What kind of classes would I take to be marriage and family therapist?

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Answers:
Here is what the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy suggests:

Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are mental health professionals trained in psychotherapy and family systems, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples and family systems.
MFTs have graduate training (a Master's or Doctoral degree) in marriage and family therapy and at least two years of clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists are recognized as a "core" mental health profession, along with psychiatry, psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing.
Marriage and family therapy is a distinct professional discipline with graduate and post graduate programs. Three options are available for those interested in becoming a marriage and family therapist: master's degree (2-3 years), doctoral program (3-5 years), or post-graduate clinical training programs (3-4 years). Historically, marriage and family therapists have come from a wide variety of educational backgrounds including psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, pastoral counseling and education.

The Federal government has designated marriage and family therapy as a core mental health profession along with psychiatry, psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing. Currently 48 states also support and regulate the profession by licensing or certifying marriage and family therapists with many other states considering licensing bills.

The regulatory requirements in most states are substantially equivalent to the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Clinical Membership standards. After graduation from an accredited program, a period - usually two years - of post-degree supervised clinical experience is necessary before licensure or certification. When the supervision period is completed, the therapist can take a state licensing exam, or the national examination for marriage and family therapists conducted by the AAMFT Regulatory Boards. This exam is used as a licensure requirement in most states.

Advice for those interested in MFT programs
Get clinical experience - Because it is essential that MFTs have good interpersonal skills and emotional maturity, graduate programs will be looking for evidence that you have been successful in working with people. Many colleges and universities offer internship or externship programs or you can volunteer at local teen homes, women's shelters, crisis hotlines, or mental health centers. Choose a place where you will have direct contact with clients.
Get research experience - Because many universities require graduate professors to conduct original research, programs will look for applicants who have experience conducting psychological research and have an interest in helping professors with their research. Try to take at least one research course and one statistics course prior to applying to admission into a graduate program in marriage and family therapy.
Identify and emphasize your strengths - If you are concerned that your grades will not gain you admission into the program, take time to think about what other aspects of your experience could make up for your grades. Make sure to emphasize these aspects of your experience in your application and during your interviews.
Be a good consumer - Not only do you need to sell yourself to the programs, but you also need to determine which programs will be a good fit for you. If you are honest with yourself and are clear about your desires, you will succeed in selecting a program that allows you to learn the art of marriage and family therapy in a comfortable and supportive atmosphere.

Check with the accredited programs you are interested in to find out about its admission requirements. Most programs don't require a specific undergraduate degree, however, some programs may require applicants to have taken specific courses to be eligible for admission.

So, it sounds like you will need to major in psychology or social work, meaning you will be required to take the vital courses (psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, personality, cognitive psychology, abnormal psychology, etc). Minimally, you will need to attend grad school and get your Master's. Since there are special licensure requirements, I would search for a specialized program for MFTs, rather than a generalized graduate program.

Other Answers:
Each university is different so you need to go to a college advisor and ask. In the state of Nevada, you would need a Masters in the College of Education and Psychology and then 3000 hrs of clinical interning. Then pass a written exam. MFTs are very similar to Clinical Social Workers except there are more job oppotunities for Social Workers. That requires a Masters in Social Work plus 3000 hrs of clinical interning....depending on the state you live in..plus passing a licensure exam. Gather information at your local university.

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What kind of classes would I take to be marriage and family therapist?

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