Post-MA Marriage & Family Therapy Certificate
The Post-Masters Marriage and Family Therapy Certificate is for mental health professionals from Central and Eastern Europe who seek education, clinical training, and supervision towards recognition as Marriage & Family Therapists. This program is only open to Central and Eastern European citizens who live and work in Central and Eastern Europe. The unique benefit of the Wheaton certificate is that it provides expert systemic education, clinical training, and supervision in country and language of origin, while integrating the Christian faith with a systems approach to pathology, change, and flourishing.
The 14-credit Post-MA MFT Certificate equips practitioners to work with individuals, couples, families, and groups from a relational perspective. Relationships provide the context for all our experiences and models for our responses. In the MFT certificate program, you will learn about pathology and healing from a relational lens, whether you are working with individuals, couples, or families.
Overall, this certificate program will prepare Christian mental health professionals to specialize in providing a relationally focused conceptualization and treatment for those hurting all over the world and in service of Christ and His Kingdom and the global church.
Quick Facts
- 14 credits
- 3 years
- 8 classes
Marriage And Family Therapy Certificate Courses
- CMFT 509. Family Systems Theory & Practice. (2 Credits)
- CMFT 511. Trauma Informed Family Therapy. (2 Credits)
- CMFT 512. Personal and Spiritual Formation. (2 Credits)
- CMFT 513. Practical Ministry and Family Systems. (2 Credits)
- CMFT 514. Integration Seminar: MFT & Christian Faith. (2 Credits)
- CMFT 515. Couple Therapy. (2 Credits)
- CMFT 516. Clinical Internship & Supervision I. (1 Credit)
- CMFT 517. Clinical Internship & Supervision II. (1 Credit)
Locations of MFT Certificate Courses
- 6 Week Summer Intensive at Wheaton College’s Campus: CMFT 509, 511, and 512
- Virtual: CMFT 513
- Taught in Central and Eastern Europe: CMFT 514, 515, 516, 517
Faculty Highlight
David Van Dyke, Ph.D.
Marriage and Family Therapy Program Director,
Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy
Admissions Requirements
Admission decisions based on total applicant pool.
- Application deadline: January 1st for Summer start.
- Bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution (minimum GPA 3.0)
- Master’s degree (or higher) in mental health.
- Official Transcripts from the school where one qualifying degree (i.e. MA, PhD, etc.) was earned.
- Electronic transcripts preferred; send to nancy.crane@wheaton.edu
- Hard copies can be mailed to to Graduate Admissions, Attn: Nancy Crane, 501 College Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187
- Complete the online application form.
- One essay.
- Affirmations of the Statement of Faith and Community Covenant.
- Professional Recommendation Form. Should be a person with whom you have had a supervisor-employee relationship, which can be in a non-paid context. A letter is acceptable as a supplement to the form. Recommendations from relatives not accepted.
- Resumé (in chronological order)
English Proficiency:
International students, and permanent residents of the US whose native language is not English are required to take either the TOEFL iBT Test, IELTS Academic Test, or Duolingo English test with the minimal scores indicated below:
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- TOEFL iBT Test: 80 with at least 18 in each category
- IELTS Academic Test: 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each category
- Duolingo English Test: 105
- Applicants who wish to waive their English proficiency test, please refer to the English proficiency page for details.
Transcript Verification Report:
Wheaton College requires those who attended international schools to submit an international transcript evaluation completed by an international credential evaluation service who is a current member of National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). We recommend World Education Services or Educational Credential Evaluators or SpanTran. Only one qualifying degree (i.e. MA, PhD, etc) is required.
Please review the Graduate International Admissions web page for more detailed information.
Certificate FAQs
You will begin the certificate with a six-week stay at the Wheaton College campus in Wheaton, Illinois. While there, you will complete the first three courses of the program. After that initial summer, all courses will be online or in-country, where you’ll take one course at a time.
Year One:
Summer - CMFT 509/511/512 (at Wheaton College)
Fall - CMFT 516 (in country and language of origin)
Spring - CMFT 517 (in country and language of origin)
May - CMFT 513 (online)*
Year Two:
May - CMFT 514 (in Europe)*
Year Three:
May - CMFT 515 (in Europe)*
*These three courses rotate every three years
You will stay in campus housing at Wheaton College. You'll have access to our dining hall and you'll be part of the European Summer Scholar Program (ESSP) while on campus. You can find out more about the ESSP here.
The MFT Certificate meets the educational and clinical standards of the European Family Therapy Association (EFTA) toward recognition as a Marriage & Family Therapist. EFTA is the standard if there is no regulatory body regarding marriage and family within a given country. The certificate is similar to post-degree institute trainings in the EU but our certificate includes faith integration. Our graduates will be able to communicate how the best of relational science and therapy fits within a Christian worldview.
Tuition for all Wheaton M.A. and certificate programs are the same (including online/hybrid courses). See tuition information. The certificate is 14 credits.
Scholarships are available, please contact mft@wheaton.edu or your graduate admissions counselor to learn more.
No, you must enroll in and successfully complete the courses to receive the certificate.
If it is in a mental-health-related discipline, yes. Examples include clinical mental health counseling, social work, humanitarian action, international development, and public health. If you are unsure if your degree qualifies, please contact a graduate admissions counselor on the Graduate Admissions page.
Yes. Students have a limit of five years to complete the certificate.
Please contact the Registrar's Office: registrar@wheaton.edu
Please contact Student Financial Services at sfs@wheaton.edu
Yes, during your entire time in the program, you will have access to the Wheaton College library's subject guide for psychology programs. Please reach out to the subject librarian, Mr. Steve Oberg, if you need help with planning and organizing your research, locating resources, and answering library questions.
There is also a unique research guide for distance learners.
- Review the Marriage & Family Therapy Certificate admission requirements.
- Start your application.
- Make sure to also apply to the European Summer Scholars Program (ESSP) here.
If you have any questions, please email Grad Admissions: graduate.admissions@wheaton.edu
