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Students may enroll full or part time, taking three to nine credit hours per term. Students
can expect to complete the Graduate Certificate program in 10-15 months depending on
the pace of study. Summer attendance is required.
Degree Plans
Below is a sample of a degree plan for a full-time student who begins their studies in the
Fall term. Degree plans will be modified based on a student’s enrollment date and pace of
study.
Sample Degree Plan: 24 credit hours
Fall (August)
Winter (January)
Summer (May)
Year 1
SFTM 5310: Introduction
to Systems Theories
SFTM 6331: Diversity and
Psychosocial Issues
SFTM 5320: Introduction
to Marital & Family
Therapy
or
FSHC 6400:
Understanding Human
Systems in Health Care
Settings
SFTM 5350: Research in Marital
& Family Therapy
SFTM 6332: Human Sexuality and
Gender
Elective
SFTM 5311: Substance
Abuse/Addiction and Critical
Issues in Systems Theory
SFTM 6320: Assessment in
Marital & Family Therapy
Graduation and Celebration
*Electives are available depending on student needs to fulfill the certificate requirements.
Graduate Certificate in Family Systems Health Care
The Graduate Certificate in Family Systems Health Care offers students the fundamental
applications of systemic family therapy in health care settings, including the discipline of
medical family therapy.
The Graduate Certificate in Family Systems Health Care is appropriate for professionals
who have already earned or are earning a graduate degree in their professional field,
family systems, or related fields and who would benefit from an academic study of the
applications of systemic thinking and strength-based models of relational and family
systems that can be applied in health care and medical settings.
The Graduate Certificate in Family Systems Health Care focuses on the relationships
between psychosocial medicine and biomedicine in the treatment and prevention of illness
and disease. This program prepares professionals to offer systemic thinking in a variety of
settings, including private practices, hospitals, community clinics, primary care/specialists'
offices, health care and managed care agencies and organizations.
Specific areas of study include adjustment patterns of patients and their families to chronic
and acute illnesses; models of integration and collaboration among medical systems and
