Student Opportunities

Student Experience

Students in the master's and doctoral degree programs in couple and family therapy graduate with a rich array of clinical experiences with an emphasis on research based practice. In addition to conducting a variety of client therapy services through the K-State Family Center, students also have the opportunity to work with CFT faculty in a range of research projects designed to better understand families, issues and treatment processes. Faculty research interests include couple and family resilience, vulnerable groups including minorities, cross cultural research in Malaysia and Kenya, prevention and treatment of intimate partner violence and dating violence, marriage, families and health, military families, process of romantic relationships across time, marital relationship effects on parenting behavior and child outcomes, marriage and family therapists in educational systems, adolescent and young adult romantic relationship development, longitudinal impacts of early relationships and relationship education, and home-based family therapy. Students interested in other areas of research are fully supported by the faculty.

Placement Sites

Students may participate in various clinical placements outside of the Family Center. Students provide premarital, couple, family and individual therapy through off campus placements to include the Ft. Riley Family Life Center, St. Isidore's Catholic Student Center (premarital counseling), the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, Wamego Family Life Ministries, Manhattan High School, Pawnee Mental Health and K-State Counseling Services. The center works with other local agencies in the Manhattan area depending on unique needs. The clinic director makes contact with clinical sites in the community and surrounding areas. The clinical placement is established based on the appropriateness and availability of the site to take students. Students are also able to locate clinical sites of interest and can choose the site based on appropriateness, availability and the clinical director's approval.

Funding

Most students receive university assistantships. These assistantships may be administrative, research-based or teaching opportunities. Scholarships are also available and awarded through an application selection process. Scholarships through the university, college or school are typically awarded in the in late spring or summer for the following fall and spring semesters.

Students interested in learning more about the master's or doctoral degree programs in couple and family therapy at Kansas State University should email Joyce Baptist (master's) or Jared Anderson (doctoral).