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Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy

<p>The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy is a postgraduate programme offered by United States International University Africa through the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The programme provides advanced clinical training in marriage and family therapy, preparing graduates for professional careers as marriage and family therapists in clinical, community, and private practice settings.

Duration
2 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 268,500
Ksh 537,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 297,140
Ksh 594,280 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 268,500 a year at a public institution, Ksh 537,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 297,140 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of N/A (Postgraduate) or above. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 2 years, full-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 3 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Dental Ceramist, at 3 out of 100.The detail

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Overview

The programme is a specialised form of psychotherapy that deals with family patterns of behaviour, couples relationships, and individual challenges using a systemic framework to nurture change. Students are trained in systems theories and equipped to diagnose mental and emotional disorders, working with diverse clinical populations.

Core areas of study include introduction to family therapy, child abuse and family violence, family therapy with adolescents and children, group psychotherapy, supervision in MFT, couples and sex therapy, family assessment, research methods, professional ethics and the law, and clinical psychopathology. The programme emphasises both theoretical foundations and extensive clinical practicum experience.

USIU-Africa's MFT programme holds dual accreditation from the Commission for University Education in Kenya and the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States, ensuring the highest standards are met in both jurisdictions. The programme is the first of its kind in East Africa, addressing the growing need for qualified family therapists.

The programme is designed for graduates with psychology or counselling backgrounds seeking advanced clinical training. Students complete 57 units of coursework including core courses, concentration courses, thesis, and 9 units of clinical practicum. An interview with MFT and Psychology faculty is required for admission.

Graduates are prepared for careers as marriage and family therapists, clinical counsellors, family therapy consultants, mental health practitioners, and therapy programme coordinators in hospitals, mental health clinics, NGOs, schools, and private practice.

Skills Required

  • Family Systems Therapy
  • Couples Therapy
  • Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis
  • Family Assessment
  • Group Psychotherapy
  • Child and Adolescent Therapy
  • Clinical Psychopathology
  • Professional Ethics in Therapy
  • Family Violence Intervention
  • Clinical Practicum and Supervision

Key Subjects

  • Introduction to Family Therapy
  • Child Abuse and Family Violence
  • Family Therapy with Adolescents and Children
  • Group Psychotherapy
  • Supervision in MFT
  • Couples and Sex Therapy
  • Family Assessment
  • Research Methods
  • Professional Ethics and the Law
  • Clinical Psychopathology

Certifications

  • AAMFT Clinical Fellow Certification
  • KCPA Counselling Certification

Specializations

Couples Therapy

Focuses on couples therapy including relationship dynamics, communication patterns, intimacy issues, and conflict resolution in couples.

Child and Adolescent Family Therapy

Covers family therapy with children and adolescents including developmental considerations, behavioural interventions, and family-systems approaches to child mental health.

Mindfulness-Based Family Therapy

Examines mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches in couples and family therapy including mindfulness-integrated therapy models.

Family Violence and Trauma

Focuses on family violence including child abuse, domestic violence, trauma-informed therapy, and intervention strategies for violent family systems.

Group Psychotherapy

Covers group psychotherapy theory and practice including group dynamics, therapeutic factors, and group therapy facilitation skills.

Clinical Psychopathology

Examines clinical psychopathology including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders within family systems contexts.

Family Therapy Research

Focuses on research methods in marriage and family therapy including systemic research methodologies and evidence-based practice.

Play Therapy

Covers play therapy approaches for working with children in family therapy contexts including therapeutic play techniques and child-centred interventions.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Introduction to Family Therapy
  • Child Abuse and Family Violence
  • Family Therapy with Adolescents and Children
  • Group Psychotherapy
  • Supervision in MFT
  • Couples and Sex Therapy
  • Family Assessment
  • Research Methods
  • Professional Ethics and the Law
  • Clinical Psychopathology

Modules

10 in the programme

  • Introduction to Family Therapy

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines foundational theories and models of family therapy including structural, strategic, systemic, and post-modern approaches to family therapy practice.

  • Family Assessment

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers family assessment techniques including genograms, family mapping, assessment instruments, and systemic assessment frameworks for clinical practice.

  • Research Methods

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers quantitative and qualitative research methodologies for conducting original research in marriage and family therapy.

  • Professional Ethics and the Law

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines professional ethics in therapy practice including ethical decision-making, legal frameworks, confidentiality, and the AAMFT code of ethics.

