Lee University previews Marriage and Family Therapy doctoral program
Photo by Sydney Pressley.
A doctorate program centered on advancing the education of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) students in the fields of research, education and administration is emerging out of the MFT master’s program.
Dr. Trevor Milliron, professor of psychology and graduate studies director, played a key role in the long-term planning and creation of this new doctoral program.
“It’s something we’ve been dreaming about for many years,” said Milliron. “Even when we started the master’s program all the way back in 2011, we always had the doctoral program in the back of our mind.”
Milliron said the program will train students with four primary goals — researching, teaching at the collegiate level, supervising, and becoming better clinicians.
“We actually have all four of those goals embedded through almost all of the coursework,” said Milliron.
The new doctoral program will act as a continuation of the MFT master’s program.
“It’s almost like thinking of part two,” said Milliron. “It’s a philosophical difference where you’re no longer just receptive students, but as doctoral students, you’re actively engaging in your own study.”
MFT graduate student Aaron Warren said he is anticipating the arrival of the program.
“I’m elated about the opportunity to teach as well as the opportunity to delve deeper into research,” Warren said.
Megan Greever, another MFT graduate student, said she also shares in the excitement for the new doctoral program.
“Something I'm really excited about is the opportunity to progress in a research area,” said Greever. “Most people dread doing a dissertation, but I think that getting the opportunity to select something to research that in-depth will be interesting and really benefit students as future professionals.”
Greever said the new doctoral program will also appeal to students who did not attend the MFT master’s program at Lee.
“For students that haven’t experienced something like this from a university, they can really expect to come in and feel the passion of their professors which feeds into their peers,” Greever said. “The excitement of learning doesn’t seem to go away.”
The department will begin recruiting students as soon as they receive approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
For more information about the MFT doctorate program, contact the Office of Graduate Studies in Counseling at mspsych@leeuniversity.edu.
