Foundations of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling Concentration, MS
Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, in combination with the Foundations of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counseling Concentration, provides students with an integrated and comprehensive program of study that will focus on the following areas: counseling theory, human growth and development, psychopathology, social and cultural foundations, clinical skills, group work, special treatment issues, appraisal, research and evaluation, and professional orientation. This 60-credit program enables students to strive to combine high intellectual achievement with skillful, compassionate and ethical clinical practice in Mental Health Counseling. This program requires completion of 60 semester hours of graduate level academic course credit, including a practicum of at least 100 hours and a 600 hour supervised internship.
Within the 60 credit MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, the Foundations of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling concentration provides students the option to meet the educational and practicum requirements to become a Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor upon completion of the CADAC Licensing Exam. Students will explore and identify the causes of substance disorders and develop the skills to assess, diagnose, and treat people with substance disorders in individual and group settings. Through a 300 hour internship, students will practice effective interviewing, counseling, and interventions skills in a supervised, clinical environment. Students will meet all CADAC academic and practicum requirements and be eligible for CADAC certification once the student has passed their national exam and completed the necessary post-Master’s 2000 hours of work experience.
This program of study affords students the opportunity to sit for the licensing examination and apply for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) for the state of Massachusetts, and parallel licenses, such as the LPC in Connecticut and other states. Since regulations for licensure change from time-to-time, it is the student’s responsibility to keep abreast of possible changes with state regulations. Licensing regulations require individuals to complete a minimum of two years post-master’s degree supervised clinical experience and pass a licensing exam. Students must complete the requirement of this track within a 5 year timeline. Ultimately, the state licensing board determines whether an individual satisfies the requirements for professional licensure (please see student handbook).
The goal of the M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is to deliver those core learning experiences established by academic program accrediting and state licensure boards to assure that program graduates are competent, ethical counselors prepared to enter the counseling profession and that graduates are able to provide high quality, science-based services to members of the community in post-graduate position on the path to Mental Health Counseling licensure.
To earn the M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Foundations of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling, students must complete 60 credit hours of graduate coursework including a practicum of at least 100 hours and a 600 hour supervised internship, of which 300 hours must be performed in a clinical, supervised, substance use treatment setting.
Degree requirements for the Foundations of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling concentration are as follows:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 501 | Human Lifespan Development | 3 |
| PSY 535 | Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice | 3 |
| PSY 540 | Individual and Family Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorders | 3 |
| PSY 620 | Psychopathology and the Diagnostic Process | 3 |
| PSY 625 | Applied Research Methods and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PSY 654 | Drugs, Medication, and Society | 3 |
| PSY 657 | Counseling and Co-Occurring Disorders | 3 |
| PSY 658 | Psychological Assessment in Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 660 | Social and Cultural Foundations | 3 |
| PSY 662 | Counseling Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PSY 663 | Career Development Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PSY 664 | Counseling Skills and Techniques | 3 |
| PSY 665 | Group Dynamics and Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 680 | Counseling Practicum and Seminar | 3 |
| PSY 696 | Counseling Internship and Seminar I | 3 |
| PSY 697 | Counseling Internship and Seminar II | 3 |
| PSY 698 | Counseling Internship and Seminar III | 3 |
| Electives 1 | 9 | |
| Total Credits Required: | 60 | |