Program Overview

Choose Excellence with a Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy

A Licensure-Eligible Pathway to LMFT in Massachusetts Without a Second Master’s Degree

Marriage and Family Therapy licensure is now more accessible, efficient, and financially sustainable with William James College's Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. If you are someone with graduate-level training in a related helping profession, and are interested in pursing a career in Marriage and Family Therapy, this graduate certificate may be for you. It is intentionally designed to help you meet the educational and licensure eligibility requirements for Marriage and Family Therapy without the need to pursue an additional master's degree. Through this certificate, you may:

  • Combine graduate-level coursework from multiple accredited programs
  • Supplement prior graduate education with additional MFT-specific coursework
  • Meet licensure requirements without earning a second master’s degree

If you are a working professional looking for career mobility, specialization, or expanded licensure, consider this unique Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy option.

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Who This Program Is Designed For

The Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy is ideal for you if you:

  • Hold a master’s or doctoral degree in a closely related helping profession
    (e.g., counseling, psychology, social work).
  • Are not currently licensed, or hold an LMHC or another mental health license and wish to become eligible for LMFT licensure.
  • Want to specialize in systemic, relational, and family-based clinical practice.
  • Prefer an on-campus, cohort-based learning experience with clinical training.

How the Certificate Works

In order to become licensed as a LMFT in Massachusetts, you must complete a minimum of 60 graduate semester credits, including specific content areas and supervised clinical training. However, under Massachusetts regulation (262 CMR 3.03), if you are an applicant whose original graduate degree included fewer than 60 credits, you may complete additional graduate-level coursework outside of your degree program to meet licensure requirements.

That's where the Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy comes in. This program is intentially structured to support this pathway to licensure by:

  • Including all required Marriage and Family Therapy–specific coursework.
  • Requiring you to complete a MFT internship aligned with LMFT licensure standards
  • Adding additional courses within the certificate framework in cases when prior graduate education does not include all required core content areas

With this program, you will work with our faculty to create an individualized academic plan to ensure you will meet all licensure regulations and avoid unnessary duplication of coursework. For many students, the total program is approximately 11 courses plus a year-long internship, meaning you will invest significantly fewer credits, time, and cost than you would when completing a second master’s degree. Depending on your prior coursework, you may be eligible for as few as six courses plus the internship.