MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Addictions Counseling
Help heal individuals, families, and entire communities.
Addiction is, unfortunately, a common problem in today’s society. Fortunately, with increased awareness of these pressing issues, more individuals are seeking help to overcome the mental hurdles that stand in the way of a healthy lifestyle. This Clinical Mental Health concentration is not only beneficial to your career but will also make a direct, immediate impact on the individuals, families, and communities affected by addiction. Become a highly specialized counselor and help those affected by addiction to live healthier, happier lives.
This degree is offered by Antioch University's New England Campus
Program Overview
In the Addictions Counseling concentration, the first two semesters of your 60-credit program will be the same as the basic Clinical Mental Health Counseling track. During the next three semesters, you will complete specific coursework in addiction counseling. Students in this concentration must also complete an internship in addiction counseling and participate in a supervision group oriented to substance abuse and addiction counseling. The wide variety of placements for students may include high school student assistance programs, residential placements, inpatient addiction units, community mental health centers, and prisons. Graduates will meet the academic requirements for licensure as clinical mental health counselors in most states, as well as the academic requirements for certification and licensure as alcohol and drug counselors in most states that have such certification or licensure.
This program is designed to lead to state licensure.
President's Merit Scholarship
The President’s Merit Scholarships are awarded to new students seeking a master’s degree. Awards are determined by prior academic performance (minimum 3.40 GPA) and work/life experience. Awards of $6000 are distributed equally over the first two academic years of a student’s program. You must remain enrolled full-time, and your academic progress will be reviewed each term. You must complete each course in which you are registered in order to continue receiving the scholarship.
Additional Information
- Ethical Practice: Students will demonstrate principles and standards of professional ethics in counseling and ethical decision-making informed by social justice.
- Social and Cultural Diversity: Identify strategies needed to address institutional and social barriers that impede access, equity, well-being, and success for clients.
- Human Growth and Development: Students will demonstrate knowledge of lifespan development and the capacity to integrate knowledge of developmental theory into practice.
- Career Development: Identify career development strategies that incorporate a focus on social justice and advocacy.
- Counseling and Helping Relationships: Demonstrate an understanding of theories of counseling and development of case conceptualizations and treatment plans that are underpinned by social justice
- Group Counseling and Group Work: Integrate into their practice of MHC the awareness of the influence of social and cultural contexts on groups
- Assessment and Testing: Students will demonstrate a broad understanding of different types of assessments, the selection and use of assessment tools, client assessment and diagnosis, trauma assessment, and the assessment of self-inflicted harm and danger to others.
- Research and Program Evaluation: Demonstrate and apply their professional identity as a clinical mental health counselor through an individual philosophy of practice grounded in critical analysis, research, and interpretation.
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialty Area: Clinical Mental Health Counseling students will demonstrate foundational knowledge, competence in clinical mental health practice, knowledge of social justice issues, and a focus on wellness.
- Professional Dispositions: From admission through exit, students will demonstrate the attitudes, characteristics, and behaviors defined by the program as characteristic of exemplary counseling professionals.
Required Courses:
- COUN 6030 Group Counseling (3 credits)
- COUN 5902 Foundational Counseling Skills (3 credits)
- COUN 6032 Professional Orientation & Ethics (3 credits)
- COUN 5142 Assessment and Testing (3 credits)
- COUN 5542 Counseling Theories (3 credits)
- COUN 6122 Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
- COUN 5262 Human Growth and Development (3 credits)
- COUN 6062 Social and Cultural Diversity (3 credits)
- COUN 6422 Couple and Family Counseling (3 credits)
- COUN 5502 Diagnosis and Treatment (3 credits)
- COUN 5222 Career Counseling Development (3 credits)
- COUN 6902 Research and Evaluation in Counseling (3 credits)
- COUN 6752 Crisis Counseling Interventions (3 credits)
- COUN 6940 CMCH Capstone (3 credits)
- COUN 6960 Practicum – total of 100 hours (3 credits)
- COUN 6990 Internship – total of 600 hours over 2 semesters or 6 credits total (3 credits each)
PLUS, PICK THREE FROM THE FOLLOWING:
- COUN 6662 Family Counseling Approaches to Addictions (3 credits)
- COUN 5632 Psychopharmacology (3 credits)
- COUN 6262 Integrative Approaches to Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
- COUN 6132 Process Addictions (3 credits)
- COUN 6142 Social Justice and Advocacy in Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
Licensure
Graduates of the CMHC Program may apply for professional credentials recognizing their level of training and experience. Credentials may be granted by national professional boards/organizations or by state regulatory boards. The CMHC Program recognizes the importance of licensure and certification for professional practice. The legislature in each state establishes the criteria for licensure, and an appointed board determines if an individual's education and experience meet its standards. The AP Department has designed its programs to be consistent with the standards of the representative professional organizations. Individual states, many of which base their legislation on professional organizations' standards, vary as to specific coursework, number of hours of supervised practice, supervisor qualification, and other required criteria.
