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Couple and Family Therapy PhD

Major: Couple and Family Therapy
Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 110.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.1505
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 21-1013

About the Program

The PhD program in Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) develops the next generation of couple and family therapy scholars interested in research related to family-based psychotherapy, families and health and health disparities. Students are trained to advance the knowledge base of couple and family therapy through education, research and clinical service with a particular emphasis on evidenced-informed treatment modalities.

Our program is a mentoring model. Each year, a limited number of faculty members accept doctoral students. You should confirm that the faculty members that you are interested in doing research with are taking applicants prior to completing your essay for admission into the doctoral program. Your research interest should be somewhat aligned with the faculty that you are interested in working with.

Graduates of the Couple and Family Therapy PhD program serve as researchers in public and private institutions and faculty in graduate programs of couple and family therapy, psychology, social work or medical schools.

Additional Information

For more information about the PhD in Couple and Family Therapy, visit the Counseling and Family Therapy Department website.

Degree Requirements

Students are required to complete the standard curriculum in couple and family therapy before pursuing the doctoral curriculum. The standard curriculum is offered in the COAMFTE- accredited Master of Family Therapy and post-master's certificate programs at the University.

The curriculum includes study in the following areas:

Theory and research in couple and family therapy
Research methodology, including statistics, research design, and computer applications
Evidenced informed and specialized instruction in couple and family therapy
Diverse family structures
Supervised clinical experience

Core CFT Courses
CFTP 713	Introduction to CFT Clinical Research	3.0
CFTP 720	Couple Therapy Theory & Practice	3.0
CFTP 721	Critical Theory in Couple and Family Therapy	3.0
CFTP 724	Multicultural Approach to Couple and Family Therapy	4.0
CFTP 725	Trauma and Families	4.0
CFTP 729	Diverse Families and Communities: Intervention Strategies	3.0
CFTP 735	Family Healthcare Policy	3.0
CFTP 757	Attachment, Emotions and Psychotherapy	3.0
CFTP 759	Psychotherapy Outcome and Process Research	3.0
Applied CFT Courses
CFTP 734	Supervision in Couple and Family Therapy	4.0
CFTP 760	Teaching Practicum	2.0
Research Requirements
RSCH 700	Foundations in Quantitative Research	3.0
RSCH 714	Qualitative Research Methods I	3.0
RSCH 720	Foundations of Biostatistics	3.0
RSCH 721	Intermediate Statistics in Health I	3.0
RSCH 722	Intermediate Statistics in Health II	3.0
RSCH 742	Scientific Writing	3.0
RCRG 600	An Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research	0.0
Elective ^*		3.0
Internship - Minimum of 27 credits ^**		27.0
CFTP 801	Couple and Family Therapy Internship
Dissertation - Minimum of 27 credits ^***		27.0-54.0
CFTP 802	Couple and Family Therapy Dissertation
CFTP 803	Couple and Family Therapy Dissertation Defense
Total Credits		110.0-137.0

*

Elective shall be taken in fall term of year 2. Elective requires advisor approval and includes RSCH 600-RSCH 899 or another course deemed relevant to the students' course of study.

Internship (CFTP 801): Students required to complete at least three terms of internship during the third year of the program. They must register for 9.0 credits per quarter to cover this activity. While most internships will be done in 3 quarters (27.0 credits), the expectation has been set that the internship will be completed within 4 quarters (36.0 credits) to give the students some flexibility, if needed.

***

Dissertation (CFTP 802): Students should begin their dissertation in year three or four of the program. This project is expected to take a minimum of three quarters. For each of those quarters, the student must register for 9.0 credits of CFTP 802. If the project takes longer than three quarters, the student may continue to sign up for 9.0 credits of CFTP 802 each quarter. The actual number of credits required will vary dependent upon student's dissertation and research topic, and students may take up to 53.0 credits of CFTP 802. Consult with dissertation advisor.

Dissertation Defense (CFTP 803): Students are required to defend their dissertations when they are complete. To defend, a student must register for 1.0 credit of CFTP 803.

Students must be actively engaged in clinical practice throughout the program. Before graduating from the PhD program, all students are encouraged to complete at least 1,000 hours of direct client contact hours.

Internship
All students are required to do an internship. Internship supervisors must be clearly senior in experience to the student intern. The purpose of the internship is to provide students with a supervised full-time clinical, research, academic or administrative experience of at least nine months duration. Clinical and alternate internships must emphasize relationally focused practice and research. For the clinical internship, it is to ensure that students meet the 1,000 direct client contact hour standard.

