Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy

Chaminade University’s online Doctor of Marriage and Family program is designed for clinically active professionals ready to practice at the highest level. Our advanced clinical degree focuses on service, justice and peace applications to couples, marriage, and family therapy. It embodies the relational/systemic philosophy and follows the practitioner-oriented model.

You’ll attend classes virtually with a cohort, and build a strong network with your peers and experienced faculty members.

• Learning Outcomes
• Program Requirements
• Admission Requirements
• Resources
• Accreditation

1. Students will develop a doctoral-level professional identity as marriage and family therapists and a specialized clinical area that is grounded in research and is at an advanced level of intervention and understanding
2. Students will synthesize contemporary family and couple therapy models and be responsive to the societal, cultural and spiritual contexts of practice
3. Students will synthesize the ethics and competency in peace, health, and justice approaches to MFT research, supervision, and practice, demonstrating attention to multiple domains of diversity
4. Students will use and evaluate quantitative and qualitative MFT clinical to improve clinical process and outcomes
5. Students will cultivate a coherent and competent program of MFT supervision
6. Students will utilize systemic leadership, demonstrating sophistication in program building, leadership, and/or consultation

• DMFT 8000: Professional Development Seminar 1 (Introduction to program & FCP)
• DMFT 8050: Advanced Relational Systemic Theory and Applications
• DMFT 8051: Legal, Ethical, and Professional Issues in Couple/Marriage and Family Therapy
• DMFT 8010: Introduction to clinical research, research writing and research ethics
• DMFT 8052: Assessment and Diagnosis in Couple/Marriage and Family Therapy
• DMFT 8012: Quantitative Research methods and Statistical Analyses
• DMFT 8013: Qualitative Methods and Analyses
• DMFT 8015: Psychotherapy Outcome and Process Research
• DMFT 8070: Fundamentals of Supervision in Marriage and Family Therapy
• DMFT 8080: Advanced Supervision 1
• DMFT 8081: Advanced Supervision 2
• DMFT 8082: Advanced Supervision 3
• DMFT 8055: Trauma Theory and Models with Vulnerable Populations and Systemic Approaches to Substance Treatment
• DMFT 8071: Introduction to Teaching/Consultation/Leadership (start Teaching Practicum)
• DMFT 8022: Portfolio Planning and Development
• DMFT 8059: MFT through a Decolonized lens: Centering Indigenous healing practices in families
• DMFT 8060: Sex Therapy
• DMFT 8062: Medical Family Therapy and Introduction to Psychopharmacology
• DMFT 8073: Program Development, Design, and Evaluation for Families and Communities: Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Enrichment
• DMFT 8075: Family Healthcare Policy and Advocacy
• DMFT 8900: Dissertation Seminar
• DMFT 8999: Dissertation

• Possess a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy or in a clinical or counseling related field (e.g. mental health, social work, school counseling, etc.)
• Actively working towards or have achieved your Licensure in Marriage and Family Therapy (LMFT) and are clinically active
• Completed program application and application fee
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended 
• Current professional resume
• Personal statement 
• Academic writing sample
• Two (2) letters of recommendations 
• Admissions interview
• Proof of clinical activity

• Graduate Admissions
• Graduate Admission Requirements
• Cost of Attendance
• Academic Course Catalog