Skip to main content
OBU—Oklahoma Baptist University

Family Therapy

OBU’s family therapy program is a unique degree designed to train and prepare you to become a marriage and family therapist. It combines the strengths of a family science program with those of a pre-counseling psychology program. The various academic elements incorporated in this degree assure that you understand all the necessary components to succeed in a clinical training program in graduate school.

Benefits of the OBU Family Therapy Program

Onsite Clinic

Students in the family therapy program have the opportunity to see what therapy looks like in our dedicated Marriage and Family (MFT) community clinic. In this facility, our graduate students receive supervision as they work with real clients and utilize their program knowledge in various client cases.

Integrated Coursework

OBU is committed to your future and provides you with an opportunity to begin working on a graduate degree in marriage and family therapy while completing your undergraduate degree. Through the integrated undergraduate program, you can pursue completion of both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree within approximately six years. A separate application and interview are required as you begin the integrated process.

Department Scholarships

As a way of investing in you, OBU wants to financially help you realize your academic and career goals. The Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences offers generous scholarships to upper-class students in the family programs, often totaling $150,000 in various awards.

Incredible Education, Affordable Cost.

OBU provides a minimum $10,000 per year scholarship to every incoming first-time freshman and $8,000 to every incoming transfer student. Many of our students qualify for even more financial aid through federal Pell grants and OBU Bison Grants.

To get an estimate of your cost to attend OBU, check out our Net Price Calculator. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how affordable an OBU education really is especially considering the incredible academic quality, personal mentor relationships with faculty and staff, and strong Christian commitment you will experience at OBU.

You won’t find an experience like this anywhere else!

Program Information

Robust Curriculum

We recognize that healthy marriages and families are the future of a civilization.  OBU’s blend of family therapy and psychology courses, coupled with OBU’s rich liberal arts education, prepare you to work in all therapy fields that focus on helping marriages and families. 

Additional courses related to this area of specialty might include experimental and cognitive psychology, aggression and violence, research methods in psychology, psychological testing, juvenile delinquency, mental health, and diversity and relations. Our family therapy bachelor’s degree is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to prepare you for the next level of clinical training.

Faculty Mentors

Courses in our program will be taught by professors with the highest level of training and credentials in their field. With a smaller class size, they can walk alongside you and invest in you as you tackle rigorous academic standards. Our faculty will help you understand how to integrate Christian faith and practices into a professional practice. This mentoring relationship is of tremendous value as you continue to determine God’s calling on your life and prepare for your future.

Professional Networking Opportunities

As a student in the family therapy program, you will be encouraged to attend and get involved with state-level organizations such as the Oklahoma Association of Marriage and Family Therapists or the Oklahoma Council on Family Relations. This networking and involvement help you become a more effective and informed future shaper.

We also encourage you to take part in practicum experiences with organizations in the community and region.  Our students have experienced rewarding growth through working with entities such as Legacy Parenting, Shawnee Youth and Family, Gateway Drug Rehabilitation Center, Baptist Homes for Children, Boys and Girls Club, and Harvest Farms equine therapy facility.

Broad Career Options

The family therapy program readily prepares you for a career in marriage and family therapy (MFT). With a master’s level degree, students will work inside, alongside, and outside of the church to help strengthen the hurting families of our world. You will be prepared to engage a diverse world as a trained professional.

Although we anticipate that many of our graduates will follow a MFT path, OBU also prepares you for a variety of avenues as you continue in your career. With the training you receive in both disciplines of family science, as well as psychology, you are prepared to work in social service sector jobs, nonprofit management, or para-ministry positions.

Program Options

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Master of Science (MS)

World-Class Faculty

OBU faculty are experts in their fields and will be with you every step of the way.

Dr. Canaan Crane

Dr. Canaan Crane

Professor of Psychology
Director, MFT Program

Dr. Brian Camp

Dr. Brian Camp

Professor of Family Science

Dr. Karen Longest

Dr. Karen Longest

Associate Dean for Faculty Development,
Professor of Psychology, and
Director for the Center of Teaching Excellence

Dr. Bret Roark

Dr. Bret Roark

Chair, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Ralph and Marie Barby Professor of Psychology
Professor of Psychology

Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences