Combined Master of Divinity / Master of Arts in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling

Combined Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling

Master of Divinity

This degree prepares persons for pastoral leadership, family ministry, youth work, pastoral care and counseling, church planting, Bible teaching, community development and cross-cultural ministry. The degree combines classroom and field-based learning to produce personal growth in biblical knowledge, theological understanding, community building, and practical ministry experience. Students serve in a ministry intern position for a minimum of three semesters. The electives provide opportunity for specialization. The MDiv is the required degree for admission to Doctor of Ministry programs.

The Fund For Theological Education offers substantial scholarship support through its Ministry Fellows Program. The program is for students entering a Master of Divinity program. The application deadline is April 1st.

Master of Arts in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling

The intent of the Marriage, Family and Child Counseling (MFCC) program is to prepare Christian counselors with the knowledge, skill, and insight to practice counseling in the church or clinical settings. The curriculum encourages the integration of theology, theory, personal formation, and professional practice. Students are expected to engage in personal counseling for their own growth. The program covers the content areas required for the California Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure exams and student membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Our students have close to a 100% passing rate.

Special admission requirements apply.

Students are required to complete six credit units in supervised counseling. Trainees will counsel in an agency setting under the supervision of a licensed therapist. This involves face-to-face sessions with individuals, children, couples, families and/or small groups. An MFCC trainee may be involved in any of a number of placement sites for approximately 8-10 hours of counseling each week. In the past, the sites have included Fresno Unified School District, Link Care, Fresno Pacific University, Salvation Army, and others. The group supervision at MB Biblical Seminary will provide a context in which students can reflect on their practicum experiences with the help of faculty and other trainees.

In preparation for the training program, students are expected to have developed basic counseling skills and the ability to develop a planned behavior change with an individual and/or family. This focus on counseling skills development in first-year courses provides the necessary foundation for the training program.

As part of their practicum experience, students are expected to participate in approximately 20 sessions of personal counseling. A stipend will be available to practicum students to defray the cost of counseling.

2009-2010 Marriage, Family and Child Counseling Student Handbook

Course Requirements

Foundations (28.5)
(Courses recommended for first year of MDiv & MFCC study)
Expanding the Base (25)
(Courses recommended for first two years of MDiv & MFCC study)
Testing the Theory (22.5)
Practicing the Theory (17)
Capstone Learning (8.5-11.5)
Electives (15.5-18.5)
  • Bible(5-6)
  • Practical Studies (3)
  • MFCC Calif. licensure (4-5)
  • General (2-5)

*Students may petition the Academic Dean to substitute the MDiv Bible language requirement (9 units) with Biblical Language Tools (3 units) plus six units of Bible content courses. Interested students should discuss this option with their faculty advisor.