an MFT must know how to facilitate healthy conversations. Couples therapy courses cover techniques to manage conflicts, promote deeper friendships and renewed intimacy. Aspiring MFTs will also learn how to empirically evaluate scenarios to help reach resolutions in an effective manner.

The counseling process

Before an MFT can begin practicing on their own, they must demonstrate that they have a competent understanding of the counseling process. In this interpersonal course, students learn the basic principles of effective counseling, communicating and interviewing so they can accurately determine their clients needs. 

Field experience

MFTs have different field hour requirements per state before they are able to legally practice therapy. Field experience is completed with an LMFT present, supervising the students as they learn to conduct effective therapy sessions on their own. Field experience can be done in a variety of settings, usually in alignment with the student’s field of choice.

To become an MFT, all MFT students must complete several years of traineeship or internship clinical fieldwork in order to become eligible for licensure. Most schools provide clinical placement support when students are ready to start their fieldwork. Some programs have a working list of approved sites that students may use when applying for their fieldwork position.

Fieldwork provides students with the valuable opportunity of learning to practice therapy while receiving ongoing clinical supervision and support. Most schools require that students discuss their current clinical cases via conceptualization papers and supervision meetings. Each state has its own requirements in terms of the number of hours and type of hours students must accrue before becoming licensed.

Like traditional campuses, online schools typically offer many student support services throughout the program. Such services and resources depend on the particular institution, but they may include:

Many online programs offer synchronous or live class discussions in their curriculums. Synchronous classes entail interactive discussions through different mediums like video chat, live talking and instant messaging. Students gather to meet in their virtual classrooms at a designated time each week or month.

Asynchronous classes, on the other hand, refers to the coursework that isn’t live. For example, this may apply to independent homework, message board responses, listening to audio recordings and reviewing presentations. Despite having deadlines, students enjoy the freedom of working on their own schedules.

Large class sizes can be overwhelming for both the students and instructors. Research shows that small class sizes have many positive effects (PDF, 326 KB). These benefits include:

Each institution has its own limits of class and cohort sizes. However, prospective students can and should inquire about these sizes during the application process.

MFTs primarily use cognitive behavioral therapy to help their clients understand their thoughts and perceptions. The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to reverse the thought patterns that make the client’s life difficult and establish healthier outlooks to use going forward. This is done systematically by asking questions and listening to the answers to find underlying problems in the client’s psyche. 

Questions can be related to how a person feels when they receive praise or reliving a past experience to help clarify emotional responses. While the client is experiencing their deep emotions, the MFT provides support and feedback that helps to nurture their growth. Cognitive behavioral therapy is all about building coping tools that keep life in perspective. 

MFTs assist individuals, couples and families in addressing their relationship problems. By earning their MFT degree, they learn how to help others cope and address their issues. While there are many different tools and techniques an LMFT will learn while earning their degree, there are also many skill sets to learn. The skills one can expect to gain from a degree in marriage and family therapy include: 

LMFTs and MFTs have the ability to work in many different locations due to their advanced training. These places include schools, health care offices, inpatient care facilities such as hospitals, outpatient care facilities, private practices, social service agencies, mental health centers and nursing care facilities. 

MFTs are employed at all levels of the system, from entry-level workers to chief executives. No matter what level the role is, the overall duty is still fairly similar. LMFTS and MFTs help to implement sustainable health care practices for their companies and their clients. As MFTs advance their careers, there may be the opportunity to oversee company and community well-being. This includes designing treatment plans that encompass large groups of people. 

A doctorate in marriage and family therapy is the highest level of education that an MFT can achieve. Some students pursue this track because they want to conduct research, supervise therapists or work in academia. Others simply want to apply advanced principles and knowledge to their clinical practice. The doctorate may provide more career opportunities due to the additional education and fieldwork requirements.