  • Child Abuse and Family Violence

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Covers child abuse and family violence including identification, assessment, intervention, reporting requirements, and trauma-informed approaches.

  • Family Therapy with Adolescents and Children

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Examines family therapy approaches for working with children and adolescents including developmental considerations, play therapy, and family-systems interventions.

  • Couples and Sex Therapy

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Covers couples therapy and sex therapy including relationship dynamics, communication patterns, intimacy issues, and sexual dysfunction in clinical practice.

  • Clinical Psychopathology: Assessment and Diagnosis

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Examines clinical psychopathology including diagnostic classification, assessment tools, and treatment planning for mental and emotional disorders.

  • Group Psychotherapy

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers group psychotherapy theory and practice including group dynamics, therapeutic factors, group process, and facilitation skills for therapy groups.

  • Clinical Practicum and Thesis

    Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore

    Clinical practicum involving 500 hours of supervised therapy practice plus original research thesis on a marriage and family therapy topic, demonstrating clinical competence and research mastery.

Specialisations

  • Couples Therapy

    Focuses on couples therapy including relationship dynamics, communication patterns, intimacy issues, and conflict resolution in couples.

  • Child and Adolescent Family Therapy

    Covers family therapy with children and adolescents including developmental considerations, behavioural interventions, and family-systems approaches to child mental health.

  • Mindfulness-Based Family Therapy

    Examines mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches in couples and family therapy including mindfulness-integrated therapy models.

  • Family Violence and Trauma

    Focuses on family violence including child abuse, domestic violence, trauma-informed therapy, and intervention strategies for violent family systems.

  • Group Psychotherapy

    Covers group psychotherapy theory and practice including group dynamics, therapeutic factors, and group therapy facilitation skills.

  • Clinical Psychopathology

    Examines clinical psychopathology including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders within family systems contexts.

  • Family Therapy Research

    Focuses on research methods in marriage and family therapy including systemic research methodologies and evidence-based practice.

  • Play Therapy

    Covers play therapy approaches for working with children in family therapy contexts including therapeutic play techniques and child-centred interventions.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending lectures on family therapy theory, couples therapy, or clinical psychopathology at USIU-Africa's School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students engage in role-play exercises practising family therapy techniques, including systemic interventions, circular questioning, and genogram construction. The programme includes extensive clinical practicum where students work with real clients under supervision, conducting family therapy sessions in clinical settings. Case conference discussions allow students to present their clinical work and receive peer and faculty feedback. Students participate in supervision sessions where their recorded therapy sessions are reviewed. Guest lectures from practising marriage and family therapists provide clinical insights. Those in the thesis phase conduct independent research on family therapy topics, working on their thesis under faculty supervision.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Dually accredited by CUE Kenya and WASC USA, ensuring international recognition and the highest academic standards.Private university fees are significantly higher than public university alternatives for psychology and counselling programmes.
Programme includes 500 hours of clinical practicum, providing extensive hands-on clinical training under professional supervision.Only offered on campus with no distance learning option, limiting accessibility for students outside Nairobi.
First MFT programme in East Africa, addressing growing demand for qualified family therapists in Kenya and the region.Requires an interview with faculty for admission, adding an extra admission barrier beyond academic qualifications.
Programme incorporates cultural diversity of Kenya, training therapists to work with diverse populations including marginalised communities.Students without psychology background must complete prerequisite coursework, extending programme duration and cost.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 241 social sciences courses
Public171k to 269k
171k at Maseno University269k at University of Nairobi
Private178k to 297k
178k at Catholic University of Eastern Africa297k at United States International University Africa

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

UoN Counseling Psych 268.5K/yr. USIU MFT 297K/yr. CUEA 178K/yr. Maseno unverified.

USIU-Africa offers financial aid for students demonstrating need. HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. AAMFT may offer student grants for MFT research and training.

Funding options

  • USIU-Africa Financial Aid

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • AAMFT Student Grants

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • USIU-Africa Financial Aid

    ScholarshipKsh 100,000

    USIU-Africa students demonstrating academic merit and financial need, applied for through the financial aid office.

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.

  • AAMFT Student Grants

    ScholarshipKsh 150,000

    MFT students conducting research in family therapy, administered through AAMFT. Availability varies.

Scholarships you could apply for

2 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade
N/A (Postgraduate)minimum entry
Alternative entry

The programme is offered on campus only with intake in September (Fall). Duration is 2 years. Students complete 57 units including core courses, concentration courses, thesis, and 9 units of clinical practicum. Caution money of KES 2,100 is payable once and refundable.