Students should contact the Counseling and Family Therapy Department for additional information about the qualifying exam and the dissertation.

Sample Plan of Study

First Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
CFTP 713	3.0	CFTP 725	4.0	CFTP 720	3.0
CFTP 729	3.0	RCRG 600	0.0	CFTP 724	4.0
RSCH 720	3.0	RSCH 700	3.0	RSCH 714	3.0
		RSCH 721	3.0
	9		10		10
Second Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
CFTP 721	3.0	CFTP 735	3.0	CFTP 734	4.0
CFTP 757	3.0	CFTP 759	3.0	CFTP 760	2.0
Research Elective	3.0	RSCH 742	3.0	RSCH 722	3.0
	9		9		9
Third Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
CFTP 801	9.0	CFTP 801	9.0	CFTP 801	9.0
	9		9		9
Fourth Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
CFTP 802	9.0	CFTP 802	9.0	CFTP 802	8.0
				CFTP 803	1.0
	9		9		9
Total Credits 110

Counseling and Family Therapy Department Faculty

Veronica Carey, PhD (Capella University) Assistant Dean of Diversity and Student Affairs. Associate Clinical Professor. National and international speaker on psychiatric rehabilitation evidence-based best practices and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Adheres to social justice as an essential curriculum content orientation.

Jessica Chou, PhD, LMFT, LPC (St. Louis University). Assistant Professor. Community-based research within marginalized populations including women and families impacted by substance use, training experiences of couple/marriage and family therapists (C/MFT) and migration and resettlement among immigrant and refugee families.

Guy Diamond, PhD, MA (California School of Professional Psychology) Director, Center for Family Intervention Science. Associate Professor. Prevention and treatment of adolescent depression and suicide; screening and education in schools, primary care, emergency rooms and health care centers; Attachment-based family therapy; empirically supported treatment for youth depression and suicide.

Stephanie Krauthamer Ewing, PhD, MPH (University of Delaware). Assistant Professor. Promoting healthy emotional development and resilience in children and adolescents, attachment and care-giving relationships, impact of trauma on parenting and attachment, developmental and contextual risk factors for depression and suicide risk in youth, evidence based treatments for depression and suicide risk, research methodology.

Gloria Gonzalez-Kruger, PhD, LMFT (Michigan State University) Director of Clinical Services, Department of Counseling and Family Therapy. Associate Clinical Professor. AAMFT Approved Supervisor, Access, utilization, and cultural competency of mental health services: Underserved and marginalized communities, Latino/a families, integrated primary care/behavioral healthcare, outcome-based education and training of MFT/CFTs (cultural competence, telehealth, virtual reality).

Christian Jordal, PhD, LMFT, CST (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) Interim Chair, Program Director, Master of Family Therapy Program (MFT). Associate Clinical Professor. Behavioral health outcomes, mixed methodology; program evaluation, sexual and gender identity, healthcare best practices.

Laura Lynch, PhD, LMFT (Drexel University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Medical family therapy, collaborative healthcare, and couples and families coping with chronic illness; couple and family therapy graduate education; couples therapy with a focus on emotionally focused therapy.

Bertranna Muruthi, PhD, LMFT (Drexel University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Transitional issues, immigrant families, family needs, resilience behaviors, and culturally responsive community-based collaborative approaches.

James Muruthi, PhD (University of Georgia). Assistant Professor. Family aging, health, wellness, social capital, health disparities.

Rikki Patton, PhD, LMFT (Ohio State University). Research Professor. Family impact of substance abuse disorders and addiction, interprofessional education and collaboration.

Holly Sawyer, PhD, LPC, NCC, CAADC, SAP (Trident University International) Director of Master in Addictions Counseling (MAC). Assistant Clinical Professor. Illicit drug use among college students, drug and alcohol prevention, substance use disorders, decriminalizing persons diagnosed with a substance use disorder, culturally inclusive clinical supervision, and self-care.

Phyllis Swint, PhD, LMFT (Drexel University) Director of Clinical Training. Assistant Clinical Professor. Development of clinical training models and affiliate relationships that align with foundational learning and placement experiences for C/MFT and Masters of Addictions Counseling students. Extensive background in advocacy and working with marginalized families in behavioral health, community mental health, and the Philadelphia prison systems. Community outreach, collaboration and research, dedicated to the relational treatment needs of marginalized communities within the scope of clinical training and development.

Ebony White, PhD, LPC, NCC, ACS (Montclair State University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Research focused on addressing issues in transracial adoption and improving trauma informed care within the African American community. Understanding global mental health within the African diaspora and expanding developmental pathways through advocacy and social justice.