Advisors:
Gary Bischof, Karen Blaisure, Alan Hovestadt
Department Office, Room 3102, Sangren Hall.

The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy provides students with academic course work and clinical practica designed to prepare individuals for entry level positions as family therapists in medical and private practice settings, and in public, private non-profit, and private agencies. Students who complete the program will have met the academic degree requirements to be eligible to apply for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Michigan and Clinical Membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. This program is offered in collaboration with the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy is based upon undergraduate and graduate grade point average, educational background, and related professional and volunteer experience. Prior to consideration by the admissions committee, applicants are required to complete and return a graduate admission application and program application, academic transcripts from all institutions of previous study, letters of recommendation, and a professional goals statement. Based upon a review of the application material, the admissions committee will invite selected applicants to campus for interviews. 

The Department has three different application deadlines for M.A. program admissions during the year:  January 15, for ensuing Summer and Fall semesters, May 15, also for the ensuing Fall semester, and September 15 for the following Spring semester. Applicants interested in beginning their graduate master’s degree studies in the Fall semester are encouraged to meet the January 15 application deadline. This allows applicants to receive admission offers well in advance of the fall semester. Also, applicants who plan to seek assistantships or campus employment beginning in the fall semester should apply by January 15 to be competitive for such assistance or positions. Applicants must complete a WMU graduate application and a Department application.

Applications materials may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Orientation and from the Department, and are also available on-line through links on the WMU Office of Admissions and Department webpages. Upon admission, each student is assigned an advisor who will assist in preparing a program of study. It is expected that the program of study, which also serves as the application for candidacy, be completed during the first semester of enrollment.

The department recognizes the importance of increasing the educational opportunities of racial minority students, as well as the importance of ensuring an increased diversity of role models in the fields represented by its training programs. Therefore, the department strives to create an atmosphere conducive to the concerns of racial minorities and diverse populations, to integrate these concerns into programs and course offerings, and to fulfill its commitment to recruit, admit, support, and graduate a diverse population of students prepared for their chosen careers.