Master of Marriage and Family Therapy

If you believe God is calling you to bring hope, freedom, and identity to a hurting world, our Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT) degree has been designed to prepare you for ministry. Learn how to integrate psychological theories with biblical truths under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Through the MMFT you will also complete the courses required to prepare you for the national licensure exam administered by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists. As a licensed, Spirit-led clinician, you will be prepared for private practice, work in hospitals and agencies, and a variety of other counseling careers.

Please Note: The Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT) degree is only offered at the Southlake campus. Once admitted to The King’s University, MMFT applicants must complete an interview for acceptance into the MMFT program. Once approved for the program, students then complete academic advisement and registration with the MMFT department.

DOWNLOAD A MASTER OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY PROGRAM PDF

Meet the Director

Dr. Linda Hoover

My education and life’s work are a mix of pastoral ministry and clinical practice. It’s great to offer students an integrated learning experience, drawing from both perspectives. My heart is to develop Spirit-formed counselors who have a solid theological and biblical foundation.

Why The King's
  • Spirit-formed leaders training Spirit-formed leaders. Given that many of our credentialed faculty are actively involved in ministry, their teaching comes from a perspective of applied knowledge.
  • Whole-person formation. For us, it’s not just about what you learn, it’s about who you become. We believe your transformation for ministry should include deepening your walk with Jesus.
  • Culture of worship and prayer. It could be the prayer room, weekly chapel, a classroom, or just a hallway – wherever it occurs, we live a life of prayer and worship.
  • Community of care. Whether you take classes online or on-ground, soul care from faculty, staff, and peers extends from the classroom into your daily life.
  • Growth in difference. When you get into a classroom with different generations, ethnicities, experiences, and faith journeys, you grow both personally and spiritually. You maintain your difference, but you grow in unity.
Program Objectives

The Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree seeks to:

  • Prepare students to ethically counsel individuals, couples, and families from a systemic perspective;
  • Equip students with self-awareness, global-awareness, and spiritual-awareness in order to prepare them to become effective clinicians;
  • Prepare students to read, interpret, and conduct empirically based research; and
  • Provide students with adequate understanding of various aspects of the mental health field including various levels of care.
Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this degree, students will be able to:

  • Integrate empirically-based systemic treatment methods with a Christian worldview;
  • Develop an ethical and legal understanding of the counseling field of practice;
  • Develop the skills necessary to assess, diagnose and treat individuals, married couples, and families from a diverse background with a wide range of presenting problems;
  • Critically analyze counseling theories from a biblical worldview; and
  • Apply empirically-based methods of best counseling practice.
Curriculum
RESEARCH CORE COURSES 15 HOURS

BIBC 5310 Research Methods in Counseling 3
BIBC 6101 Psychopathology 1
BIBC 6102 Business and Ethics 1
BIBC 6103 Christian Counseling 1
BIBC 5320 Pre-Practicum 3
BIBC 5318 Assessment 3
BIBC 5306 Ethical and Legal Counseling Issues 3

COUNSELING CORE COURSES 18 HOURS

BIBC 5319 DSM V Assessment, Treatment and Planning for Counseling Populations 1
BIBC 6301 Advanced Crisis and Addictions Counseling 3
BIBC 5313 Counseling Diverse Populations 3
BIBC 5315 Advanced Human Development 3
BIBC 5317 Personal and Professional Self-Awareness 3
BIBC 5309 Career Counseling 3

SYSTEMIC CORE COURSES 18 HOURS

BIBC 5316 Healthy Family Systems 3
BIBC 5308 Advanced Systemic Counseling Skills 3
BIBC 5303 Advanced Counseling Theories 3
BIBC 5314 Advanced Group Counseling 3
BIBC 5304 Marriage and Family Therapy I 3
BIBC 5312 Marriage and Family Therapy II 3

PRACTICUM 9 HOURS

BIBC 5311 Counseling Practicum, *this is a 3-hour course and will need to be taken three times for a total of 9 completed hours 9

 

Is this program accredited?

Our program is accredited by TRACS and ABHE. These programs allow us a certificate of authorization from the state of Texas granting us the privilege of preparing students for state licensure and ultimately private practice.

Can I get a license upon completion of this degree?

Yes. Currently we are equipped to prepare students for the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) licensure with aspirations to prepare students to take the Licensed Professional Counselor exam in the state of Texas only.

How many hours is this program?

60 hours. The state of Texas is changing their requirements in 2017, but TKU is ahead of the curve and preparing students to meet future licensure requirements.

What undergraduate programs are accepted?

We will accept any accredited undergraduate program. Note that all application packages submitted for the Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy will be reviewed and approved by the MMFT Review Committee prior to the rendering of a final admission decision. 

What type of practicum experiences are offered?

TKU has partnerships with local counselors in private practice, hospitals, local church counseling centers, and the department is also open to student presented practicum opportunities.

What are the class format options?

Currently we have a variety of class options including evening, morning, and hybrid options which meet partially online and partially on-ground.

How long will it take to complete this degree?

Attending full time which is three courses a semester, a student can anticipate completing the degree in three years.

What is the integration of Biblical concepts with counseling theory?

The integration of spirituality and counseling concepts is what makes the program at TKU unique. We prepare students to function clinically while allowing them opportunity to learn spiritual concepts all while remaining ethically sound.

Do you have online options for courses?

We do not have any online options for courses at this time. We feel it essential to have contact with the students in the classroom. We do, however, offer hybrid options allowing the student more flexibility in schedule.

Are students permitted to transfer credits into the program?

Students are permitted to enter with 12 credits from another accredited program. All applications and transfer credits are subject to review by the MMFT admissions committee.

“There’s something different about TKU and you do not fully understand that until you get here. It changes you. He changes you! No place I’d rather be.”

– KRISTEY SIMMONS, Alumna