NCU Marriage And Family Therapy Program Now COAMFTE-Accredited

PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz., Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Northcentral University (NCU), a global online graduate-focused university, today announced that its Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT) degree program has received five year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Northcentral University's MAMFT is the first and only program with distance education to receive COAMFTE's coveted programmatic accreditation, ensuring that the University's program aligns with national accreditation standards.

The MAMFT degree program at NCU combines distance education courses with face-to-face clinical training. During the clinical training sequence, students work directly with clients in their local communities and meet with qualified local supervisors in the same physical location.  Students also participate in online video conferencing with NCU faculty supervisors to provide the additional training and support required to graduate. 

"Achieving COAMFTE accreditation is a demonstration of the dedication and commitment of the University, with its 100 percent doctoral faculty, to provide the best possible educational experience to NCU students by becoming a leader in the field of distance education for MFT," noted Dr. Heather Frederick, Vice President for Academic Affairs.

At present, almost half of the states in the U.S. have a provision in their licensing laws automatically approving graduates from COAMFTE-accredited programs for licensure. Even in states that do not have this provision, graduation from a COAMFTE-accredited program is looked upon favorably in the licensure process.

"COAMFTE accreditation is an indication to the public that a program has met the accreditation standards and demonstrates quality in marriage and family therapy education. The Commission on Accreditation congratulates the Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy Program and Northcentral University in achieving COAMFTE accreditation. We are very pleased to add the first program with distance education to our family of accredited programs," shared COAMFTE Chair, Dr. Jennifer Hodgson, LMFT, professor of Marriage and Family Therapy, East Carolina University.

In addition, as of January 1, 2013, Northcentral University has separated its School of Behavioral and Health Sciences into two unique schools: the School of Psychology and the School of Marriage and Family Sciences.

"Over the last few years, the Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy programs have truly established their own separate identities," notes Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Scott Burrus. "Clearly delineating these two schools is the next logical step in the growth of the University and will allow our faculty and administrative staff to continue to meet the educational demands of psychology and marriage and family therapy professionals throughout the world."

This decision will not affect the availability of any current programs offered through the School of Behavioral and Health Sciences. Moving forward, the School of Psychology will offer the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program, the Master of Arts in Psychology program, and the Ph.D. in Psychology program. The School of Marriage and Family Sciences will offer Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Dr. Branden Henline, who has led the Marriage and Family Therapy program since 2005, has assumed the role of Dean of the School of Marriage and Family Sciences. Dr. Henline has been instrumental in aligning NCU's Marriage and Family Therapy programs with the quality standards set by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). 

Current Chair of Psychology Programs for the School of Behavioral and Health Sciences, Dr. Robert (Bob) Haussmann, now serves as the Dean of the School of Psychology. Dr. Haussmann has been with Northcentral University for almost 14 years and has served in various capacities, most notably as a dissertation chair for many psychology students. He has also been instrumental in assisting the psychology programs in refining their statistics and research courses to better prepare doctoral candidates for the dissertation phase of their programs.

Dr. Heather Frederick, who has served as Dean of the School of Behavioral and Health Sciences since 2008, has taken on a new role on NCU's Academic Leadership Team as Vice President for Academic Affairs. For more information on Northcentral University's Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy degree programs, please visit www.ncu.edu.

About Northcentral University
Founded in 1996, Northcentral University is a regionally accredited, private, online and graduate-focused university serving professionals globally. Northcentral University offers doctoral, master's and bachelor's degrees in business and technology management, education and psychology as well as marriage and family therapy. Courses are taught one-to-one by a member of NCU's 100 percent doctoral faculty. Northcentral University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC). For more information, visit www.ncu.edu or call (888) 628-2078. For program disclosures, please visit www.ncu.edu/GE.

About COAMFTE
AAMFT's Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) is a specialized accrediting body that accredits master's degree, doctoral degree, and post-graduate degree clinical training programs in marriage and family therapy throughout the United States and Canada. Since 1978, the COAMFTE has been recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) as the national accrediting body for the field of marriage and family therapy.  COAMFTE is also recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). For more information, please email [email protected].

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SOURCE Northcentral University