This course will focus on the history of marriage and families, including the changing forms and demographics of modern couples and families in Western societies, especially the United States. State and national policy issues impacting the health and well-being of couples and families will also be addressed. Particular attention will be given to understanding the goals of each policy, and current research will be presented on both their intended and unintended consequences since implementation.

This course focuses on the study of culturally diverse couples and families with special emphasis on understanding the significance of cultural contexts in working with people of different cultures. Issues of racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, and other isms are explored. Dynamics of power and privilege are explored. Strategies to prevent their clinical biases from interfering with therapeutic relationships with diverse populations are developed. Included is an exploration of various types of couples and families.

This course introduces historical, contextual, and clinical applications to relationships including couples, families, and systems. Relationships between spouses and partners are explored and analyzed in order to create an understanding of the dynamics that enhance relationships from a therapeutic context. Issues regarding communication, conflict resolution, and interactions are included.

This course provides an opportunity for students to develop skills conducting therapy with couples and families. Awareness of the influence of race, culture and gender in couple and family therapy is developed. Experiential and didactic approaches are used.

This 1-credit course is part one of a 3-credit triad of courses which include the concurrent courses, MFT643 and 644. This course covers professional issues in the Marriage and Family Therapy field, including information about the licensure process, state and national professional associations, regulatory boards, post-degree supervision requirements and opportunities, possible employment contexts.

This course examines the strengths and limitations of different assessment strategies with couples and families, including assessment based on observation, therapist/rater, family report, and interactional methods. It includes an overview of various measures and instruments used, including parent-child, family, and couple inventories.

This course is an introduction to play therapy theories and techniques, their historical and cultural contexts and their application to the marriage and family therapy process.

Students unable to complete the required 300 hours of client contact in two semesters of practicum may register for Practicum Completion course. Students continue to take the practicum supervision seminar for each semester needed to complete the hours. A completion fee is assessed for each semester. This course is P/NC.

This course examines the assessment and diagnostic process for working with children and adolescents in a behavioral health setting utilizing a developmental-systems approach and the criteria from the DSM IV. This course focuses on assessment and diagnostic methods and tools (DSA and others}) and the development of appropriate treatment plans for clients based on diagnostic and problem formulation.

This course examines professional, legal, and ethical issues in the practice of couples and family therapy. The code of ethics of the Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy and AAMFT, selected Minnesota laws pertaining to children and families, and ethical and professional problems of confidentiality, dual relationship, and other potentially problematic areas are studied.