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Hybrid Internship
The Hybrid Internship is designed for students with an MFT, or closely related field,
master’s degree and license and who are interested in designing an internship that
meets their specific needs and/or interests. It can be a combination Clinical and/or
research internship OR a combination to include advanced supervision. The Hybrid
Internship will also require students to register with a faculty supervisor for 3
consecutive terms for 3 credits each term. The students and the supervising faculty
will develop a specific contract delineating the details of the internship including
expectations of outcome which must be approved by the program director prior to
staring the internship.
The Teaching Course and Practicum
Students take the Fundamentals of Teaching course during their first or second year in the
program. This course is designed to promote learning on how to become an effective
instructor/professor as part of a student’s professional development and readiness for a
teaching career. Upon completion of this course, students are able to work with full time
faculty as teaching assistants in a practicum format to advance their teaching skills.
Students seek out faculty and request a position as a TA in their course. Prior to the term
commencing, the faculty and TA discuss the student’s interest and type of involvement in
the course. The faculty and student develop a written agreement as to the TA’s
responsibilities for the course. The written agreement should be copied to the Program
Director.
The Supervision Course and Practicum
The Supervision course and supervision practicum are designed to understand and practice
the fundamentals of supervision and the advancement of a student’s supervisory skills.
Prior to taking the Supervision course students must have successfully passed their
doctoral Internal Practicum courses. For the Supervision Practicum, students must contact
a supervisor prior to beginning the supervision practicum to request permission to assist
supervising. Students may also contact a master’s level External Practicum supervisor for
permission to assist supervising. Prior to the term commencing, the supervisor and
student discuss the student’s interest and type of involvement in the practicum. The
supervisor and student develop a written agreement as to the student supervisor’s
responsibilities for the practicum. The written agreement should be copied to the Program
Director.
Dissertation
The Ph.D. dissertation consists of original research in the Marriage and Family Therapy
field. Students are encouraged to develop research topics that are not only of interest to
them but also meaningful to the field at large. It is highly recommended that students
begin their studies with a general idea of a dissertation topic which they begin to evaluate
upon entering the program.
During each of the four research courses
, students will be
developing components of a manuscript, such as an Introduction, Literature Review,
Methodology, and IRB proposal, that will lead to a dissertation. Students enroll in their
Dissertation courses while completing their Internship. A dissertation committee for all
doctoral students will be composed of at least three members, one of whom will serve as
the dissertation chair. The dissertation chair and at least one other committee member
must be full-time DFT faculty members. A student may have one or more outside
members on the committee if methodological or substantive topical issues make such
membership advisable, and is approved by the dissertation chair. All members who are not
DFT faculty must have an earned doctorate degree and must provide copies of their
credentials to the department. Dissertation committee members may not be from among
the student’s family members or personal friends, nor have graduated from SHSS within
