Best MFT Programs in Arizona Online

The Grand Canyon State offers a plethora of opportunities for psychology students looking to specialize and marriage and family therapy. In the sections below, we’ll dissect what marriage and therapy degrees typically cover, what types of MFT degrees are available for students, and the requirements for MFT licensure in Arizona.

What is an MFT Degree?

An MFT degree is a psychology degree that focuses on therapeutic methods used to help couples and families. An MFT degree prepares counselors, psychologists, and therapists to work with these individuals as a group or individually to work through the common issues that families and couples typically face such as:

• Addiction counseling
• Psychological disorders
• Special needs counseling
• Parenting skills
• Listening and sharing techniques between couples

Why is COAMFTE MFT Accreditation Important?

Without graduating from an accredited MFT graduate degree program, you won’t be able to get licensed as a marriage and family therapist. Accrediting bodies like the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, or COAMFTE for short (and CACREP for counseling degree programs) ensure that your program meets the requirements set forth by state and federal regulation.

Can I Get an MFT Degree Online in Arizona?

Yes! Online MFT programs and online education in general, have become super popular. While you won’t be able to find online MFT programs based in Arizona, you can find online programs based in neighboring states.

If you decide to do this, it’s important to consider licensure requirements. Online students who complete the degree program in Arizona will likely still have to travel to the state where their program is based in order to fulfill licensure requirements. However, once they become licensed, they may be able to practice in their home state, depending on their state’s regulations. Here are a few online MFT programs that may appeal to Arizonans:

Pepperdine University: This online program offers a master’s in clinical psychology with a focus on marriage and family therapy. Pepperdine University is located in California and students who graduate from their program will be eligible to become licensed in this state.

Alliant International University: This program (also located in California) offers a Master’s Degree of Arts in Marital and Family Therapy. Alliant International University’s program is fully accredited and provides all the required knowledge needed to succeed as a marriage and family therapist.

MFT Degree Levels

There are many types of MFT degrees at a variety of levels, but the most common by far are graduate degrees. This is because you must graduate from an MFT graduate degree program in order to become licensed as a marriage and family counselor. Below are some common degrees marriage and family therapists obtain and some examples that are available in Arizona.

Do I Need a GRE for an MFT Program?

Some MFT degree programs require that you take a Graduate Record Examination, or GRE for short. This exam measures your skills in various areas to determine if you need to take any prerequisites. However, this requirement is not mandatory across educational establishments. Check your school’s admissions page to see if they require prospective students to take the GRE.

Master's Degree in MFT

A vast majority of MFT degree programs available in Arizona are master’s degree programs. A master’s degree in MFT is the minimum educational requirement that marriage and family therapists must have in order to become licensed.

On average, you can expect to pay an average of $23,835 for your entire MFT master’s degree tuition. Typically, full-time students finish their program within two years, or even sooner if enrolled in a self-paced program. You’ll need to complete 50-60 credits on average with a number of clinical hours to graduate. Here are a couple of examples of MFT master’s degree programs available in Arizona:

Arizona State University: Students looking to get their master’s in MFT a little quicker are in luck with Arizona State University’s accelerated master’s degree program. While most MFT master’s degree programs require at least two years, students enrolled at ASU can graduate in as little as 16 months.

Arizona Christian University: Students looking for a more biblical approach to marriage and family counseling can enroll in Arizona Christian University’s Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy. If you’re looking to specialize within the MFT specialization, ACU offers a Concentration in Families with Disabilities for an additional 9 credits.

Graduate Certificate in MFT

Marriage and family therapy graduate certificates are a great option for students who may already have a graduate degree in psychology but want to focus their practice on families and couples. MFT graduate certificates technically aren’t degrees, but they typically equip students with the education they need to become licensed as an LMFT in a year or less, once they have fulfilled basic clinical requirements. They also provide an affordable way to specialize as most graduate certificates rarely exceed $2,000 in tuition costs.

Grand Canyon University: Currently the only MFT graduate certificate available in Arizona, Grand Canyon University offers a fantastic and affordable program completely online. The program only requires the completion of 15 self-paced credits to receive your certificate.

MFT Doctorate Degrees (Ph.D. or PsyD)

Lastly, doctorate degrees are the highest level degree a marriage and family therapist can obtain. Doctorate degrees in marriage and family therapy come in two different varieties — a PhD which focuses on research and theory and PsyDs which focus on clinical work.

On average, MFT Doctorate degrees can run about $30,000 to $200,000 and can take as long as eight years to complete. Currently there are no on-campus doctorate degrees available in Arizona, but there are plenty to choose from in neighboring states or online.

Loma Linda University: Just over the border in California, Arizonans can take advantage of Loma Linda University’s Systems, Families, and Couples PhD. This program can be completed in four years or in as little as three and is the only MFT Doctorate degree fully accredited by COAMFTE.

Becoming an LMFT in Arizona

To become a marriage and family therapist, you’ll need to follow the following pathway to become licensed:

• Education: Obtain a master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution.
• Supervised Experience: Complete the required supervised clinical experience. In Arizona, this involves accumulating 3,200 hours of supervised experience, with at least 1,600 hours of direct client contact. This experience must be gained over a period of at least two years.
• Licensure Examination: Pass the national licensure examination. In Arizona, LMFTs typically take the Examination in Marital and Family Therapy administered by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB).
• Jurisprudence Exam: Some states (including Arizona) require that licensure applicants pass a jurisprudence exam which ensures that the applicant understands the state laws surrounding marriage and family therapy.
• Application: Submit an application for licensure to the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (AZBBHE). This application typically includes documentation of your education, supervised experience, examination scores, and any other required information.
• Background Check: Undergo a criminal background check as part of the application process.
• Continuing Education: After obtaining licensure, you’ll need to fulfill continuing education requirements to maintain your license. In Arizona, LMFTs need to complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years including a minimum of 6 hours in ethics training and 6 hours in diversity training.

List of MFT Degree Programs in Arizona

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