APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Northern Illinois University
Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy (SMFT)
APPLICATION STEP ONE: Applying to the NIU Graduate School
All Graduate School applicants apply to the NIU Graduate School by completing the following:
Graduate School Application: The application to The Graduate School is available online at
https://ssl.niu.edu/app/application/Default.aspx?AppType=Grad. You begin by signing in to create a
user name and password. Next, you sign in and complete the online application. The application will
ask you to choose a major. Use the drop-down menu and select “Marriage and Family Therapy
Specialization.”
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores: An official copy of your GENERAL TEST scores
(no subject test is required) must be sent directly to The Graduate School by Educational Testing
Services (ETS). Use the following codes in your request to ETS for the test scores:
INSTITUTION = 1559; DEPARTMENT/MAJOR FIELD = 4603.
Allow eight weeks from the date you take the test for the scores to reach NIU. For more information,
call the NIU Testing Office at 815/753-1203 or any college near you.
Official Transcripts: The applicant will request that an official
transcript or e-transcript from each institution of higher education
attended be mailed or emailed directly to The Graduate School using
the address that appears to the right. Transcripts from community
colleges are not required if the courses were transferred to a four-year
degree.
The Graduate School
Northern Illinois University
1425 West Lincoln Highway
De Kalb, IL 60115
[email protected]
Letters of Recommendation: Although The Graduate School only requires two letters of
recommendation, the SMFT program recommends that you obtain three letters of recommendation. At
least one letter must be provided by a former or current instructor or professor who can attest to your
ability to do graduate level work. Recommendation letters on letterhead are acceptable if your full
name is specified in the letter. Each referent should mail the letter of recommendation with their
signature across the envelope seal directly to The Graduate School using the address provided above.
Statement of Purpose: The Graduate School application requires a statement of career goals. In your
statement, please state clearly in the first sentence of the goal statement that you are applying to the
Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. Neatness, grammar, spelling and ability to follow
instructions are important. After completing the application, an applicant will receive an email
describing the process of uploading the Statement of Purpose. Or, the applicant may opt to mail the
Statement to The Graduate School.
ADMISSION STEP ONE: Acceptance to the M.S. in Applied Family & Child Studies
Once The Graduate School application packet is completed, it is forwarded to a faculty committee,
which makes the decision whether to accept the applicant into the M.S. in Applied Family and Child
Studies (AFCS) degree program. Applicants must be accepted into the AFCS program in order to
receive consideration for the Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy.
APPLICATION STEP TWO: Applying for the Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy
The following materials should be sent directly to the Program Director of the
SMFT Program using the contact information provided to the right:
Cover Letter: Tells us why you are interested in becoming a Marriage and
Family Therapist and what specifically attracted you to the program at NIU.
Please make sure that your full address, e-mail address, and telephone
numbers appear with your name.
J. Mark Killmer, PsyD, LMFT
Interim Program Director, SMFT
Program
School of Family, Consumer, and
Nutrition Sciences,
Northern Illinois University
De Kalb, IL 60115
[email protected]
(815) 753-6348
Current Resume: Summarize your educational, work, and volunteer experiences. If you took
coursework toward a graduate degree that you did not complete, please state that the degree has not
been completed.
Writing Sample Cover Page: Please complete the Cover Page, which may be found at
http://chhs.niu.edu/fcs/marriage/files/Writing%20Sample.pdf
Writing Sample: The applicant will complete and submit a writing sample using the guidelines found
at http://chhs.niu.edu/fcs/marriage/files/Writing%20Sample%20Instructions.pdf
Three Recommendations with Recommendation Forms: Each referent will forward directly to the
SMFT Program Director the completed Recommendation Form along with his or her letter of
recommendation. These letters of recommendation may be from the same people who recommended
you to The Graduate School. The SMFT recommendation form can be found at
http://chhs.niu.edu/fcs/marriage/application/mft%20recommendation1.pdf
ADMISSION STEP TWO: Acceptance into the SMFT Program
After an applicant is admitted to the Applied Family and Child Studies program, their application to
the SMFT program will be considered by the program faculty. Candidates whose application materials
meet admission requirements will be invited to interview with SMFT program. Following the
interview, the SMFT faculty will make the final admission decision. Each candidate will be notified in
writing of the admission decision.
Please direct questions about the application process or regarding the SMFT to J. Mark Killmer,
Interim Program Director, using the aforementioned contact information.
Thank you for your application to the SMFT Program at NIU! We appreciate your time and effort
in completing this two-step process.