- Family and Consumer Sciences
- Academics
- Human Development and Family Sciences
- Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy
Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy

NIU's Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy (SMFT) within the M.S. in Applied Human Development and Family Sciences (AHDFS) program is designed to educate and train marriage and family therapists to work with diverse individuals, families and communities. Our program delivers high quality academic and clinic training as well as opportunities to work collaboratively with faculty in research, service and scholarship.
NIU’s program is the only one in an Illinois state-supported university to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) and was one of the first masters’ degree programs in the United States to be accredited by COAMFTE.
The two-year, 54-semester hour program features:
- Committed faculty who foster a supportive learning environment and deliver a challenging curriculum
- Quality supervision by faculty who are AAMFT approved supervisors and experienced LMFTs
- Small cohorts for a low faculty-student ratio and personal attention to your academic goals
- Extensive clinical experience in our Couple and Family Therapy Clinic, a full-service therapy center where faculty carefully guide you as you help families with a variety of issues
- Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy
- Human Development and Family Sciences
- About Human Development and Family Sciences
- Faculty and Staff
- B.S. in Human Development and Family Sciences
- Minor in Family and Child Studies
- M.S. in Applied Human Development and Family Sciences
- M.S. Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy
- M.S. Specialization in Leadership in Aging Studies
- Scholarships
- Careers
Contact Us
Family and Consumer Sciences
118 Wirtz Hall
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-1543
facs@niu.edu
Shi-Ruei Sherry Fang
Area Coordinator
ssfang@niu.edu