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The deadline for all applications will be December 15th for the following fall semester. We only accept students once a year and the deadline is strict (not rolling). Once applications are complete (on-line PhD application, or for internal admits, internal transfer form; GRE scores; TOEFL scores, or their equivalent for international students; personal essay; transcripts from all previous academic work; video interview questions listed on CollegeNet application which are required, not optional; and three letters of recommendation). Students will be notified if they will be interviewed and the date and time of the interviews. Interviews will be group and individual and it is the responsibility of the applicant to pay for all expenses.

Internal candidates

Syracuse University students (those in our department and other departments of the university) or those who have graduated from Syracuse University within 12 months of the time they are applying to the doctoral program, are considered internal admits by the University. Internal admit students who wish to be considered for the doctoral program must complete a request for internal transfer (see MFT Administrative Assistant for form), GREs, (TOEFL scores, or their equivalent for international students) personal essay, transcripts from all previous academic work, Likelive.com interviews (unless you are in the SU MFT Department), three letters of recommendation (not from current SU MFT faculty who are on the MFT Doctoral Admissions Committee) by December 15th of the year in which they wish to apply. Once applications are complete, internal admits will be notified about the interview in the same way as external candidates.

Before applying to the doctoral program, please review the following statement: All doctoral students in MFT must complete the requirements for the M.A. in MFT as well as the requirements for the Ph.D. If during the admissions review process it is found a student lacks certain content areas that may not be fully satisfied by the doctoral program (such as ethics), those students would be required to complete additional coursework above and beyond their master’s coursework.

Students admitted to the MFT Program may seek financial support outside of the department through merit-based awards, such as University Fellowships, College scholarships, and a variety of academic and student-service assistantships, or through need-based financial aid, including loans and the College Work Study Program. If interested in financial assistance, students should indicate this on the application form and at time of the admissions interview.

Persons interested in more information about the Department should contact Thom deLara, Department Chair, Peck Hall, 601 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13202 (tdelara@syr.edu) or Beth Ciciarelli, Administrative Assistant, 315-443-9329 (bdbagozz@syr.edu). All potential applicants who wish to speak with a representative of the Department or to visit the Department prior to their application are invited to call Beth Ciciarelli at 315-443-9329 or bdbagozz@syr.edu.

History of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program

It has been over forty years since the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy was conceived by Bernice M. Wright, Dean of the College for Home Economics, Robert Pickett, Chair of the Department of Family Relations and Child Development, and Harvey Noordsy, Executive Director of the Onondaga Pastoral Counseling Center. The first students entered in 1969, and in 1970 the New York State Department of Education officially granted the Department the right to award an M.A. in Marriage and Family Counseling. The M.A. was initially a program within the Department of Child and Family Studies. Since that date, the Marriage and Family Therapy Program has graduated over 400 M.A. students. In December 1994, the department graduated its first doctoral student; 23 doctoral students have completed their degree programs in the last 5 years.

Initially, the M.A. program was a 30-credit degree, intended primarily for persons in the process of mid-life career change, and ministers wishing to augment their pastoral counseling skills. Students met with clinical pastoral students at the Onondaga Pastoral Counseling Center for their first-year core courses, and their practicum placements were at that Center and at the marriage and family therapy counseling offices, initially housed with the rest of the Department at 744 Ostrom Avenue and later at 100 Walnut Place. In 1983 the MFT Program moved to new facilities, consisting of two faculty offices and four small clinic rooms equipped for live supervision. 

In 1986, the clinic was expanded by adding another therapy room, enlarging two existing rooms, and increasing opportunities for live and videotape supervision. In fall 1989, the department was granted the use of two adjacent offices and, with the help of a grant from Diana and Stephen A. Goldberg, was completely refurbished. In February 1990, it was officially named the Goldberg Marriage and Family Therapy Center, with dedication ceremonies held in conjunction with the first annual conference of the newly formed Central New York Chapter of NYAMFT. In summer 1993, the Center was further expanded and entirely rebuilt to become a “state of the art” training and research center, completely computerized for easy storage of and access to clinic data. It consisted of a reception area, student space, graduate assistant office, assessment office, video equipment room, large-group observation room, two administrative offices, and six therapy rooms, all equipped for live and videotape supervision. In spring, 1999, the name was changed to the Goldberg Couple and Family Therapy Center, to more accurately represent the types of services provided. In January 2006 the MFT Department relocated to the old School of Nursing at 426 Ostrom Ave. (corner of Marshall St.) in a newly remodeled area. The first floor housed the center with 5 therapy rooms, an assessment room, video room, student room, reception area and the center director’s office. All of the therapy rooms had an observation room. The classroom, another student room and all the faculty offices were located on the second floor. 

In 2010 the department moved from the 2,400 square foot site on campus to a newly renovated 5,500 square foot facility on James Street. The James Street facility had expanded office space, clinic space, student areas, and a larger classroom. Most recently, in January 2013, the MFT Department moved to its current location at 601 East Genesee Street. The department now is housed in a 30,000 square foot facility that has been completely renovated and updated and which has a 15 year lease to provide a more permanent home. The E. Genesee Street facility has a greatly expanded clinic area (14 counseling offices), three classrooms, a large computer lab, an entire floor for student areas (lounge, kitchen, locker room, etc.) and one floor for a community agency to occupy as a partner in clinical training for second-year students. 

