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Invest In Others By Investing In Yourself
The Master of Arts in Family Studies is a non-clinical program within the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy. Here, students are put on an advanced educational track in early childhood, human development, interpersonal relations, and family studies. The program’s nationally and internationally recognized faculty will teach you everything from basic developmental and behavioral characteristics of the individual within the context of the family system, to conditions that influence human growth and development. Graduates of the program may enter a variety of non-clinical human services vocations and/or pursue further advanced degrees in human and family development.
Application Deadlines for the Family Studies and Marriage and Family Therapy programs are October 1 and January 15.
A Greater Calling Deserves A Greater Education
Contact Us
Michele Parker
Director and Associate Professor, Marriage & Family Therapy
x2866
Office of Graduate Admission
P: (203) 254-4184
F: (203) 254-4199
gradadmis@fairfield.edu
Course Offerings
| Comprehensive Examination in Family Studies |
| Behavioral Statistics |
| Research in Psychology |
| Program Evaluation |
(Each student's program will be designed to include these courses)
| Lifespan Human Development |
| Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy |
| Foundations of Marital and Family Therapy |
| Interventions in Structural and Strategic Family Therapy |
| Divorce, Single-parenting and Remarriage |
| Advanced Interventions in Family Therapy |
| Multicultural Issues in Counseling |
| Human Sexuality and Sexual Dysfunction |
| Introduction to Substance Abuse and Addictions |
| Contemporary Families: Culture, Religion, Childbearing and Community |
| Ethical, Legal and Professional Issues in Family Therapy |
| Research in Marriage and Family Therapy |
| Special Topics in Family Therapy |
| Parents and Families of Children with Disabilities |
Other family studies elective courses also may be taken.
Admission
Applicants for the M.A. in Family Studies must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university (or the international equivalent) and give promise of meeting the standards set by the School.
More About Family Studies
Message from the Director
Message from the Director
Welcome to the Marriage and Family Therapy Program website!
We are excited that you are considering the Fairfield University Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) for your graduate education. Marriage and family therapists work from a systemic perspective, or the assumption that individual wellbeing is interdependent with their personal relationships and societal context. This framework makes marriage and family therapists uniquely qualitied to work in a variety of settings with diverse populations. As a result, the field of MFT has a range of professional opportunities due to the overwhelming demand for mental health providers in recent years.
The Fairfield University Master of Arts in MFT is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy (COAMFTE). The coursework and clinical training will prepare you for Connecticut state licensure in marriage and family therapy, as well as membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). The curriculum offers specialized training in various clinical approaches with an emphasis on structural and strategic approaches. Our long-standing contractual relationships with over 45 internship sites allow our students to obtain the required clinical experience and supervision to become qualified practitioners. The MFT program is committed to providing a learning environment that fundamentally values equity, diversity, inclusion, and nondiscrimination.
The MFT faculty are active clinicians and respected scholars in the field that provide clinical supervision and mentorship. We are each dedicated to incorporating issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout each aspect of the program. Students can expect to be personally challenged as they strive to complete a rigorous training curriculum. However, the MFT faculty members work closely with students to support their professional development and achieve their goals.
Please feel free to email me if you would like to receive more information about the Fairfield MFT Program.
Michele L. Parker, PhD, LMFTAssociate Professor and Program Director of Marriage and Family Therapy
Diversity and Inclusive Excellence
Diversity and Inclusive Excellence
As a Jesuit, Catholic university, Fairfield is dedicated to diversity and inclusion; to radical hospitality in service of racial, social, and economic justice.
Career & Professional Development
Career & Professional Development
Upon completion of the M.A. in Family Studies, graduates are qualified to seek paid positions in the mental health field. Family Studies graduates may seek employment in a wide variety of non-clinical areas of social service delivery, including:
- Research
- Family policy and family law
- Parenting and family life education
- Health and well-being
- Prevention
- Program evaluation
The program also prepares the candidate to pursue doctoral studies in related areas to become educators and researchers.
Learn more about how the University's Career Center can support your post-graduate goals, and how Fairfield's tight-knit alumni network can build career and mentoring opportunities that last a lifetime.
Faculty
Faculty
Our caring and committed faculty offer a rigorous course of study, with a broad range of courses that integrate critical reflection and extensive field experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you are ready to apply, you can create an online application. Please plan to spend about 10 - 15 minutes completing the application. You can create the application and return to the platform in the future to submit it if you require additional time. You should be prepared to answer a series of questions pertaining to your biographical information, program of interest, and educational/ work background. Additionally, you will be required to enter the names and contact information for two references. As part of the application process, you will be required to submit all official college transcripts (sent directly from your institutions), two recommendations (submitted directly from your references who will receive a unique email link), a personal statement, and resume. Please note, you may submit the online application prior to submitting the required supplemental materials. For any questions about the online application please contact Fairfield University Graduate Admission.
The master's degree in Family Studies is appropriate for those who wish to seek employment in the non-clinical areas of social service delivery, research, family policy and family law, parenting and family life education, health and well-being, prevention and program evaluation.
The curriculum is designed to prepare the candidate to pursue doctoral studies in related areas to become educators and researchers. Graduates of the program may pursue further advanced degrees in human and family development, including early childhood, adolescence, marriage, and geriatrics.
We develop individual plans of study with each student, taking into account your personal circumstances. Except during the summer semester, didactic courses are taught on weekday evenings between 4:55-9:15 p.m. or as a Friday / Saturday weekend class.
Anywhere from 2.5 to 3 years; it all depends on how many courses you want to take a semester. Full-time students can complete the program in 2 to 2.5 years.