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Graduate Certificate

Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Department of Counseling

Contemporary Theory in Couple and Family Systems

This certificate is designed for human services professionals and therapists who wish to increase their knowledge and practice capabilities in marital and family services. Certificate credits can be applied toward our MS and PhD programs.

Note: This certificate is not designed to meet licensure requirements associated with a master's degree in marriage, couple, and family counseling/therapy.

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Total Program: 20 quarter credits
Admission Requirements Icon indicating PDF
Next Start Date: April 9, 2012
Credit: $451

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Required Courses (each course 4 quarter credits unless noted)

  • COUN5004 - Survey of Research in Human Development for Professional Counselors
  • COUN5270 - Family Therapy Theory and Methods
  • COUN5271 - Marriage and Family Systems
  • COUN5273 - Couple and Marital Therapy*
  • COUN8476 - Methods of Family Research
* This course has a prerequisite. Contact an enrollment counselor for more information.

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Related specialization

If you’re interested in pursuing a position as a marriage and family therapist, serving individuals, couples, and families in institutional, public, or private practice settings, Capella also offers and MS in Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy.





Capella Experience has been great for 4 years.

September 9, 2011Cleveland My experience with Capella has been great. I enrolled in the MS Human Services/Specialization Counseling in April 2007. I completed the degree in June 2010. In the Fall of 2010 I decided to take the clases for a certificate in Addiction Counseling and Compulsive Behaviors and will complete this next week. Another great program at Capella. I am presently considering the Certificate program in Comtemporary Theory in Couple and Family Systems. I know I will receive another enlightening experience. Capella has and always will be great in my opinion.

Is Marriage and Family Therapy Outdated?

July 10, 2011Gary I know many people who are so called "therapists" and its seems that the term "Marital and Family Therapist' is becoming outdated. Perhaps some of this is political- but does it seem to anyone that there are a multitude of professions that offer "therapeutic" assistance? What is the true value of a certificate or specialization in a field that seems to be becoming extinct?
Image of enrollment counselor from the team that specializes in Capella's human services degree programs
Image of enrollment counselor from the team that specializes in Capella's human services degree programs

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