Marriage and Family Therapy (MS Degree)
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Why Marriage and Family Therapy?
Equip yourself with the tools needed to become a successful marriage and family therapist through Iona University’s Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program. Upon completion of your degree, you will have gained the experience and skills necessary to help clients from a variety of backgrounds achieve lasting, positive changes.
Why earn your Marriage and Family Therapy (MS Degree) at Iona?
Advance Your Career in Mental Health
Through rigorous coursework and hands-on clinical experience, you'll be equipped with the tools and knowledge you need to make a positive impact on the lives of others.
Committed to Social Justice
Iona University’s Marriage and Family Therapy program is committed to social justice. The program will provide you with the culturally responsive and inclusive skills needed to work with a diverse group of individuals, couples, and families.
An Emphasis on Mentorship
Our dedicated faculty and staff are all licensed marriage and family therapists. The small size of our MFT program enables faculty to provide individualized instruction that feels more like mentoring than teaching.
Develop Effective Tools
We prepare you to develop an effective self-awareness in your training as a therapist by focusing on the Self-of-the-Therapist. This allows our MFT students to become fully prepared and confident marriage and family therapists.
Help Clients While Learning
Our program emphasizes hands-on learning through the Iona Family Therapy Center and other clinical field placements in the New York City and surrounding areas. In the Iona Family Therapy Center, graduate students work directly with clients on an array of important areas including family conflict, bereavement, divorce, coping skills and much more. The clinic provides, on average, about 1,100 client appointments per year, with each graduate student having an average of six clients per year. Iona Faculty Supervisors provide comprehensive clinical evaluations at the end of each semester of a student's second and third year in the program. All clinical evaluations are based on COAMFTE Accreditation Standards.
Fully Accredited in New York State
Iona University’s Marriage and Family Therapy degree is one of only four programs in New York State accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).
Approved for Diagnostic Privilege Designation
Iona University’s Marriage and Family Therapy program meets the New York State Education Department Office of Professional Education requirements for coursework content needed in diagnosis (diagnostic privilege), assessment and treatment implementation plans. This means that future licensed graduates of the MFT program can have diagnostic privileges as part of their practice.
100% Pass Rate
Our alumni data collection reflects a 100 percent pass rate for the National Exam for students seeking state licensure. Graduates are eligible for therapist licensure upon completion of additional post-master's New York State requirements.
A Hybrid Learning Model
Our program offers a flexible learning experience with a hybrid format. Half of our courses are taught online in real-time, while the other half are held in person. This approach helps you develop the skills needed for practicing systemic/relational therapy in both online and in-person settings.
Finish in 3 Years
Students can complete this 60-credit degree – including their 500 supervised face-to-face clinical experience hours – in 3 years. Our hybrid in-person/online learning model reduces time on campus which allows working professionals to maintain their current employment for part of the program.
NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences
As part of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, students in the Marriage and Family Therapy (MS) program will develop the skills and experience needed for tomorrow’s workforce.
Iona students may have the opportunity to do clinicals and rotations at NewYork-Presbyterian, ranked one of the top hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report 2024-25.
Align your education with your career goals at the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences and earn a degree of tremendous value for your future.
Application Requirements
- Application for admission.
- Official transcripts are required from all regionally accredited colleges or universities attended.
- Two professional letters of recommendation.
- Current resume.
- 1-2 page personal statement.
- Group and individual interview.
- GRE scores if overall GPA is below 3.0.
Master’s in MFT Faculty
Iona’s Marriage & Family Therapy faculty are compassionate practitioners dedicated to providing instruction centered around client care and student success.
The IFTC offers affordable, responsive therapy services to individuals, children, couples and families. Using a Family Systems approach, therapists-in-training assist clients to achieve their goals in a supportive, sincere and nonjudgmental environment.
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Quick Facts
Tuition & Financial Aid
- $1,075 per credit (60 credits)
- $275 program fee for Fall and Spring semesters (6 semesters)
- Estimated Cost: $66,150
- Applying for Aid
- Graduate Tuition
What to Expect
- Finish in 3 years
- Hybrid learning model
- Internship year
- Gain clinical experience through on-campus MFT community clinic
Degree Outcomes
Titles held by Iona graduates include:
- Assistant Clinical Director
- Counselor
- Clinical Director
- Private Practitioner
What You'll Learn
Therapy, Behavioral Science, Education and Social Services
You will build the practical skills and knowledge to become a family-centered therapist through coursework in the fields of therapy, behavioral science, education and social services. Discussing individual, couple and family development, your counseling education examines different life phases along with the various challenges typically encountered in each life stage. As part of the coursework, you complete 500 supervised face-to-face clinical experience hours with individuals, couples and families.
A Focus on Family Systems
Throughout the MFT degree, our COAMFTE-accredited curriculum introduces the different models of family therapy. This focus on family systems is the cornerstone of marriage and family therapy programs, compared to other psychology, counseling or social work degrees.
Uncover Insights into Yourself
One of the most exciting and important areas that we study is you! Our graduate program in marriage and family therapy emphasizes “the self of the therapist”–your personality, your family background, culture(s), ethnicity and gender, all of which have shaped who you are and continue to influence how you interact in the therapy room.
Human Diversity
In addition, our curriculum highlights all types of human diversity because it is important to understand the people with whom you will work as therapists and the appropriate intervention techniques.
Marriage and Family Therapy Career Outcomes
Strong Job Growth Between 2023 and 2033
After earning their Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy degrees, our graduates pursue successful careers as licensed therapists in a wide variety of healthcare, government and nonprofit organizations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, positions for marriage and family therapists are projected to grow 16% between 2023 and 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations. On average, about 5,900 openings for marriage and family therapists are projected each year, offering an abundance of opportunities in this specialized field of family-centered therapy.
Job Titles
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
- Counselor
- Program/Clinic Director
- Private Group Practice Owner
- Private Practitioner
- Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
- Social Case Worker
- Faculty and Clinical Supervisor
Our Graduates Have Worked at:
I can simply describe my experience in the Iona MFT program as remarkable. The instructors, quality of instruction and supervision exceeded my expectations.
Eon Parks '22
Read More About Eon
MFT Program Highlights
Iona Family Therapy Center
Our modern non-profit Iona Family Therapy Center (IFTC) offers affordable, responsive therapy services to individuals, children, couples and families in the community. Therapists-in-training are graduate students who are closely supervised by experienced faculty who are licensed marriage and family therapists.
COAMFTE Accreditation
Our program is accredited by the Commission On Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), the national accrediting body for marriage and family therapy education. It is one of 100 accredited Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy degrees in the United States and one of four in New York State.
As a COAMFTE-accredited program, the curriculum and supervised clinical experience hours accrued during the program are accepted by all 50 states. However, each state has its own post-degree supervised clinical experience requirements. Students from other states and/or those who plan on licensing in another state are advised to check on that state’s clinical experience requirements.
New York State Licensure
Graduates of our Marriage and Family Therapy program report a 100 percent pass rate for the National MFT Exam! After passing the exam and completing additional requirements, they are eligible for New York therapist licensure.
Learn more about Iona’s Marriage and Family Therapy program!
Request More Information or Apply Today
Iona’s Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy degree prepares students for rewarding careers as licensed therapists across New York State. With supportive faculty, a COAMFTE-accredited curriculum and an emphasis on hands-on preparation, Iona graduates are fully equipped for a career counseling couples and families through interpersonal challenges.
Want to learn more? Request information about earning your Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy at Iona.
Ready to apply? Begin your MFT application.
Information on licensing for prospective MFT professionals
Find Out what an Iona Education Can Do For You
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