The Marriage and Family Therapy graduate program at Oklahoma Baptist University trains students to provide therapeutic services from a relational and systemic perspective in counseling agencies, schools, hospitals, churches, on the mission field and in private practice. OBU’s MFT graduate program equips students to apply their professional skills in order to bring healing to families, couples and individuals. The MFT Program also equips students to understand the role that faith plays in clients' lives and relationships.

Program Summary

Our mission is to train students in a relational and systemic approach in order to equip marriage and family therapists for the compassionate, ethical practice of therapy with a diverse, multi-cultural and global society.

The graduate program in Marriage and Family Therapy at Oklahoma Baptist University is designed to meet the needs of college graduates who desire training in marriage and family therapy that will prepare them to apply for professional certification or licensure and clinical membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

The program teaches students to implement relational, systemic approaches in the practice of marriage and family therapy. The program also helps students consider how personal faith and a Christian perspective­ and values can inform their MFT practice across a variety of settings. It focuses on both academic course work and supervised clinical ­experience with individuals, couples and families under a variety of clinical conditions. It endeavors to establish a professional role identity for the family therapist as a clinician who can work both in private and public domains, and in institutional as well as outpatient sett­ings. Students receive intensive specialized training, which gives them a firm base for becoming competent therapists who understand and are able to treat individuals and families from a systems vantage point and know how to deal with the societal and cultural forces that influence family relation­ships. They are exposed to a variety of theoretical paradigms used in family therapy and assisted in critically examining each of them with the purpose of developing a proficiency as marriage and family therapists based on the integration of their personal qualities with their knowledge of individual, marital and family dynamics, resources, and possibilities for change.

Other distinctions include:

• Emphasis on high academic quality with a robust MFT foundation resulting in successful licensure pass rates
• Faculty with diverse clinical experiences and experience teaching in MFT-specific programs
• Faculty with AAMFT Approved Supervisor credentials and with LMFT State Licensure Board experience
• Systems-oriented training for excellent preparation to work with families and couples
• Evening classes with flexibility to complete degree on 2, 3 or 4 year tracks
• Embedded training facility (Kemp MFT Clinic) and diverse selection of practicum sites (local and state-wide)
• Specific training and clinical experience in Telehealth services

Master’s Program Specifics

• 46 total credit hour curriculum which will meet requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist in the state of Oklahoma.
• All classes taught from an MFT perspective to best prepare students for success with LMFT National Exam.
• Classes held on campus with MFT Faculty and other MFT students provide rich mentoring relationships and friendships.
• Evening classes provide increased flexibility for students with full schedules.
• Students can move through academic classes as a group thereby developing a strong sense of community and improving the learning experience.
• Thesis option is available for those planning on continuing towards PhD.
• No GRE Required.
• Limited seats available for OBU undergraduate students to begin the MFT program during their Senior year.

OBU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association. This regional accreditation allows graduates of the MFT Program to pursue licensure as a marriage and family therapist in a number of states and jurisdictions. OBU's MFT Curriculum meets the pre-approved academic requirements for pursuing licensure in Oklahoma.

Degree Plans

• Complete your degree in two years
• Complete your degree in three years
• Complete your degree in four years

Program Resources

• MFT Program Handbook
• Program Goals and Outcomes
• Academic Catalog
• Academic Calendar

Important Upcoming Dates

• Fall Supervision 2022: 08/15/2022 – 12/16/2022
• Winter 2021 Commencement - Saturday, December 17, 2021
• Winter Break 2022: 12/18/2021 - 01/02/2023
• Spring Supervision 2023: 01/03/2023 – 05/21/2023
• Fall 2023 Cohort Priority Application Deadline - March 1, 2023
• Fall 2023 MFT Interview Evening - TBD
• Admissions Cut-off - July 1, 2023
• MFT Orientation and All Program Gathering - August, 2023, TBD

Program Diversity Composition and Student Achievement

Out of 33 students active in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, there are 8 males and 25 females. The program's racial diversity distribution is 25 White/Non-Hispanic, 2 Hispanic/Latino, 1 African/African-American, 4 Native American, 1 Multi-Ethnic.

The program has two core faculty and a clinic director: 1 male and 2 female, 1 White/Non-Hispanic and 2 African American.

The program currently has 5 clinical supervisors: 1 male and 4 female, 3 White/Non-Hispanic and 2 African American.

Graduate Achievement Data Table

Are you currently an OBU undergraduate student who wants to participate in the Integrated MFT Program? Visit the Integrated MFT Program page to learn more.