The Graduate Program in Human Development and Family Science offers a Ph.D. in Couple and Family Therapy. The program offers a doctoral curriculum that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). It meets the standards for AAMFT clinical membership, and is designed to prepare clinical scholars and researchers.
The Ph.D. in CFT is a researcher/scholar oriented degree. We use a scholar/clinician model with a heavier emphasis on research and scholarship than on clinical work. Students admitted into the program are expected to pursue careers in academia or research related areas. We train students to train other clinicians, do research in clinically related areas, and do clinical work.
To clarify, a Ph.D. in CFT is not the same as a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. To be a licensed psychologist you need to have a Ph.D. in Cinical Psychology. To be a licensed couple and family therapist (or marriage and family therapist) you need a masters degree. There are many masters degree programs accredited by the COAMFTE. We recommend that if you do not have a masters in CFT, and want to become a couple and family therapist that you pursue a degree in one of those programs. If you are interested in pursuing a masters degree in CFT to become a therapist please see the following list of accredited masters programs: COAMFTE Masters Programs
To be admitted into the Ph.D. in CFT, you must have a masters degree in a clinically related field. We rarely accept students into the straight through program.
Suzanne Bartle-Haring, Ph.D., Program Director
Natasha Slesnick, Ph.D.
Keeley Pratt, Ph.D. Visiting Professor
To train excellent research clinicians for academic and research settings, who have sustainable programs of research in areas that move the CFT and Family Science fields forward.
As part of our accreditation process the program has created education objectives which consist of program outcomes, student learning outcomes and faculty outcomes.
Program Outcomes:
• 50% of students will submit an R36 or other form of funding proposal.
• 75% of students will have a first authored publication.
• 75% of student will have two or more publications.
• 100% of students will make conference presentations in the form of posters or papers.
• 95% of students who take the national licensure exam will pass.
• 100% of students will have a congruent and solidified philosophy of change.
Student Learning Outcomes:
• All students will be certified in the ethics in of human subjects research.
• All students will have participated in Journal Club or a Research Group.
• All students will be introduced and participate in grant proposal writing.
• All students will participate in publishing research papers.
• All students will conduct clinical work at the on-campus clinic.
• All students will be supervisor candidates at the completion of the program.
Faculty Outcomes:
• All faculty will be research active.
• All faculty will publish at least one research article per year.
• All faculty will present their work at appropriate outlets.
• All faculty will keep their respective clinical licenses current including obtaining continuing education credits.
• All faculty will include students on their research projects.
Students are involved in clinical work from the beginning of their program. Initial client contact hours will vary depending on experience. The program operates The OSU Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic which is equipped with state of the art video equipment and one-way mirrors for live observation of student work. During this initial experience, students are supervised by the MFT faculty. Supervision includes group and individual modalities, as well as live observation, videotape and case report. Later in the program students obtain a 9 -12 month internship (500 client contact hours required) in a community mental health clinic setting, with similar supervision opportunities. Several of these have been identified in the Columbus, OH area.
At the completion of the program students must have 1000 hours of face to face client contact. For those students with an MFT masters degree, the 500 hours from the master degree is included in the total requirement. Students without an MFT masters degree, must obtain a minimum of 500 hours of client contact at the OSU Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic and the remainder of their hours must be obtained at their internship site.
The University and the Department offers a wide variety of financial aid options. There are a limited number of graduate associateships available for top candidates.
The program admits 3 to 4 students per year. Maximum faculty to student ratio is 4 to 1. The program is kept small in order to provide the highest quality education and training.
Clickhere for curriculum requirements.
