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Top Marriage and Family Counseling Degree Programs in Illinois
For students who wish to specialize in a certain area of psychology, considering the top marriage and family counseling degree programs in Illinois is an important step toward working with families in counseling. The state of Illinois has a long and respected history of offering exceptional educational experiences for college students, and also has many schools that were established over 100 years ago. Many programs offer courses of study in major cities like Chicago, but the state also offers some programs in smaller, suburban environments around the country. A degree in marriage and family counseling opens the door to work in many different environments and is a solid choice for study since the counseling profession is a swiftly-growing industry.
Adler School of Professional Psychology
Chicago Campus
The Adler School is a series of campuses in a handful of different cities including Toronto, Ontario, and Chicago. The school was established in 1952, and it was the first professional school for psychology established in North America. The school will undergo a name change in 2015 when it changes from the Adler School of Professional Psychology to Adler University. The school has over 1,200 students working toward degrees in various areas of psychology and offers medical degrees in clinical psychology, as well as several different master’s degrees. The school focuses upon preparing students for work with public issues of social justice rather than for work in private practice.
M.A in Couple and Family Therapy
Adler suggests that job growth will be high in the next several years in the area of marriage and family therapy and that the profession was listed by “U.S. News & World Report” as one of the 50 best careers. Upon graduation from this program, students will be able to apply for jobs as entry-level marriage and family therapists in a range of different focuses, depending on a student’s focus while in school. Classes taken by students include Fundamentals of Adlerian Psychology and Parenting Education, Basic Skills for Psychotherapy, and Introduction to Addictive Disorders. Students are exposed to empirical knowledge that’s applied for use in therapy with families, couples, individuals and children. Adler describes its curriculum as robust, and that students learn within small groups under the tutelage of faculty who are experienced in real-world practice. The program combines classic clinical traditions alongside empirically based knowledge. The school has partnerships with many community agencies designed to help students gain experience while taking classes.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CEC)
Contact
Adler School of Professional Psychology
17 North Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 662-4000
Email: admissions@adler.edu
http://www.adler.edu/page/areas-of-study/chicago/couple-family-therapy/overview
Chicago School Of Professional Psychology
Counseling Psychology
Established in 1979, the Chicago School of Professional Psychology is a private school with around 4,500 students attending classes at its Chicago campus and a variety of others around the country. The school offers 20 different degree programs that each deal with the behavioral sciences, as well as psychology. The school is accredited by a variety of official groups including standard educational organizations, as well as the American Psychological Association. Interestingly, the Chicago campus was once considered the main campus for the school, but a switch in the last decade changed the main campus to the California location as far as accreditation is concerned.
M.A. In Counseling Psychology in Chicago
The program at the Chicago campus is a mix of psychology principles of counseling, as well as skills in the areas of diagnostic, consultative, and therapeutic knowledge required for work in the industry. Students are prepared to work in a variety of settings with individuals who suffer from many different psychological conditions and emotional problems. Students are taught the necessary framework needed to operate within psychology counseling guidelines and how the profession must consider the needs of cultural differences within the population. Students may choose from a variety of concentrations including Generalist, Health Psychology, Child and Adolescent Treatment, and Marital and Family Therapy. The Chicago program features the requisite knowledge and classes needed to sit for professional licensure as an LPC or LCPC in Illinois, as well as in other states with similar licensing requirements. To obtain the degree, students must complete two years of fieldwork experience, which equals 700 hours of time in a location approved by a Licensed Supervisor.
Accreditations
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CEC)
Contact
Chicago School Of Professional Psychology
325 N. Wells
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: (800) 721-8072
Email: admissions@thechicagoschool.edu
http://www.thechicagoschool.edu/Chicago/Our_Programs/MA_in_Counseling_Psychology
Northeastern Illinois University
Department of Counselor Education
Northeastern Illinois University traces its roots to 1867 when it was originally founded. The school eventually expanded and became a public college in 1949. Today, the school has around 12,000 student attending classes in its urban Chicago campus. The college is the site of one of the longest operating college radio stations, WZRD Chicago. When the school was originally built in the 1860s, it was a normal school located in Englewood. Later, the establishment of additional college locations would eventually turn into the modern version of the school. The college was granted university status in 1971. For undergraduate students, the college has a fairly liberal admittance policy.
