University of Nevada, Reno  

The Master of Arts degree with an emphasis in Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling/Therapy is a 67 credit hour nationally accredited (CACREP) program.  The purpose of this extensive training is to prepare graduates to be able to deal effectively with the variety of issues and family constellations that will present them.  Toward that end, students will receive in-depth training in conceptualization skills as well as in the theoretical and practical application of systems theory.

Aside from formal clinical coursework, graduate students in the Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling/Therapy program will have the opportunity to intern in the Downing Counseling Clinic, located within the Department’s office suite. This clinic serves numerous university students as well as individuals and families from the surrounding community.  Interns are assigned a variety of clients and client systems and are responsible for setting up appointments, seeing clients in the emergency and walk-in services for individuals and families.  There are also opportunities to provide consultation as well as group counseling to various agencies in the community.  In addition, the Clinic has cutting-edge technology that allows for ample supervision of marriage and family counseling interns.

It is important that future therapists be aware of their own family dynamics and issues.  Hence, graduate students in the MCFC/T program are invited to explore their own families in terms of rules, roles, rituals, interactions, structures, and celebrations.  In this manner, graduates become not only insightful into their own lives, they are better able to empathize and provide incisive help to others.