Potential Students
NOTE: Please join us for a live on-line chat information session on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 10:30 AM- 11:30 AM EDT. Chat with the program coordinator of the Marriage and Family Therapy program and a 1st year graduate student. We are happy to answer any questions regarding the program and the application process.
NOTE: Go to Group Chat Events and register for a chat event by creating a username and password. We hope to chat with you soon!
Why Become a Hokie?
Many students say they chose the MFT program at Virginia Tech in Northern Virginia because we have such a strong clinical program. Yes, our program does have a strong clinical focus, but we have many other strengths as well -- as students who come here soon find out.
Virginia Tech's Exemplary Department and Programs Award Committee selected our MFT Program in Northern Virginia as one of three award recipients in 2001 for "developing and sustaining innovative and effective departmental approaches to introductory courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels." What makes this recognition really special is that MFT students nominated the program for this award. The program received a $10,000 award as well as a plaque. MFT faculty and staff from Northern Virginia formally received the award during a ceremony in Blacksburg on October 4, 2001.
Our faculty is well aware that education and personal growth go hand in hand, both are part of a developmental process. This is something we factor into our thinking as we plan and implement the program. In addition, we are also fortunate to have a strong working relationship among the four full time faculty, adjunct faculty, and the staff that makes our program a great place to work. This kind of working environment creates a nurturing environment for students. We notice that our students tend to support each other and to bond while completing the program -- so the support base here is broad and strong.
Two alumni summarize how they view the benefits of our program:
"The Northern Virginia MFT Program provided me with excellent clinical skills. My first employer told me he was always glad to get Tech graduates because they already knew how to do therapy and didn't have to be trained. The staff was incredibly supportive of me as a novice and prepared me both academically and clinically."
"Receiving my master's degree from the MFT program at Virginia Tech was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only did I receive top notch training but I had the opportunity to form relationships with faculty and colleagues that will influence me for a lifetime."
On this website you'll find plenty of additional reasons why you might want to become a Hokie!
Our Campus & Setting
Virginia Tech's campus in Northern Virginia is adjacent to the West Falls Church Metro station just off of Interstate 66. It is ideally located close to Washington, DC to the east and to rural Virginia to the southwest featuring trees and wildlife. For example, if you want to enjoy the lovely fall foliage, it only takes about an hour to reach skyline drive to view the trees growing on the Blue Ridge Mountain range. If you want to tour the White House or the Air and Space Museum it only takes about 30 minutes by car or metro to get downtown. The Washington DC area is also home to several marriage and family therapy training programs such as the Family Therapy Institute (Cloe Madanes), the Georgetown (Murray Bowen followers) and the Family Therapy Practice Center (Maryann Walters) and other experts in the field such as Eliana Gil.
Many Virginia Tech students at the center are working professionals; thus most classes are conveniently scheduled in the late afternoon and evening to accommodate students' workdays. More than 50 full-time resident faculty and 30 staff support the academic and administrative activities at the NVC. In addition, faculty from the Blacksburg campus and practicing professionals from the Washington, D.C. area supplement Virginia Tech's academic programs with teaching and guest lectures.
Financial Information
Graduate Assistantships
We have a limited number of graduate assistantships in our program for master's students. Some GA's support individual faculty, some are based in the clinic, and some support ongoing research projects. In addition, many of our students have received assistantships from other departments or from the Northern Virginia Center administration. Students interested in an assistantship must complete the appropriate application form when they apply for admission into the program. Post Master's students are not eligible for assistantships. For more information or to request application materials contact nvgcmft@vt.edu, or phone 703-538-8460.
Scholarships and Fellowships
There are a number of fellowships and scholarship programs available to our students as well. For more information on scholarships and financial aid visit the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid at http://www.finaid.vt.edu/ or contact finaid@vt.edu.
Courses
Courses include clinical and theoretical study in systems theory, marital and family therapy, psychopathology and assessment, legal and ethical issues, qualitative and quantitative research, statistics, human development and sexuality. We cover a wide range of clinical approaches, including structural, strategic, solution focused therapy, narrative, intergenerational, and emotion-focused therapy approaches. We also include medical, minority, and gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues in most of our courses. Below is a course listing of all the classes that students, at one point or another, have the opprotunity to take.
HD 5404 Systems Theory and Family Therapy
HD 5444 Clinical Marriage and Family Therapy II: Constructivist Approaches
HD 5734 Marriage and Family Therapy Techniques
HD 5744 Special Topic: Play Therapy
HD 5744 Special Topic: Couples Therapy
HD 5744 Special Topic: Family Play Therapy
HD 5744 Special Topic: Child Maltreatment: Assessment and Intervention
HD 5434 Clinical Marriage and Family Therapy I: Structural and Strategic Approaches
HD 5454 Clinical Marriage and Family Therapy III: Diagnosis and Treatment in the Family Context
HD 5484 Clinical Marriage and Family Therapy IV: Treatment of Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence
HD 5344 Perspectives on Human Sexuality
HD 5424 Life-Span Human Development
HD 5474 Professional Seminar in Marriage and Family Therapy (Professional Ethics)
HD 5514 Research Methods
HD 6514 Advanced Research Methods
HD 5994 Research and Thesis
HD 5974 Independent Study: Non-Thesis Project
HD 5414 Family Stress and Crisis Intervention