The Department of Human Development and Family Science offers the following graduate degree options:

• M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy (On-campus)
• M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy (Online)
• Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science
• M.S. in Human Development and Family Science (not currently admitting students)
• Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy (not currently admitting students)

Deadlines

M.A. in MFT Priority Deadlines

Spring (Online only) – November 15

Fall (Online and On-campus) – February 15

Ph.D. in HDFS Deadline

Applications are due by December 15. Selected candidates will receive an invite to a virtual interview in late January.

Did you know?

• Syracuse University offered the first COAMFTE-accredited MFT–therapy master degree in the country, and now offers an accredited MFT online M.A. in MFT degree?
• It offered the first 60-credit M.A. in MFT degree in the State of New York?
• MFT on-campus students gain hands-on clinical experience in the on-site Couple and Family Therapy Center?
  

Programs of Study

M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy

The COAMFTE-accredited (visit our COAMFTE Graduate Achievement Data) Syracuse University Marriage and Family Therapy (SUMFT) program educates clinicians, scholars and researchers through the "Self and Systems" training approach, integrating self-understanding with systems framework for clinical work.

The 60-credit M.A. program is available in two formats:

• On-campus M.A. in MFT program utilizing the Couple and Family Therapy Center and local community sites.
• Online, part-time M.A. in MFT program delivered through courses with both synchronous and asynchronous content with practicum hours obtained in students' local communities.

Admission requirements include a completed bachelor's degree, 3 letters of recommendation and a personal statement. While there is no minimum GPA requirement, the department uses a benchmark of 3.4 as a standard.

Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science

The Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science program consists of 72 credits, including completion of a dissertation. It provides in-depth study of familial, societal and cultural factors that shape child development and family relationships, with primary focus on scientific inquiry and research methodology.

The program trains professionals for careers in academia, research and human development and family service agencies. Courses emphasize multicultural perspectives and diverse research methodologies. Doctoral students have the opportunity to obtain university teaching instruction through Syracuse University's Future Professorate Program.

Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy

Restructuring in Process, Not Currently Admitting Students

The COAMFTE-accredited 72-credit Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy program prepares scholars who will advance research, theory and teaching in marriage and family therapy. Students are prepared primarily for research, teaching and supervisory positions in graduate institutions, training institutes and healthcare settings.

The program builds upon a clinical master's degree in marriage and family therapy and provides students with advanced theory understanding and expertise in process and outcome research methodology in the field.

M.S. in Human Development and Family Science

Not Currently Admitting Students

The M.S. in Human Development and Family Science program is a 30-credit degree that promotes understanding human development across the lifespan with an emphasis on social-cultural contexts. Students gain broad knowledge of childhood and family systems across various cultural and societal contexts.

Students complete core course and elective requirements, with training emphasizing multicultural perspectives and diverse research methodologies. The program allows personalization through courses from various departments including anthropology, biology, marriage and family therapy, psychology, education, sociology, social science, nutrition, special education, or women's studies.

M.S. students must complete either a master's thesis or a master's project. The program prepares students for careers in research, health services and community agencies. Students completing a thesis are eligible to apply to the HDFS doctoral program.