Continuing education in family therapy and systemic practice
Continuing education in family therapy and systemic practice
Do you work with people and want to expand your expertise in areas such as couples and family therapy, relational work, networking, counselling or crisis management? Then our part-time profession-based further education programme may be for you.
Do you work with people and want to expand your expertise in areas such as couples and family therapy, relational work, networking, counselling or crisis management? Then our part-time profession-based further education programme may be for you.

The target groups of the programme are practitioners who work with children, young people, the elderly, individuals, couples, families, and groups in family counselling, child welfare, NAV, mental health care, drug and alcohol dependency, educational institutions, and healthcare institutions, guidance in different contexts, and personnel and organizational work.
Students who complete the continuing education programme in family therapy and systemic practice (60 ECTS credits) can apply to start the Master’s programme (study programme MAFAM 4005 in local admission) in the third year of the programme.
Why choose the continuing education programme in family therapy and systemic practice?
- Close follow-up by lecturers
- Stimulating and multidisciplinary learning environment
- Close cooperation with the field of practice
- Many years of broad experience in the field
- Central location
The programme is divided into two programme options
In their admission application, students choose between two programme options: Systemic Practice and Systemic Couples and Family Therapy. The choice of programme option is linked to the student's work placement during the programme, which means that the work placement must meet the content requirements in the programme option chosen.
Programme option 1: Systemic Practice
Work placements can cover different types of work, like counselling and guidance, group management, team work, networking, organizational work, educational work, professional development and different forms of crisis management, support conversations, adaptation, work to assist children and their families, work with children, young people, the elderly, individuals, parents, families and groups.
Programme option 2: Systemic Couples and Family Therapy
Work placements can cover therapy and therapeutic work with children, young people, the elderly, individuals, couples, parents, families and groups.
Clinical profession-based continuing education
The further education programme is organized as a campus-based programme and builds on the Bachelor’s degrees in health, social and educational studies or the equivalent. The programme is closely linked to the student’s work experience before and during the programme. It is a requirement that students undertake work placements and receive supervision throughout the programme.
Learning outcomes
After completing the continuing education programme, the candidate should have achieved the following learning outcomes, with respect to knowledge, skills and general competence:
Programme option 1: Systemic Practice
- has in-depth knowledge of systemic practice, with specialized knowledge of the discipline’s theory of practice, values and systemic approaches
- has in-depth knowledge of the literature and research in the area of specialization, and is informed by this, both nationally and internationally
- is able to analyse professional issues drawing on the programme's basic concepts and take a critical approach that focuses on ethics, values and relations in systemic professional practice
- is able to collaborate and communicate with an awareness of the power relations, structures and discourses in society that affect the circumstances of people
- is able to work independently on different issues in complex contexts with the involvement of several parties, networks and large systems
- is able to approach systemic practice in a reflective, versatile and insightful manner, and has developed a high level of sensitivity and self-reflection in their dealings with other people and systems in their professional practice
- is able to contribute to new thinking and development of the discipline in collaboration with different groups of professionals, fields of practice and service users
Programme option 2: Systemic Couples and Family Therapy
- has in-depth knowledge of systemic couples and family therapy, with specialized knowledge of the discipline’s theory of practice, values and systemic approaches
- has advanced knowledge of health promotion perspectives on couples and family therapy
- is able to analyse professional issues drawing on the theory of family therapy, and take a critical approach that focuses on ethics, values and relations in professional practice
- is able to apply specialized knowledge about children and families as an integral part of a therapeutic repertoire of tools
- is able to work independently on different issues in complex contexts with the involvement of one or more family members and networks
- is able to carry out couples and family therapy in a reflective, versatile and insightful manner, and has developed a high level of sensitivity and self-reflection in their dealings with people
Work placement
Work placements take place at a professional enterprise where, over a period of time, students are responsible for planning and managing work based on a systemic perspective. A systemic perspective is defined here as work that builds on the theories and methodologies taught in the study programme. In addition to the students’ work placement institutions, VID also has some placements that the students can apply for from the second year of the programme.
Possibilities upon completion of programme
On completion of the programme, students will be qualified for positions in child welfare, family counselling, mental health care, NAV, educational institutions and healthcare institutions that require competence at the second cycle level. This includes positions that mainly entail therapeutic work with children, young people, individuals, couples and families, and positions related to guidance, personnel and organizational work, supervision of practitioners, and participation in interprofessional cooperation.
The continuing education programme can be counted towards the first two years of the Master’s degree in Family Therapy and Systemic Practice, allowing students to start in the third year of this Master’s programme.
