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PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy (PhD-MFT)

3
Years to complete
60 credit hours
On-Campus
Apprentice model
With online options
$760
Per credit hour
10% partner discount

Become an advanced clinician and leader in your field

Combine research and clinical experience

Mount Mercy University’s PhD in Marriage & Family Therapy (PHD-MFT) provides personalized and student-driven learning following a unique apprenticeship-mentor model.

Our marriage and family therapy doctoral degree is designed to provide both research-based classes and clinical experiences through our on-site Olson Marriage & Family Therapy Clinic.

Earn your PhD in marriage and family therapy from Mount Mercy, and help individuals and families live more productive lives.

What can you do with a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy?

Through our PhD in Marriage & Family Therapy, you’ll gain the necessary skills to be a research-informed, advanced clinician and leader.

Mount Mercy’s PhD in Marriage & family Therapy is one of only a few programs with an underpinning in neuroscience. Here’s why this is important: Neuroscientific discoveries about the brain can lead to greater awareness of how environment and culture shape the individual—a critical foundation for marriage and family therapists.

Why a PhD in Marriage & Family Therapy from Mount Mercy?

PhD in marriage and family therapy programs are not all the same.

We provide leadership skills and advanced clinical skills that truly set our students apart. And all mental health provider license types are accepted—not just MFTs—with no GRE required. 

Our marriage and family therapy doctorate program is distinguished by three specialization tracks: Neuroscience and Psychophysiology, Leadership and Social Justice, and Advanced Couples Therapy.

  • Experience a curriculum that keeps pace with the times
  • Learn from practicing professionals
  • Join a supportive cohort that reinforces and celebrates belonging and diversity
  • Gain critical professional experience in our on-site Olson Marriage & Family Therapy Clinic

As you work toward your doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy, you’ll advance your expertise and grow as a leader in the field.

Earn your marriage and family therapy doctorate degree on your schedule

Enjoy the flexibility to earn your doctorate degree in marriage and family therapy with a format that helps you balance work, school, and all your other responsibilities.

  • No GRE required
  • Flexible and part-time paths
  • Evening classes
  • 5- and 10-week classes
  • On-campus and online (live) classes
  • Complete your marriage and family therapy doctoral degree in three years

Lauren Wood

I’ve been very blessed with the faculty at Mount Mercy because they understand my goals, allow me to establish goals for myself and my practice, and work to support me—as opposed to other university systems that are not student-centered.

What can you do in our PhD in Marriage & Family Therapy program?

Our doctorate degree in marriage and family therapy combines classroom learning with hands-on clinical experience. Collaborate with professors who are practicing professionals. Gain beyond-the-classroom learning in our Olson Marriage & Family Therapy Clinic.

Our PhD-MFT provides individualized and student-driven learning, allowing you to work alongside faculty within a highly personalized environment.

Meet our faculty

Customize your doctorate degree in education

Our PhD program is set apart by three specialization tracks:

Neuroscience and Psychophysiology

Learn how neurological and psychophysiological knowledge and skill can make you a stronger mental health care professional in this leading-edge area of comprehensive, integrated care. We integrate EEG and neurofeedback within our curriculum.

Leadership and Social Justice

Develop and enhance your ability to apply systematic principles in the context of mental health leadership and social justice advocacy. As you do, you’ll improve and enrich mental health care services in our communities.

Advanced Couples Therapy

Deliver quality and effective couples therapy in a wide range of challenging situations by cultivating knowledge and skills related to this dynamic area of clinical practice. The program prepares you to provide advanced clinical services for individuals, couples, and families.

What will you learn in our PhD in Marriage & Family Therapy program?

In our marriage and family therapy doctorate program, take essential core courses such as Advanced Systems Theory, Advanced Family Therapy Models, Advanced Ethics, and Advanced Research.

Explore both qualitative and quantitative methods—building your skills along the way. Four courses from your chosen track and one elective from the other tracks help you focus on your goals.

How can I afford a PhD in marriage and family therapy?

PhD-MFT Fellowship Program: Fund your PhD by serving your community.

What you do:
  • Provide up to 15 hours of therapy through a community partner
  • Teach a master's or undergraduate level course
What you get:
  • Full funding for your PhD
  • Up to $12,000 stipend

You may be eligible for scholarships and loan programs.

The first step is to complete your FAFSA, which helps determine state and federal aid available to you. Our federal school code is 001880. Contact our Financial Aid Office with any questions.

Get started on your marriage and family therapy doctoral degree

Applications are accepted and reviewed year-round for our August start. Our graduate admissions team is here to help you reach your educational goals and answer your questions.

If you have any questions about applying, please contact Ciji Fox, graduate program recruiter for Marriage and Family Therapy.

  • Complete your application
    • We will begin reviewing applications for the 2024 doctoral cohort in February of 2023. Applications should be submitted no later than March 15.
  • Request official transcripts from all institutions previously attended. Email to gradprograms@mtmercy.edu or mail to:

    Graduate Programs
    Mount Mercy University
    1330 Elmhurst Drive NE
    Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-4797
  • Hold a master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university or an equivalent degree from an accredited institution outside the United States. Documentation of degree equivalencies must be submitted by an agency authorized to do so.

  • Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 in graduate level coursework.

  • Submit the names and contact information for three individuals who can speak to your ability to succeed in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program. (See application for further instruction).

  • Personal interview with program faculty.
  • No GRE required. All mental health provider license types are accepted, not just MFTs.