Like its facilities, the academic program has also grown dramatically. In October 1972, it was granted provisional accreditation by the American Association for Marriage and Family Counseling. In April 1975, the department became the first program to receive full accreditation by the COAMFCE (now COAMFTE-Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education) and soon after became a 36-credit hour program. Accreditation was renewed in 1981 and the program became a 45-credit hour program. In February l984, the Program’s accreditation was revoked temporarily but reinstated in 1986. The University approved a revised curriculum in 1985 and the State Education Department approved a change in program name to Marriage and Family Therapy. In l988, the Human Sexuality Program, a treatment and training program in sex therapy, was instituted with joint sponsorship by the College for Human Development and the Department of Family Medicine, SUNY Health Science Center. A second joint program, the Family Medicine/Family Therapy Program, was instituted in 1989. In 2010 the State Education Department of New York approved our request to change the degree program to a 60-credit degree. This change was initiated to meet the national trend toward requiring up to 60-credit degrees for licensure. In 1991 and again in 1996, 2001, 2007, and 2014 the M.A. program was reaccredited by the COAMFTE.

In 1990, the College approved a proposal for a MFT doctoral program and, in 1991 the University Senate approved the program. In 1992, the University was granted permission by the NYS Department of Education to award the doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy and the doctoral program was granted Candidacy Status by the COAMFTE, receiving full accreditation in 1996. It was reaccredited in 2001, 2007 and 2015. It was the first MFT doctoral program in New York State and one of two MFT doctoral programs in the northeast. It remains one of the few doctoral programs accredited by the COAMFTE that is not located at large land-grant state universities.

The growth of the Program reflects the quality of its faculty, staff, and students. Six persons have served as Program Director: Sol Gordon from 1970 - 1976; Charlotte Kahn from 1976 - 1984; Eleanor Macklin from 1984 to 1998 (with the exception of 1992-93); Linda Stone Fish from 1992-1993, and 1998 to 2001. From 2001-2003, Linda Stone Fish served as the first Department Chair in the newly formed Department of Marriage and Family Therapy, within the College of Human Services and Health Professions (now the Falk College). Jonathan Sandberg began his service as Department Chair in 2003; Thom deLara became chair in 2007. Dr. Macklin joined the Program in 1982 and Dr. Stone Fish in 1985. In 1987, Phyllis Blumberg resigned as Associate Dean of the College to become a full-time MFT faculty member until her retirement from teaching duties in 1991. In 1990, Dean Busby and Kenneth Hardy joined the MFT faculty, with Dr. Hardy appointed Director of Clinical Training and Research. From 1995-96, Dr. Hardy served as Chair of the Department of Child and Family Studies and Dr. Busby served as Director of Clinical Training and Research. Dr. Stone Fish assumed responsibility for coordination of doctoral internships. In summer 1996, Dr. Anne Gosling became Director of Clinical Training, while Dr. Busby remained as Director of Clinical Research. In 1998, Dr. Macklin retired and Dr. Stone Fish began her service as Program Director. Jonathan Sandberg joined the faculty. Dr. Sandberg became Director of Clinical Research in the summer of 1999.

In 2007 Thom deLara became Department Chair. In 2012 Dr. Stone Fish was named the Falk Family Endowed Professor of Family Therapy, and assumed the role of Graduate Director for the department. Tracey Reichert Schimpff currently oversees the MFT Couple and Family Therapy Center. Dr. Dyane Watson, Dr. Rashmi Gangamma and Dr. Deborah Coolhart are full-time members of the faculty. Lisa Tedeschi is the internship coordinator. Daran Shipman is a part-time clinical supervisor. Beth Ciciarelli is the administrative assistant for the department and Anne Metzger-Wormuth is the office coordinator for the Couple and Family Therapy Center.

Master’s Program Educational Outcomes

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MFT 687 Spirituality in Therapy (3 credits)

CFS 621* Statistical Concepts I (3 credits)

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*Students who are planning to apply to the doctoral program are encouraged to take CFS 621.

Program of Study

All students must file a typed Program of Study with the Chair before the beginning of their second year of study. Upon approval by the Chair, the student will send two copies to the Graduate School and submit one for his/her official Program file. It will be necessary to amend this Program of Study prior to graduation if the actual courses taken are different than those originally submitted. Students may transfer in up to 12 credits of appropriate graduate-level coursework from other universities if they have received a grade of B or better in the course. Students wishing to transfer in credits should file their Program of Study by the end of their first term of study and file a petition if they wish to substitute transfer credits for a required course. Students, who wish to use coursework taken prior to seven years before their degree date, must file a petition providing evidence that the student has maintained current knowledge in the field to do so.

Academic Advisor

The Chair serves as academic advisor for all students enrolled in the master’s degree program. The academic advisor is responsible for overseeing the program of study process as well as ensuring that all requirements have been completed satisfactorily for graduation.

Masters Project/Thesis or Comprehensive Examination

Students decide whether they wish to complete an MFT Capstone Project/Thesis, or take the comprehensive examination. Students cannot choose the project/thesis option after failing the comprehensive examination or the comprehensive examination option after failing to have their final project approved. Once a student has indicated in writing a plan to take the comprehensive examination, the only way to fulfill the requirements for graduation is to successfully pass the examination (students are allowed to retake the examination two times). Conversely, once a student has indicated a plan to pursue the Masters Project/Thesis and the associated proposal has been approved, the student cannot decide to elect to take the comprehensive examination. Students planning to enter the MFT doctoral program are encouraged to use the Masters Project/Thesis as an opportunity to gain research experience.

MFT Capstone Project

Students who are not engaging in thesis research, or taking comprehensive examinations, must complete an MFT-related capstone project and be at Peck Hall one day at the end of spring semester (date and time to be announced). Students who are completing a thesis are invited (but not required) to participate as well in the research poster sessions. Students can choose one of the following options for their capstone project: 

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