Mental Health & Wellness Department

  • This photo was taken in the clinic at Harding University in 2021.

    Marriage & Family Counseling

    Pursue a career focused on preserving marriages and strengthening families.

Welcome

If you're looking for premier training in preserving marriage and strengthening families, you've come to the right place.

Our 60-hour Master of Science in marriage and family counseling is aimed at preparing students to think and practice counseling from a systemic perspective. Throughout the curriculum, students are trained to address mental health concerns and family dynamics with direct experience in family violence, sexual abuse and substance-related issues that affect the system and subsystems. (This program is seeking CACREP accreditation.)

A full-time, cohort experience

While many training programs offer online degrees and part-time opportunities, our program is a full-time, cohort experience that provides all of your clinical and supervisory hours, so you don't have to create your own. Being a part of a cohort, you have a sounding board that aids self-reflection, you have consistent study partners, and you are able to consult on cases together. The program begins once a year in August, so you will join a group of students who you will get to know in each of your classes and through your practicum placements spanning the entirety of the program.

Where knowledge meets experience

What makes our program stand out?

60

credit hours to complete the degree

2

licensures through one program

3/1

ratio for supervised client contact hours

300

total hours of face-to-face client contact

Learning beyond the classroom

Make direct clinical application of what you are learning to real life clients while having weekly supervision for those same cases. Completion of the program requires a minimum of 300 face-to-face client contact hours, 100 of which must be family/relational.

Two licensures, one program

With a focus on preparing competent mental health clinicians and licensure as a professional counselor, this degree also provides the academic and clinical preparation to proceed toward licensure in marriage and family therapy in Arkansas and other states.

Admission Requirements

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Complete the online application.
  • Request official transcripts* be sent directly from previous institutions to MHW@harding.edu.
  • Request three letters of recommendation
  • Upload a copy of your Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) immunization record.
  • Upload a resume.

*Note: Harding alumni and current students do not need to request Harding transcripts as they are on file.

ADDITIONAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Request official test results from the MAT or GRE and have them sent to Harding University.
  • Complete a personal interview with the Mental Health and Wellness faculty.
  • Limitations understanding signature.

Please direct questions to:

Harding University
Department of Mental Health & Wellness
Phone: 501-279-4500
Fax: 501-279-5964
Email: mhw@harding.edu

When to Apply

Applications should be submitted by the following dates:

Summer term: March 30

Fall term: July 1

Spring term: November 15

Academic Catalog

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Internships and Practicums

Supervisors and students should contact the Mental Health and Wellness office at 501-279-4500 for a direct link to training materials, handbooks and forms. Please contact Dr. Marc Fager for if you have additional questions.

Want more info about our programs?

Contact Us

Marriage & Family Counseling is part of the Department of Mental Health & Wellness in the College of Education

501-279-4500

MFC@harding.edu

Mailing address:
Harding University
Department of Mental Health & Wellness
Box 12254
Searcy, AR  72149-5615