M.S. in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling

Healthy families are the foundation of strong communities. Walden’s M.S. in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling program helps prepare you for the evolving method of evidence-based counseling practice, the most contemporary approach in the mental healthcare profession. You can gain experience in diagnosing mental and emotional disorders and resolving marriage and family conflicts related to divorce, mediation, child rearing, school issues, and family violence. Developed according to national counseling standards with an emphasis on systems theory, the program helps to prepare you to work in culturally and contextually diverse settings, including in community, county, and state agencies; in hospitals and private practices; and in consultation with businesses and agencies. 

As a student in Walden’s M.S. in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling program, you can choose when, where, and how you learn thanks to our online format and MobileLearn^SM. Through this education technology, you can listen to coursework on your MP3 player, access your classroom from your iPhone, download coursework to your laptop, and more.

Choose the General Program or a specialization that meets your career goals and interests.

Specializations

• Forensic Counseling
• Trauma and Crisis Counseling

Learn More

• Evidence-Based Practice 
• Expert Faculty
• Residencies
• Which Counseling Program Is Right for You?

Other Master’s Programs

Walden offers many more learning options. Find the right one for you:

• See all online master’s programs.
• Explore programs by career paths.

For assistance in deciding which online degree program fits your goals, request information or speak with an enrollment advisor by calling 1-866-492-5336. A list of international toll-free phone numbers is available for students outside the United States.

Note on Licensure

Walden University’s M.S. in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling is not accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), specialized accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is a requirement for licensure in some states. The M.S. in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling program is designed to prepare graduates to qualify to sit for licensing exams and to meet the academic licensure requirements of many state counseling boards. Because no graduate program can guarantee licensure upon graduation, we encourage students to consult the appropriate agency to determine specific requirements. Walden enrollment advisors can provide guidance on licensure issues, however, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand and comply with all state licensure requirements. Walden makes no representations or guarantee that completion of Walden coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain state licensure or endorsement. For more information about licensure, students should visit the National Board for Certified Counselors at www.nbcc.org/StateLicensure and contact the appropriate licensing body. International students are encouraged to identify and contact their appropriate licensing body.

Professional Accreditation

The M.S. in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling is not accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). However, the program was developed to be in line with national standards for marriage, couple, and family counseling. Since Walden's M.S. in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling is a new program, the university is not yet able to apply for CACREP or COAMFTE accreditation. Students will be notified at such time if the program becomes accredited in the future.