Family Counseling (M.A.)
The Master of Arts in Family Counseling is a 60 credit hour program divided into 20 different courses. Upon graduation, students are eligible to gain licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor or a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. After graduation, students may work with a number of different people who require counseling including couples, families, and kids. Workplaces appropriate for family counselors include community agencies, hospitals, clinics, crisis centers, and mental health facilities. Classes students will take include Developmental Counseling, Individual Counseling Skills, and Mental Health Counseling. In addition to the courses required in the major, students must also complete a practicum and internship of 700 hours in the field. 280 of those hours must be face-to-face counseling. Before students are eligible to graduate, they must pass a departmental proficiency examination which is a comprehensive test on the knowledge required of students at the time of graduation. The exam is offered three times a year.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CEC)
Contact
Northeastern Illinois University
5500 North St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
Phone: (773) 583-4050
Email: admissions@neiu.edu
http://www.neiu.edu/academics/college-of-education/departments/counselor-education/programs/family-counseling-ma
Wheaton College
Psychology Department
A Christian liberal arts college, Wheaton College was established in 1860 in a suburb of Chicago named Wheaton. The school has around 3,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as students claiming a variety of church denominations. The college offers around 40 majors in areas like foreign languages, the arts, and literature, in addition to social sciences and natural sciences. The college is highly ranked in lists by publications like ‘Time” with a placement of 20th in the list of the best liberal arts colleges in the country where graduates go on to earn PhDs.
Marriage and Family Therapy
Established in 2012, the Marriage and Family Therapy degree at Wheaton comes from the nation’s need for additional experts in the area of family counseling. The school says that CNN and U.S. News & World Report each suggested that working as a family therapist was one of the 50 best jobs in the country. Because Wheaton is a Christian-centric college, the program is taught from a Christian perspective and focuses on creating therapists who work from a “biblical, systemic, and personal perspective” in their therapy. The program also focuses on helping students become ethical practitioners who can assess the problems experienced by patients and the solutions that are best to help them. Students in the program have the opportunity to observe therapy at local clinics and second-year students enter into a practicum at a site in the Chicago area where patients need help and might not otherwise have access to therapy.
Counseling Ministries
Students in the Counseling Ministries program are taught how to work within a church, mission, or other ministry setting, and is an appropriate educational path for members of the clergy who are part of the counseling and therapy department at their institution. The program takes just a single year when summer courses are also part of the program, and the school suggests that international applicants and missionaries from other countries would be well suited for the program. Students who aren’t in a hurry to graduate can also enter the program with the expectation that they’ll graduate in two years instead of one. With a two-year schedule, students will have about 8 to 10 hours each week of a practicum that begins in the second semester. Although the program isn’t suited for people who want to practice in a clinical setting, it is an appropriate program for anyone who wants to serve in their community in a religious setting.
Pys.D. in Clinical Psychology
Like other programs at Wheaton, the Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology is taught from a Christian perspective and expects that students will offer counseling services that adhere to those practices. The program prepares students to practice in the field, as well as become successful scholars, and is dedicated to helping students become professional psychologists who help people in need who have been marginalized or impacted by society because of demographics like age, race, or socioeconomic status. The Wheaton program is only one of six such programs accredited by the American Psychological Association and is the only such program in the Midwest region. Additionally, the program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. The program has had significant success in placing current students in internships with 100 percent of students who applied for internships in 2014 gaining acceptance into an internship. Additionally, all students were able to obtain APA/CPA accredited internships.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CEC)
- Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association
Contact
Wheaton College
Psychology Department
Billy Graham Center – Mezzanine Level
501 College Avenue
Wheaton, IL 60187
Phone: (630) 752-5104
Email: psychology@wheaton.edu
http://www.wheaton.edu/Academics/Departments/Psychology
Governors State University
College of Education
A public university located in University Park, Governors State University is a medium-sized school of almost 8,000 students. For many years, the university only admitted juniors, seniors, and graduate students, but transitioned in 2012 to accommodate students just entering college. The school was a non-traditional university for many years, but gradually transitioned into a traditional college environment. The school boasts a large number of graduates from its Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry and also ranks higher than some Ivy League schools for certain programs. At just 35 miles south of Chicago, the school features a suburban campus that’s not too far from the big city.
