Heath A. Grames, Program Director
W. Jeff Hinton, Clinical Director
About Our Program
The University of Southern Mississippi Marriage and Family Therapy program (M.S.) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education. The program currently offers a full-time track and a part-time track. Both tracks combine academic course work and supervised clinical experiences with individuals, couples and families. They are designed to focus on the integration of theory, research and clinical practice throughout the family life span. Full-time students normally complete their degree requirements in two full calendar years while part-time students complete degree requirements in three to four calendar years.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Marriage and Family Therapy Master's Program is to prepare students in the application of family therapy practice and knowledge in a variety of professional and community practice. We strive to prepare competent mental health professionals dedicated to improving the human condition through both prevention and intervention. The program emphasizes a multilevel systemic perspective that begins with individual internal relationship levels of processes and sequences and culminates with cultural levels of meanings and constraints.
Mission Statement
The strengths of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at the University of Southern Mississippi include the following:
Broad-based clinical training utilizing both modern and postmodern methods and interventions
A biopsychosocial perspective with an emphasis on resiliency and strength
Opportunities for clinical practice in community mental health centers, psychiatric hospitals, youth courts, alcohol and drug treatment facilities
On site therapy clinic that serves the needs of Mississippi's high-risk children, youth and families
Strong faculty-student mentoring
Success in preparing students for advanced graduate degrees
Excellent demonstated success in preparing MFT students for the National MFT Licensure Examinations.