While the department offers coursework and internships that allow students to put together a licensable portfolio, it cannot guarantee licensure. Students with any negative results on a criminal background check should inquire with the state board in advance to determine if the results of their background check will hinder their ability to become licensed in their state. As graduates of a CACREP-accredited program, students are eligible to obtain full certification as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) upon graduation after passing the National Counselor Exam offered in April of their final year and completing the required applications. See the NBCC website for information on this process. Graduates' self-reported pass rate on the NBCC exam is 80%. Students will learn about the steps to licensure for the state in which they plan to pursue licensure in the Professional Orientation and Ethics course; however, students are responsible for knowing the expectations of the state in which they plan to apply. Students should actively consult their state’s counseling board for the most recent information about professional licensure.
Faculty are available to consult with students, and the following websites are helpful when navigating the licensure process: National Board of Certified Counselors, American Counseling Association, American Mental Health Counseling Association, and American Association of State Counseling Boards.
To locate contact information, available licenses, and required examinations per State, visit the NBCC’s State Board Directory: http://www.nbcc.org/Search/StateBoardDirectory.
For information on individual state requirements, see the NBCC State Licensure page.
This program is designed to lead to state licensure.
Accreditation
Faculty Spotlights
Martina Bauer, PhD, LMHC
Faculty
Kevin Kusy, PhD
Teaching Faculty
Bonnie King, PhD, LPC-S, CSC
Faculty
Amanda Guzman, PhD
Core Faculty
Admissions
Admissions
The CMHC program values diversity and encourages students of all backgrounds to apply for admission to the program. The faculty strive to create and support an inclusive learning community that meets the different learning styles of students admitted to the program. Students are encouraged to foster relationships with their peers through class discussions and small group activities.
Deadlines
| Program | Term | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Low-Res/Online) | Fall | July 1 |
| Spring | November 1 | |
| MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Low-Res/On-Campus) | Fall | July 1 |
How to Apply
- Complete the online admissions application, including:
- Essay questions-
- We are curious about your previous experiences (e.g., personal, professional, and academic) and would like to know how these experiences have led you toward the choice to apply to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Antioch University. Please describe a few of those fundamental experiences.
- The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is both academically and emotionally rigorous. What challenges, if any, do you foresee encountering during your studies? What forms of support will you use to meet those challenges?
- Antioch University and the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program are committed to preparing professional counselors to be culturally competent and become advocates for social, economic, environmental, and racial justice. How does social justice and becoming culturally competent align with your interest in becoming a professional counselor?
- What are your professional goals in relation to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, and how will this program specifically help you to reach those goals?
- Resume/curriculum vitae (CV)
- Non-refundable $50 application fee
- Essay questions-
- Submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities where you earned a degree or certificate (A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred)
- email transcripts to [email protected], or
- mail to:
Office of Admissions
Antioch University New England
40 Avon Street
Keene NH 03431-3516
- OPTIONAL: Two letters of recommendation from people who are in a position to evaluate your professional (e.g., supervisor, colleague) or academic (e.g., faculty) work. The person making the recommendation may not be related to you.
- There are additional requirements for International applicants and applicants without a Bachelor's degree
- Interview with the CMHC Program admissions committee, if selected. This interview will be conducted via Zoom (video conferencing).
- Master’s and Certificate Programs do not require the GRE or any other standardized test for admission. We consider all of your application materials and evaluate your academic potential in a variety of ways.
- Optional: If you do not feel as if your academic transcript(s) reflect your current ability to be successful as a graduate student, please be sure to highlight a plan for being successful in this program.
Official transcripts should be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to:
Office of Admissions
Antioch University New England
40 Avon Street
Keene, New Hampshire 03431-3516
All application materials submitted become part of an applicant’s file and cannot be returned.
LEARN MORE
Tuition & Financial Aid
A college education is an investment in your future. Let us help you understand the costs and explore the resources available to help make your college education even more affordable. The majority of AUNE students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public, and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AUNE.
Cost
| Department/Program Name | Tuition Cost per Credit | Total Program Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING | ||
| Degrees: | ||
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MA *with careful course selection a certificate in Trauma Counseling OR Addictions counseling is possible within the CMHC degree requirements | $992 | 60 |
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MA (Low Residency *with careful course selection a certificate in Trauma Counseling OR Addictions counseling is possible within the CMHC degree requirements | $884 | 60 |
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MA (Online) *with careful course selection a certificate in Trauma Counseling OR Addictions counseling is possible within the CMHC degree requirements | $884 | 60 |
| Art Therapy and Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MA (Online & Low Residency) | $884 | 66 |
| Certificates (if pursued as an independent credential): | ||
| Certificate in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Addictions Counseling | $630 | 12 |
| Certificate in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Trauma Counseling | $630 | 9 |
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Post-Master’s Respecialization Certificate | $884 | Variable (9-15) |
| MA in School Counseling | $884 | 60 |
| Certificate in School Counseling | $884 | 18 |
| Art Therapy Residency | ||
| View the Cost of Attendance Components | ||
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