| Course | COUC 601 Theories of Family Systems (COUC601) |
|---|---|
| Credit hours | 3 |
| Program | MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Length | 8 Module/Weeks, online |
| Weeks with written work | 8 of 8 |
| Samples on this site | 8 week sample papers |
| Sources | Liberty's 2026-2027 catalog and the published COUC 601 course guide |
| Updated | October 2026 |
What COUC 601 covers
Group forums fall in Modules/Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8: each thread runs at least 500 words and each student writes a single reply of at least 400 words that cites a source, within groups assigned by last name.
The Family Genogram Project in Module/Week 5 pairs a GenoPro drawing of at least three generations with a 5-page analysis, and the research paper in Module/Week 7 needs 6 pages of review with 12 references plus 4 pages of personal integration.
This course considers the dynamics of marriage, couple, and family relationships from a systems perspective. The emphasis is on understanding family and other systems theories, the structure and function of marriage, various aspects of the marital relationship and family systems, and models of family and systemic interventions. Considerations from an historical perspective are presented along with current developments within marriage, couple, and family systemic models. Students will engage in critical thinking regarding the application and integration of spirituality within marriage, couple, and family counseling.
COUC 601 week by week, with the sample for each
| Week | Written work in the course guide | Points | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Group DB Forum 1 (checklist also due) | 50 | Read the Week 1 sample |
| Week 2 | Group DB Forum 2 (Exam 1 also due) | 50 | Read the Week 2 sample |
| Week 3 | Group DB Forum 3 | 50 | Read the Week 3 sample |
| Week 4 | Group DB Forum 4 (Exam 2 also due) | 50 | Read the Week 4 sample |
| Week 5 | Family Genogram Project | 150 | Read the Week 5 sample |
| Week 6 | Group DB Forum 5 (Exam 3 also due) | 50 | Read the Week 6 sample |
| Week 7 | Family Counseling Approach Research Paper | 150 | Read the Week 7 sample |
| Week 8 | Group DB Forum 6 (Exam 4 also due) | 50 | Read the Week 8 sample |
Where COUC 601 papers lose points
COUC 601 work loses points when forum threads define terms without applying them to a family, when 400-word replies merely agree, when genogram papers retell family history without interpreting patterns, and when the research paper's integration section lists verses instead of wrestling with how faith and the model fit.
Using a COUC 601 sample well
The samples cite Goldenberg and colleagues, McGoldrick and colleagues, Ripley and Worthington, Shadish and Baldwin, Carr, Falicov, Knudson-Martin, Skowron and Friedlander, Miller and colleagues, Kerr and Bowen, Minuchin, Robbins and colleagues, Gingerich and Peterson, Kim, Johnson and colleagues, Hazan and Shaver, Denton and colleagues, Beasley and Ager, Wiebe and Johnson, Burgess Moser and colleagues, Dalgleish and colleagues, Makinen and Johnson, Halchuk and colleagues, Sprenkle and Blow and Friedlander and colleagues.
COUC 601 questions, answered
What textbooks does COUC 601 use?
Goldenberg, Stanton and Goldenberg's Family Therapy: An Overview, McGoldrick, Gerson and Petry's Genograms: Assessment and Intervention and Ripley and Worthington's Couple Therapy: A New Hope-Focused Approach.
How long are COUC 601 forum posts?
Threads in the six group forums run 500 words or more, and the one reply each student writes to a group member runs 400 words or more and cites a source.
What is the COUC 601 genogram project?
A 150-point Module/Week 5 assignment pairing a GenoPro genogram of at least three generations of the student's family with a 5-page APA analysis.
Ask for a custom COUC 601 sample
Request a COUC 601 sample · All courses · How the library works