When it next starts

Taught at 3 institutions
January 20273 institutions

Including United States International University Africa, Pan Africa Christian University, Daystar University.

May 20273 institutions

Including United States International University Africa, Pan Africa Christian University, Daystar University.

September 20273 institutions

Including United States International University Africa, Pan Africa Christian University, Daystar University.

How you are assessed

4 components

  • Continuous Assessment

    Coursework30% of the mark

    CATs, therapy technique demonstrations, case conceptualisation papers, seminar presentations, and ethical dilemma analyses conducted throughout each semester.

  • Final Examination

    Examination30% of the mark

    End-of-semester examination covering family therapy theory, psychopathology, and professional ethics, including essay questions and case analysis.

  • Clinical Practicum

    Practical20% of the mark

    500 hours of supervised clinical practicum across three semesters, assessed through supervisor evaluations, case presentations, and therapy session reviews.

  • Thesis

    Research20% of the mark

    Original research thesis on a marriage and family therapy topic, demonstrating research competence and clinical knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education (CUE)

    Academic accreditationRequired

    Statutory accreditation for all Kenyan universities and their degree programmes.

  • WASC Senior College and University Commission

    International accreditationRequired

    US regional accrediting body. Dual CUE and WASC accreditation ensures the programme meets standards in both Kenya and the United States.

Dually accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) in Kenya and the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States, ensuring the highest standards are met in both jurisdictions. This dual accreditation makes the degree recognised internationally.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

  • Marriage and Family Therapist

    High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Provides systemic family therapy to individuals, couples, and families in clinical settings, addressing relationship dynamics, mental health, and family system challenges.

  • Clinical Counsellor

    High demandKsh 85,000 to Ksh 300,000

    Provides clinical counselling services in hospitals, mental health clinics, or private practice, applying family systems approaches to mental health treatment.

  • Family Therapy Consultant

    Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 380,000

    Consults on family therapy practice and programme development for organisations, NGOs, or government agencies, providing expertise in family systems interventions.

  • Mental Health Practitioner

    High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 320,000

    Works in mental health settings providing assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders using family systems frameworks.

  • School Counsellor

    Moderate demandKsh 75,000 to Ksh 250,000

    Provides counselling and family therapy support in school settings, addressing student mental health, family dynamics, and behavioural challenges.

  • Therapy Programme Coordinator

    Moderate demandKsh 95,000 to Ksh 350,000

    Coordinates therapy programmes for hospitals, NGOs, or mental health organisations, managing clinical services and family therapy interventions.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as marriage and family therapists, clinical counsellors, and mental health practitioners in hospitals, mental health clinics, NGOs, and private practice.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • Genogram Software

    SoftwarePrimary

    Software for creating genograms and family diagrams used in family assessment, therapy planning, and systemic analysis of family patterns.

  • SPSS

    SoftwarePrimary

    Statistical software for analysing research data in family therapy, including treatment outcomes, family functioning scales, and clinical research.

  • NVivo

    Software

    Qualitative data analysis software for analysing interview data, therapy session transcripts, and case studies in family therapy research.

  • DSM-5 Clinical Assessment Tools

    Software

    Diagnostic and Statistical Manual assessment tools used for clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning in mental health practice.

Common misconceptions

  • Marriage and family therapy is just couples counselling.

    The programme covers systemic therapy addressing family dynamics, child and adolescent mental health, psychopathology, family violence, and clinical diagnosis, far beyond basic couples counselling.

  • You need a psychology degree to apply.

    While a psychology degree is preferred, applicants with non-psychology degrees can be admitted by completing psychology prerequisite coursework prior to full admission.

  • Family therapy is not relevant in African contexts.

    The programme incorporates cultural diversity of Kenya and trains therapists to work with diverse populations including marginalised communities in African contexts.

  • This degree is only for private practice.

    Graduates work in hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, NGOs, government agencies, and international organisations, applying family therapy skills across diverse settings.

  • Marriage and family therapy is the same as counselling psychology.

    MFT specifically uses systemic and relational frameworks to address mental health issues within family contexts, complementing but distinct from individual-focused counselling psychology.

  • There is no demand for family therapists in Kenya.

    Kenya's growing mental health awareness, increasing family stress from urbanisation, and rising divorce rates create strong demand for qualified family therapists.

Further reading

Read next