Curriculum

Marriage and Family Counseling Curriculum

The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling is a 63 credit hour program that includes coursework and a training practicum. Successful completion of this program includes the courses listed below. Course descriptions can be found in the Adler School Catalog.

• PCO-210: Professional Development Seminar I (0 credits)*
• PCO-211: Community Service Seminar I (1 credit)*
• PCO-212: Community Service Seminar II (1 credit)*
• PCO-213: Community Service Practicum I (1 credit)*
• PCO-214: Community Service Practicum II (1 credit)*
• PCO-337: Group Psychotherapy (3 credits)
• PCO-350: Community Psychology (3 credits)
• PCO-402: Introduction to Adlerian Psychology and Psychopathology (3 credits)
• PCO-433: Parenting Education: Adlerian Theory and Interventions (2 credits)
• PCO-438: Introduction to Addictive Disorders (3 credits)
• MAF-472: Basic Skills for Psychotherapy (3 credits)*
• PCO-497: Research Methods (3 credits)
• MAC-505: Professional Issues and Ethics (3 credits)*
• PCO-516: Individual Appraisal for Counselors in Practice (3 credits)
• PCO-569: Lifestyle and Career Development (3 credits)
• PCO-647: Biopsychosocial Bases of Health and Dysfunction for Counselors (3 credits)*
• MAF-651: Assessment and Treatment Planning with Individual and Family Systems (3 credits)*
• MAF-654: Individual Life Span and the Family Life Cycle (3 credits)*
• MAF-655: Advanced Assessment and Counseling with Couples (3 credits)
• MAF-660: Issues of Culture and Diversity in Couple and Family Counseling (3 credits)*
• MAF-662: Effective Marriage and Family Counseling (3 credits)
• MAF-663: Effective Marriage and Family Counseling (3 credits)
• MAF-664: Practicum in Marriage and Family I (1 credit)
• MAF-665: Practicum in Marriage and Family II (1 credit)
• MAF-667: M.A. Practicum Seminar in Marriage and Family I (2 credits)
• MAF-668: M.A. Practicum Seminar in Marriage and Family II (2 credits)
• MAF-995: Master’s Clinical Qualifying Examination (0 credits)
• MAF-XXX: Intervention Elective: MAF-661, MAF-670 or PCO-523 (3 credits)

Total credit hours:63

* = Required before beginning counseling practicum

Practicum

An integral part of all master's programs at the Adler School is supervised field placements. Ongoing involvement in clinical activities at professional training sites, including Adler Community Health Services, provides an opportunity to apply and further develop the knowledge, skills, values, and competencies gained in coursework.

In your first year, the Community Service Practicum focuses on developing skills for community-based interventions, advocacy, social justice, and systemic interventions that benefit human welfare and well-being. You’ll spend eight to ten hours per week over the course of six months at an approved Community Service Practicum site while concurrently enrolled in required coursework. A minimum of 200 clock hours of practicums is required.

In your second year, the practicum focuses on developing competencies required for entry-level practice upon graduation. Expect to spend at least two days per week over the course of at least nine months at an approved site and while concurrently enrolled in two semesters of practicum seminars. You must complete a minimum of 700 hours of Clinical Practicums; 200 of those hours must be direct clinical service, and at least one-third of those hours should be in conjoint therapy with couples or families.

The Director of Clinical Training and Community Service will work with you to identify and approve clinical experiences. Because the focus is on integrating master's-level education with master's-level clinical training, the Adler School does not grant transfer credit for practicum credits earned elsewhere. Please refer to the Practicum Handbook for detailed information.