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MA in Marriage and Family Studies

Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate the ability to supervise various programs in family counseling centers. 
  2. Achieve competence in data collection concerning individuals, couples, and families through interviews, psychometric instruments, and other methods. 
  3. Effectively operate in developmental psychological assessments.
  4. Show efficiency in cross-cultural communication.
  5. Understanding of the concerns of vulnerable groups (poverty milieu, victims of abuse, substance abusers, juvenile delinquency milieu).
  6. Analyze and evaluate research data relevant to families.
  7. To develop and show sensitivity to the spiritual needs of individuals, couples, and families. 

Program Curriculum

Core courses (required 30 credits or 50 ECTS)

  • MAFT 511 Introduction to Marriage and Family Studies (3 credits)
  • MAFT 514 Psychopathology (3 credits)
  • MAFT 516 Christian Perspectives on the Helping Profession (3 credits)
  • MAFT 523 Human Growth and Development (3 credits)
  • MAFT 531 Systems Theory (3 credits)
  • MAFT 533 Human Sexuality (3 credits)
  • MAFT 541 Family Stress and Resilience (3 credits)
  • MAFT 543 Personality Theory (3 credits) [listed as Community Interventions on ETS website]
  • MAFT 547 Cultural Contexts in Clinical Practice (3 credits)
  • MAFT 555 Research Methods in Relationship Science (3 credits)

Elective Courses (choose four courses from the following – 12 credits or 20 ECTS)

  • MAFT 510 Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Family Therapy (3 credits)
  • MAFT 522 Traditional and Systematic Therapies (3 credits)
  • COUN 520 Counseling Theories and Techniques (3 credits)
  • COUN 561 Counseling Children and Adolescents: Development Issues and Interventions (3 credits)
  • COUN 548 Supervision I and II (2x3 credits)

Thesis (12 credits or 20 ECTS)

  • COUN 598 Thesis Seminar (3 credits or 5 ECTS) Directed Study
  • COUN 599 Master’s Thesis (9 credits or 15 ECTS)

Total Credit Hours Required: 54 credits or 90 ECTS
The German accreditation agency ‘evalag’ has accredited a slightly extended version with 14 courses plus a thesis. The total number of ECTS credits is 90 ECTS and extends over three years of part-time studies since the legal maximum of ECTS a part-time student may take in Germany is 15 per semester.

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