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Graduate Studies in Education

  1. Whitworth University
  2. Counseling & Therapy
  3. Marriage & Family Therapy, M.A.
  4. Student Learning Outcomes

Marriage & Family Therapy Program Mission, Goals & Student Learning Outcomes

Mission 

The Whitworth University Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program mission is to develop ethically competent Marriage and Family Therapists who work collaboratively from a systemic and relational perspective to meet the mental health and relational needs of individuals, couples, and families across multiple dimensions of diversity, addressing client needs from the perspective of both mind and heart.   

Goals

G1 Equip students with the necessary systemic theoretical knowledge and therapeutic skills to work effectively with a broad spectrum of issues presented by individuals, couples, and families from diverse levels of the socioeconomic strata and with other marginalized groups (ethnic, cultural, religious, sexual orientation) from a systemic and relational perspective. (Theory) 

G2 Instruct students in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues from a systemic and relational perspective, and provide clinical experience in diagnosing, treating, and evaluating treatment effectiveness for individuals, couples, and families. from diverse levels of the socioeconomic strata and with other marginalized groups (ethnic, cultural, religious, sexual orientation) from a systemic and relational perspective. (Clinical) 

G3 Develop informed consumers of research and to expose students to a broad array of efficacious research-based practices and their application to common presenting issues. (Research) 

G4 Equip students with the ability to recognize the influence of social factors such as culture, ethnicity, religiosity, socio-economic status, and sexual orientation, and to incorporate those factors into diagnosis and treatment of individuals, couples, and families, from diverse levels of the socioeconomic strata and with other marginalized groups (ethnic, cultural, religious, sexual orientation) from a systemic and relational perspective. (Diversity) 

G5 Enhance students’ ability to assist in exploring spiritual issues as presented by clientele. 

G6 Impart critical thinking skills and tools to assist students in recognizing and successfully negotiating ethically based challenges. (Ethics)

G7 Upon graduation will apply MFT knowledge and skills to the professional workforce. (Graduate Achievement)

Student Learning Outcomes

SL 1 (G1) Students have the basic core competencies to infuse systemic, relational, and biopsychosocial/spiritual perspectives into their academic work and clinical activities with individuals, couples and families from diverse levels of the socioeconomic strata and with other marginalized groups (ethnic, cultural, religious, sexual orientation).

SL 2 (G2) Students have the basic core competencies to provide systemic and relational clinical activities from multiple philosophical and theoretical frameworks.

SL 3A (G3) Students have the basic core competencies to be discerning consumers of empirical research and/or program evaluation in their scholastic work and/or clinical services.

SL 3B (G3) Students have the basic core competencies to be designers of empirical research.

SL 4 (G4) Students have the basic core competencies to recognize, articulate and account for influences of contextual factors on client systems when working with individuals, couples and families from diverse levels of the socioeconomic strata and with other marginalized groups (ethnic, cultural, religious, sexual orientation) and can adjust scholarship and clinical activities as appropriate.

SL 5 (G5) Students can integrate a client's spirituality into the context of therapy.

SL 6A (G6) Students have the basic core competencies to meet or exceed minimal legal, ethical and other professional regulatory standards (e.g., national and state laws, the AAMFT Code of Ethics, and agency ethical policies and procedures).

SL 6B (G6) Students have the basic core competencies to account for the influence of higher-order moral principles (e.g., beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, justice and fidelity) and moral reasoning schemas (e.g., duty-based, ends-based, care-based and/or narrative based) on moral/ethical decisions faced by clients and therapists.

SL 7 Students graduating from the MFT program will become professional practitioners.