Counseling, Master of Arts – Marriage and Family Counseling Sequence
Students entering this program receive instruction on a number of essential topics that will allow graduates to offer evaluative, diagnostic, and consultative services in a variety of counseling venues. Businesses and organizations in which students may work after graduation include public and private schools, community intervention programs, correctional facilities, and governmental social agencies, in addition to many other places. The program requires that students take a variety of core courses in counseling, as well as classes specific to the Master of Arts in Counseling program. Courses available to students include Life Style and Career Development and Interventions with Children and Adolescents. Study required for the Marriage and Family Counseling Sequence include a series of Practicum semesters, as well as advanced classes in Applied Family Systems and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. After graduation, students may be eligible for the License for Marriage and Family Therapy, as well as the Associate Marriage and Family Therapist designation.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CEC)
Contact
Governors State University
1 University Parkway
University Park, IL 60484
Phone: (708) 534-5000
Email: admissions@govst.edu
http://www.govst.edu/counseling/
Northwestern University
The Graduate School
A private school in Evanston, with campuses in Chicago, Northwestern University is a large school with around 20,000 students attending in over 100 areas of study. The school was founded by John Evans, for which Evanston, Illinois was named. The school accepted women students quite early with the first women being admitted in 1869. Today’s students attend college on a 240 acre campus in Evanston, which sits close to Lake Michigan. The medical school and law school for Northwestern University are in Chicago. The university also recently opened a campus in Qatar in 2008. Today, the school has one of the largest endowments of any university in the country.
Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy
Students who enter this program are expected to enter practice after graduation as the Marriage and Family degree is a terminal degree where state licensure is available after graduation. Students who are interested in the study of mental health and want to help patients enjoy healthy relationships benefit from the program. Although the program’s focus is on family and marriage therapy, students also study the standards present in general therapy training. The program is designed for students to attend full-time in a schedule that leads to graduation after two years. The degree requires that students complete 22 courses, as well as an intensive clinical internship. During the internship, students log 500 hours of face-to-face time with clients and also receive 250 hours of individual and group supervision. The university suggests that the field of marriage and family therapy is a growing profession that requires educated therapists who understand the complex dynamics of the family unit.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CEC)
Contact
Northwestern University
The Graduate School
633 Clark Street
Evanston, IL 60208
Phone: (847) 733-4300
Email: d-breunlin@northwestern.edu
http://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/academics/academic-programs/degree-programs/marriage-family/
University of Illinois at Springfield
Department of Human Development Counseling
The University of Illinois at Springfield is a public school and was established in 1970. Originally known as Sangamon State University, the school was brought into the University of Illinois system in 1995. The school has around 5,000 students attending classes in 23 different undergraduate programs and 20 different master’s programs. The school ranked very highly on a list by “U.S. News & World Report” for the best regional universities in the Midwest, as well as the best universities in Illinois. The campus sits in the southern part of Springfield. The school was an early adopter of online classes with the first internet-based learning being developed in 1999.