Courses
- Grunnlagsforståelse
- Faglige tilnærminger
- Livssyn, verdier og relasjoner i profesjonell praksis
Søk opptak
- Part-time, VID Oslo, (VUFAM Oslo)
Starting date
2022-09-05
Campus
Class code
VUFAM Oslo
Full or part-time
Part-time
Credits
60
Length of study
2 years
Fiancial Support
Students admitted
60
Language
Norwegian
Admission requirements
Priser VUFAM Oslo 2022-2023
- NOK 600 Semester fee
- NOK 320 Student fee
- Tuition NOK 16800
- Total tuition and fees NOK 17720
Programansvarlig
Organization of studies
The specialization in family therapy and systemic practice is a two-year programme, divided into four semesters with two course weeks per semester.
Each course week lasts five weekdays. The students are placed in fixed groups of 30 students. The programme comprises 60 ECTS and contains five obligatory courses. Course 3 is a professional specialization course chosen by the student from one of several specialization courses. The specialization topics will vary based on the students' areas of interest and practice.
The students participate in practical training throughout the programme. Students must state their relevant practical training at the start of the programme. Students have 120 hours of counselling during the programme. Counselling expenses come in addition to the tuition.
Students in Oslo
The first gathering is August 27th 2018 at Dr. Holms, Geilo and costs NOK 1290 per night, in total four nights, full board. VID will order single rooms for everyone. Students pay at arrival.
Students in Sandnes
The first gathering is September 3rd 2018 på Rosfjord Strandhotell, Lyngdal, and costs NOK 1450 per night, in total four nights, full board. VID will order single rooms for everyone. Students pay at arrival.
- Part-time, VID Stavanger, (VUFAM Stavanger)
Starting date
2022-08-29
Campus
Class code
VUFAM Stavanger
Full or part-time
Part-time
Credits
60
Length of study
2 years
Fiancial Support
Students admitted
30
Language
Norwegian
Admission requirements
Priser VUFAM Stavanger 2022-2023
- NOK 600 Semester fee
- NOK 320 Student fee
- Tuition NOK 16800
- Total tuition and fees NOK 17720
Programansvarlig
Organization of studies
The specialization in family therapy and systemic practice is a two-year programme, divided into four semesters with two course weeks per semester.
Each course week lasts five weekdays. The students are placed in fixed groups of 30 students. The programme comprises 60 ECTS and contains five obligatory courses. Course 3 is a professional specialization course chosen by the student from one of several specialization courses. The specialization topics will vary based on the students' areas of interest and practice.
The students participate in practical training throughout the programme. Students must state their relevant practical training at the start of the programme. Students have 120 hours of counselling during the programme. Counselling expenses come in addition to the tuition.
Students in Oslo
The first gathering is August 27th 2018 at Dr. Holms, Geilo and costs NOK 1290 per night, in total four nights, full board. VID will order single rooms for everyone. Students pay at arrival.
Students in Sandnes
The first gathering is September 3rd 2018 på Rosfjord Strandhotell, Lyngdal, and costs NOK 1450 per night, in total four nights, full board. VID will order single rooms for everyone. Students pay at arrival.
Apply
Part-time, VID Oslo, (VUFAM Oslo)
Start of study
5. September 2022
Application deadline
20. April 2022
Admission for the study is closed
Admission requirements
Admission requirements are only available in Norwegian. If you need more information, please send an e-mail to opptak@vid.no.
About rating applicants
Questions about admission?
- Helle Nærø, student adviser, Oslo, phone: +47 22 45 19 22, e-mail: opptak@vid.no
Part-time, VID Stavanger, (VUFAM Stavanger)
Start of study
29. August 2022
Application deadline
20. April 2022
Admission for the study is closed
Admission requirements
Admission requirements are only available in Norwegian. If you need more information, please send an e-mail to opptak@vid.no.
About rating applicants
Questions about admission?
- Helle Nærø, student adviser, Oslo, phone: +47 22 45 19 22, e-mail: opptak@vid.no
Ressurser
- Programme descriptions
- Reading lists
- 2022-2023: Pensumlister høst 2022, Videreutdanning i familieterapi og systemisk praksis, VID Oslo
- 2021-2022: Pensumlister høst 2021, Videreutdanning i familieterapi og systemisk praksis, VID Oslo
- 2018–2019: Pensum videreutdanning familieterapi og systemisk praksis, 2018-2019, kull 18
- 2018–2019: Reading list, specialization in family therapy and systemic practice, 2018–2019
- 2017–2018: Reading list, specialization in family therapy and systemic practice
- 2016–2017: Reading list, specialization family therapy and systemic practice
- 2015–2016: Reading list specialization in family therapy and systemic practice