Depending on the school, degree names and options vary. Examples include:

Those who are interested in pursuing their doctoral studies in MFT have many options to consider. Earning a Ph.D. in MFT may lead to new career opportunities because marriage and family therapy is a broad, all-encompassing term. This means that a master’s degree holder can study counseling related to a variety of topics such as a specific philosophy or trauma-related illness to become a specialized MFT. Whether you want to work more closely with clients or spend time on your research, there are options for continuing education after earning a master’s degree.

Licensure and certification laws for MFTs serve the purpose of helping the public clearly identify qualified practitioners. LMFTs and MFTs who have their license or certificate have met or surpassed the necessary clinical experience and education needed to legally practice. For most states, this means they have at least 2,000 documented hours of clinical experience  providing services under direct supervision of an approved LMFT. To learn more about licensure and certification requirements, read our article on how to become an MFT.

While all states require MFTs to have a master’s or doctoral degree to practice, there are some differences for state requirements.

MFTs are subject to state-specific requirements to be able to legally practice.  50 states and territories have some type of regulation that stipulates whether MFTs can practice in a state, so it makes the most sense to view your state’s advisory board to know your requirements. For example, California’s licensure laws are much stricter than other states. They require therapists to accrue more than 3,000 hours and 104 weeks of supervision separated by therapy type, such as couples or family therapy, as well as treatment environments, such as telehealth.

The salary and job outlook for marriage and family therapists is promising. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the growth rate for MFT jobs between 2020 and 2030 is expected to be 16%, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The increase in job demand that is expected is due to the integrative practices that are growing more commonplace in health care facilities. Integrative care allows MFTs to work with other health care professionals to give a holistic overview and treatment for clients. 

According to the BLS, the median annual wage for MFTs is $49,880. The top 10% of earners took home $96,520 while the lowest 10% earned $37,050. The majority of earners who made more than $50,000 worked in outpatient care centers or in the state government (excluding education and hospitals). 

BBS: Board of Behavioral Sciences State Licensing Board

The Board of Behavioral Sciences State Licensing Board (BBS) aims to provide Californians a standard for the safe, ethical and competent practice of mental health counseling. They set, communicate and enforce each standard so residents of California can trust in the competency of their therapists.

AAMFT: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is the professional association for representing all LMFTs and MFTs in the U.S., Canada and abroad. Their Clinical Fellow develops social and family policies and promotes research that advances the field of marriage and family therapy.

IFTA: International Family Therapy Association

The International Family Therapy Association (IFTA) collaborates with professionals from around the world to improve the quality of family therapy. They provide international conferences that educate audiences about a variety of topics related to the improvement of family therapy standards.

CAMFT: California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists

The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) is an independent professional organization dedicated to improving the field of marriage and family therapy. They actively monitor and work with regulatory boards and state legislatures to sponsor bills and pass laws that help the public receive higher quality care. 

AMA: American Counseling Association

As a not-for-profit organization, the American Counseling Association (AMA) dedicates itself to the advancement of the counseling profession. Their mission is to create ethical standards that protect those who use counseling services and provide education and professional development for counselors.

AFTA: American Family Therapy Academy

The American Family Therapy Academy (AFTA) is an organization of family therapists and associated professionals, such as program directors, clinicians and researchers, who work toward creating a national organization free from bias. They pride themselves on thinking critically about the systematic theory and practice of ethical counseling and transforming social contexts to promote the overall wellbeing of families and communities.

NCFR: National Council on Family Relations

The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) is “the oldest nonprofit, nonpartisan, multidisciplinary professional association focused solely on family research, practice, and education.” Founded in 1938, their mission is to provide an educational forum for educators, practitioners and researchers to share their insights and methodologies to improve the field of family therapy.

Delta Kappa: International Marriage and Family Therapy Honor Society

As the official honor society for the field of marriage and family therapy, Delta Kappa serves to work with the AMA, the AFTA and the IFTA to promote the ethical practice of family counseling. They provide educational training for emerging leaders, structure for developing forums and promote achievements within the field.

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Last Updated: May 2022