Courses
The Marriage and Family Therapy certificate requires 21 hours, which includes 12 core course hours:
Diversity & Oppression (SOWK 7390, 3 hours)
Ethnic, racial, gender issues as related to social policy, human behavior and the social environment, practice issues; developmental, socioeconomic factors influencing gender roles; historical considerations and cultural and social context for social work practice among oppressed persons, people of color.
ADP II: Theories of Marriage and Family (SOWK 8302, 3 hours)
This course provides knowledge and skills about social work practice with couples and families. It studies the major schools of family theory, methods for practice with families, and systemic links between family, culture, and society.
Ethics in Marriage & Family Therapy (SOWK 8308, 3 hours)
This course is designed to provide knowledge necessary for legal and ethical issues that confront practice. Students entering the course should have advanced knowledge of assessment, intervention, and evaluation of couples and families. This course provides knowledge of the legal responsibilities to clients, community, and the profession. Students will consider the influence of social institutions, values, and policies on families. Knowledge of regulations and laws that govern practice and their application to families is stressed as well as the importance of personal and professional development.
Human Development (EDFN 7330, 3 hours)
Human Development covers a lifespan perspective that addresses cognitive, physical, social and emotional development from birth through late adulthood. Special emphasis on developmental factors that effect schooling (P‐12) And 9 elective course hours:
Human Sexuality (SOWK 8236 or 8191, 2 and 1 hours)
This course provides students with a multidisciplinary approach to human sexuality. Students will have the opportunity to explore views, experiences, values, and beliefs and how these impact the clients whom they serve along with the societal and cultural issues that may impact upon clients of social work and other mental health professionals.
Sociology of the Family (SOWK 8310, 3 hours)
The intent of this course is to provide a knowledge base in institutional and historical aspects of the family. This will constitute a background for the training of students in Marriage and Family Therapy, a program fundamentally oriented to clinical and therapeutic skills in preparation for professional level counseling.
Intergenerational Family Therapy (SOWK 8309, 3 hours)
This course is designed to provide students with in-depth knowledge about how families operate across generations. Based on the concepts of Murray Bowen, this course will explore the theory and its application. Students will explore the theory’s development both past and present and develop knowledge as to its application. Students will be able to understand ways to conceptualize family problems, learn assessment and intervention techniques, and examine the applicability of the Bowen theory to various family forms and the cultural context in which families operate.
Family Life Cycle (SOWK 8311, 3 hours)
Focus on the theoretical underpinnings of the many and varied life cycles families experience. Particular emphasis will be placed on cultural influences and populations at risk.
Couples Treatment (SOWK 8303, 3 hours)
Couples Treatment is a course designed to apply principles of family therapy theory to couples work. Case formulation will be based on an understanding of personality theory, general systems theory, and attachment theory. Students will be challenged to consider differences and similarities between individual and family therapy in relation to couple’s therapy. Emphasis will be on the integration of knowledge and skills. Each student will be challenged to become increasingly aware of relational issues in her or his own life and demonstrate an understanding of how this affects treatment outcomes. Couple functioning will be explored in relation to culture, race, religion, and power differentials. Structural and functional variables will be considered.
Social Aspects of Death and Dying (GERO 5336, 3 hours)
This course will cover death, dying, and bereavement in contemporary society; and emphasis on practical application of knowledge in the field of practitioners dealing with death, dying, and bereavement.
Social and Emotional Implications of Illness and Disability (SOWK 8210, 2 hours)
This course will cover health care issues, problems; variety of social work practice dimensions; social, emotional components; reciprocal relationships of health, psychosocial cultural processes; and social work practice in a multidisciplinary environment.
Addictions Treatment (SOWK 8231, 2 hours)
This course will cover the dynamics of addiction, treatment; biological, social, societal aspects of addiction; and implications for treating special populations.
Play Therapy (SOWK 8312, 3 hours)
This course provides introductory instruction in history, theories, and applications of play therapy consistent with Association for Play Therapy requirements. Students are expected to have successfully completed coursework in child development (e.g., human development, or Human Behavior in the Social Environment), and coursework in counseling/clinical skills (e.g., Advanced Direct Practices I). Special issues affecting oppressed children will be addressed, including: parent-child problems, divorce, abuse/neglect/abandonment, etc. Diversity issues will also be explored as key components of competent play therapy practice. Students will be challenged to apply what they are learning about working with children in mock clinical sessions.
Domestic Violence (SOWK 8215, 3 hours)
This course will provide an overview of conceptual models of violence, current research, and social work practice issues used in addressing domestic violence. While the primary focus will be on violence against women and the physical and sexual abuse of children, populations disproportionately affected by interpersonal violence, there will also be discussion of elder abuse, dating violence, lesbian/gay battering, and prevention.