Best MFT Programs in Idaho Online

Idaho is a beautiful and scenic state, but it’s also incredibly rural and isolated. Because of this, Idaho has one of the highest deficits of marriage and family therapists in the United States. Marriage and family therapists help couples and families work through issues that they may be having within their relationships. To become a marriage and family therapist in Idaho, you must enroll in an MFT degree and become licensed.

What is an MFT Degree?

Marriage and family therapy (MFT) is the study and practice of therapeutic methods designed to address issues that families and couples commonly face. Individuals, couples, and families alike seek help from marriage and family therapists when they need help with their relationships, setting boundaries, assistance with their parenting skills, or resolving familial trauma. The first step to becoming a marriage and family therapist and working on a clinical level is enrolling in an MFT degree program.

Why is COAMFTE MFT Accreditation Important?

Once you’ve found an MFT degree program that interests you, the next step before applying is to ensure that the program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) or by CACREP. If the program isn’t accredited, you will not be eligible for licensure as the program will not meet the state board requirements.

Can I Get an MFT Degree Online in Idaho?

Unfortunately, there are no online MFT programs that are based in Idaho at this time. You can enroll in an out-of-state online MFT program; however, it’s important to consider two things. The first is your clinical practicum hours. If you’re enrolling in a master’s degree or doctorate degree program, you’ll be required to fulfill in-person clinical hours in the state where your online program is based. Some programs allow their students to fulfill these in a matter of weeks, while others will require a year of commitment or more. While you may be able to do your coursework online, you must visit your school’s campus at some point to become licensed.

The other consideration is the licensure itself. Your program will be based outside of Idaho, so that means that if you want to become licensed in Idaho, you’ll need to make sure that your out-of-state licensure is transferable to Idaho.

MFT Degree Levels

There are MFT degrees available at nearly every level, but most marriage and family therapists shoot for either a master’s degree or a doctorate degree. This is because you’ll need to have one of these two degrees to become licensed. There are also MFT graduate certificate programs and while they’re not technically degrees, they can be a great option for students who want to acquire general training on marriage and family therapy without persuing licensure.

Do I Need a GRE for an MFT Program?

You may. A GRE measures your command of mathematics, science, and writing skills at the pre-graduate level. Some schools require that you take a placement exam while others use other methods of gauging your ability in these areas. Your school’s admissions page will be able to tell you whether or not this requirement applies to you.

Master's Degree in MFT

MFT master’s degrees take around two years to finish with 60 credits required. This usually includes a number of practicum hours to be completed within the second year of study. This type of program is the minimum education you’ll need to achieve in order to become licensed. On average, MFT master’s degrees cost between $400 and $800 per credit. There is currently one MFT master’s degree program offered in the State of Idaho:

Idaho State University: The Master’s Degree of Counseling with a focus on Marriage and Family Counseling offered by Idaho State University gives students a unique insight into important therapeutic methods and gives them the skills to develop strategies in pre-marital and couples counseling, conflict resolution, and divorce mediation. The program is offered at both Pocatello and Meridian campuses.

Graduate Certificate in MFT

While graduate certificates are technically not degrees, they do offer valuable insight and skills for students who already have mental health professional licensure. Many students with a graduate degree in a psychological field are drawn to MFT graduate certificates because they want to be more fluent across specializations.

MFT graduate certificates last about a year or less and cost between $1,000 to $1,500. They generally require the completion of 15 to 30 credits. Though you can find them offered online and in many nearby states, no MFT graduate certificates are currently based in Idaho. Here are a few alternative options:

Antioch University: Students looking to specialize in marriage and family therapy through a graduate certificate program can do so through Antioch University, which has campuses in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. The program is offered primarily online with in-person clinicals to be designated in the city of the student’s choice. Unlike the typical graduate certificate length of around a year, Antioch University’s MFT graduate certificate takes three semesters to complete, which is a great option for students who want a more immersive program.

Regis University: Located in Regis, Colorado, Regis University offers a Post-Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy that is perfect for students who want a crash course on remedying the common challenges that couples and families face, but don’t want to commit to licensure (or are already licensed). If you do need licensure, Regis University also offers an MFT master’s degree program.

MFT Doctorate Degrees (Ph.D. or PsyD)

The final type of MFT graduate degree is the highly-specialized MFT doctorate degree. These are the highest level of education that a marriage and family therapist can obtain and typically last between four and eight years.

There are two types of doctorate degrees each ranging from $35,000 to $350,000 in tuition costs. The first type is a Ph.D. and the other is a PsyD. An MFT Ph.D. focuses on research and education, whereas a PsyD typically concentrates on clinical practice, though both degrees require a certain level of clinical work. There are currently no MFT doctorate degree programs offered in Idaho; however, there are options available in nearby states and online:

Loma Linda University: This Ph.D. in Systems, Families, and Couples offered by Loma Linda University is currently the closest MFT doctorate degree to the State of Idaho. The program offers insight into the theory, research, and practice of family and couples therapy, mental health disorders, substance abuse, and all of the necessary topics associated with this specialization. The program takes four years to complete.

Alliant International University: Another great doctoral MFT program in California is Alliant International University’s PsyD in Marriage and Family Therapy. This program focuses on the mental health clinical aspects of marriage and family therapy and offers a hybrid learning option that balances online courses and hands-on experience, allowing for both convenience and immersive expertise.

Becoming an LMFT in Idaho

Regardless of whether you receive your degree in Idaho or outside the state, you’ll need to fulfill licensure requirements to practice as an LMFT. Below are the general steps you’ll need to follow to become licensed in Idaho:

• Education: Obtain a master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.
• Supervised Experience: Accumulate the required supervised clinical experience. This involves completing 3,000 hours of postgraduate supervised clinical work, with at least 2,000 hours being direct client contact. The supervision must be provided by a qualified supervisor, usually an LMFT or another licensed mental health professional.
• Examination: Pass the national licensing exam for marriage and family therapists. In Idaho, this is usually the Examination in Marital and Family Therapy conducted by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB).
• Jurisprudence Examination: After the licensure examination, you’ll also have a written jurisprudence examination that will test you on your knowledge of Idaho State laws regarding marriage and family therapy.
• Application: Submit an application for licensure to the Idaho Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists. Along with the application form, you will need to provide transcripts from your graduate program, documentation of supervised experience, exam scores, and any other required documents.
• Background Check: Undergo a criminal background check as part of the application process.
• Fees: Pay the required application and licensing fees.
• Continuing Education: Once licensed, you will need to fulfill continuing education requirements to maintain your license. These requirements may include completing 20 continuing education credits every year with 3 of these hours going towards ethics classes.

List of MFT Degree Programs in Idaho

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