Human Development Counseling
The program in Counseling at UIS focuses on the counselor’s ability to help each patient retain or regain the personal dignity important to every human being. Graduates of this program may entertain careers as therapists in a number of different settings where they help families, couples, or individuals. During their time in the program, students are encouraged to join the American Counseling Association, and are also encouraged to look into membership with the Illinois Counseling Association. Additionally, students should seek out the benefits of belonging to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, as well as the Illinois Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. While in the Counseling program at UIS, students will also take part in an assistantship. The school offers students the opportunity to obtain a Graduate Public Service Internship, which offers students a tuition waiver, as well as a monthly stipend in exchange for 20 hours of work each week.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CEC)
Contact
Department of Human Development Counseling
Brookens Library 332
One University Plaza
University of Illinois at Springfield
Springfield, IL 62703
Phone: (217) 206-6504
Email: hdc@uis.edu
http://www.uis.edu/hdc/
Northern Illinois University
College of Health and Human Sciences
Established in 1895 as the Northern Illinois State Normal School, Northern Illinois University has grown into a large school of over 25,000 students at its main campus in DeKalb, as well as at its satellite centers in cities around the state including Naperville and Rockford. The school has gained recognition for the high quality of many of its programs in the areas of business, nursing, engineering, and visual and performing arts. There are only two public universities in the state that participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the highest level for all sports, and Northern Illinois University is one of them.
Applied Family & Child Studies (M.S.)
Students who enter the M.S. degree in Family & Child Studies at NIU can act in a variety of different roles after graduation including jobs with family and social services, child development, and in various community or government agencies. Students may work with a wide variety of patients that range from youth therapy to gerontological settings. Students will also be prepared to move on to advanced graduate study at the doctoral level after receiving this degree, or they may decide to head back to college or secondary school to become a teacher. The courses a student takes in the program are decided upon by the student working with an advisor. In addition to completing the core courses required of the program, students should also be able to specialize in an area of their personal interest by tailoring the degree’s courses to suit that interest. One of the relevant specialties associated with the degree is a specialization of Marriage and Family Therapy.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CEC)
Contact
Northern Illinois University
Family & Child Studies
120 Wirtz Hall
DeKalb, IL
Phone: (815) 753-1543
Email: fcs@niu.edu
http://www.chhs.niu.edu/fcs/applied_fcs/index.shtml
Olivet Nazarene University
School of Graduate and Continuing Studies
Olivet Nazarene University first opened in 1907 as a grammar school in east-central Illinois, but became a university later in its development with a campus in Bourbonnais. The school is affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene and has between 4,500 and 5,000 students attending at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Today’s Bourbonnais campus encompasses around 250 acres, and the school also offers classes at satellite campuses for adult students in Hong Kong, China and Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The school spent many years expanding, but has seen significant building and expansion in the past few years with construction of new buildings like a new theater and a chapel.
Master of Arts: Professional Counseling
Students with a bachelor’s degree in any subject are welcome to apply to this program as long as they have at least 18 hours of previous classes in the area of psychology. The university describes its programs as those that operate in an “uplifting” environment. The program takes 33 months to complete and requires that students complete at least 48 credit hours. As described by the university, the typical enrollee in the program is a working adult who wishes to enhance the impact they have on their community through counseling who also has a bachelor’s degree and some classroom experience in psychology. The school offers an adult-learning model that allows students to meet one evening per week. Classes required of students include Lifestyle and Career Development, Counseling Theory and Techniques, and Legal and Ethical Issues in the Counseling Profession. Adult learners who can’t commit to a full-time program may enter a three-year schedule with a single weekly meeting required each week.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CEC)
Contact
Olivet Nazarene University
1 University Avenue
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
Phone: (815) 939-5011
Email: admissions@olivet.edu
http://graduate.olivet.edu/programs/counseling/MAPC
Students who wish to help others and are interested in the psychology of patients will thrive in a marriage and family counseling program that offers the chance to work in the community helping people who require therapy and help. A counseling degree offers students many choices after graduation including further study of psychology, a role as a teacher of psychology, and as a counselor serving members of the community. For students in the Midwest or who are interested in living in Illinois, there are several top marriage and family counseling degree programs in Illinois that offer the chance for a fruitful and rewarding career.
Another great resource:
Top 10 Best Online Marriage and Family Counseling Degree Programs
