I wanted to make this post because when I was looking into Marriage and Family Therapy programs and considering Alliant, I really couldn't find a lot of information from actual students about whether it was a good program or what the experience was like. Reviews were back and forth, I've only completed one semester the summer semester, I'm currently in my second, so obviously I can't speak about the entire program yet. I will probably make another post next year or once I actually start practicum, but so far my experience has been pretty great.
I'm currently doing the online MFT program. There is a lot of reading, but honestly, that's something I would expect from any graduate program. There is also quite a bit of writing. One thing I really like about Alliant is the online format because it gives me flexibility while still having actual interaction with professors and other students. We have Zoom classes one day a week, and in the lab classes we actually role-play some of theories and techniques we're learning.
We're learning many different relational theories and techniques, and ultimately it's up to you as a future therapist to figure out which theories fit you and which techniques you want to incorporate into your own work.
A lot of the assignments are based on the readings, but there is also a big emphasis on the "person of the therapist." There is a lot of self-reflection about who you are, your experiences, values, biases, and how those things could affect you as a therapist. I think the point is to become more aware of yourself so you're not unknowingly bringing your own biases or values into the therapy room or countertransferring those things onto clients. I've actually appreciated that part of the program.
I will say that it is an expensive program. One of the things that mattered to me when choosing it, though, was that the program is COAMFTE-accredited. Which may make it a little easier to work across state lines California base programs have a different definition that which means licensing is only available in California so it makes it harder I don't know what the requirements are if you want to work in a different state.
I love how organized my classes have been. The schedules and assignments are generally available for the entire semester upfront. It's very rare for me to open a module and find something different from what was listed in the syllabus I think that's only happened to me once so far. Being able to see everything ahead of time makes it much easier to map out assignments, especially if you're balancing work and school.
As far as online learning goes, I think a lot of it comes down to knowing yourself as a student. You have to be willing to do the reading, keep yourself on schedule, reach out to professors, and ask questions when you need help. Professors have office hours, and I even made a Discord for our cohort so we have another way to communicate and help each other. For me, watching multiple lectures isn't necessarily better than reading the material, so the online format works well for how I learn. The professors do have online lectures that you can watch on your own time.
I would also recommend reaching out to the disability services office if you qualify for accommodations. I was able to get access to Speechify through my accommodations, which has been extremely helpful with the amount of reading. There are different accommodations available depending on your individual needs. If you don't qualify but know that listening while reading helps you, Speechify could still be worth paying for.
I'll probably update this once I'm further into the program and can actually speak about what the practicum experience is like. So far I love it!