Masters in Clinical Counseling with Specialization in Drug and Alcohol Counseling - FAQs
The program includes 36 credit hours (27 classroom hours and 9 practicum hours).
Prerequisites include 15 hours of Psychology, including introductory psychology, research methods, statistics, and abnormal psychology with grades of at least B-.
The online application for the MSCC degree states:
Provide a statement (approximately 750 words) that identifies your academic goals, career objectives, why you are applying to this program, and the qualifications you have that make you a strong candidate for this program.
The admissions committee for the MSCC degree is looking for applicants who carefully follow these guidelines. A good personal statement, like all professional writing, takes time, effort, and a willingness to revise. We strongly suggest you consult Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) for help in writing your personal statement.
Students may begin the program in the fall or the spring semester. For those who begin in the fall and attend full-time, the degree can be completed in 5 consecutive semesters, including one summer session.
Please see the attached list of course sequence for fall start dates
Enrollment may be deferred up to one year with written permission from the department chair.
Classes in the degree program are scheduled in the evenings to accommodate working students. At this time none of the classes are offered online. Class attendance and expectations for out-of-class reading and preparation are much more demanding than those at the undergraduate level. We recommend that for full-time enrollment (9 credit hours) students should plan to work no more than 20 hours/week. Based on the experience of past students, full-time employment is quite challenging if your employer expects you to work over-time or is inflexible regarding your school schedule.
Yes, but you may enroll in no fewer than six credit hours in the fall and spring semesters. NOTE: the maximum time to complete the degree is 8 semesters. Students may not enroll in the internship class (P694) until they have completed P535, P641, and P624, P667, P556, and P538, so delays in completing these courses will lead to delays in practicum enrollment. Internship courses must be completed sequentially, not simultaneously.
Tuition and fees for degrees are reset every year by the Indiana University Board of Trustees. This is an estimation and costs may vary per student. Please see the Bursar’s web page for current fees
Not an Indiana resident? Check out the Midwestern Student Exchange Program for tuition information
As of this time, there are no grants available for the master's program, but federal loans may be available. Complete a FAFSA to confirm your eligibility. Although taking out loans to finance your education is risky, programs such as income-based repayment (IBR) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) can make federal loan repayment more manageable.
Many addictions treatment services are considered public service organizations. If you work for one of these, you may qualify for forgiveness of balances on your eligible federal student loans thanks to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.
About Public Service Loan Forgiveness:
- The purpose of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is to encourage individuals to enter and continue working in public service jobs.
- You may qualify if you work full-time in a public service position and meet other eligibility requirements.
- This program is for Direct Loans only.
- Requires 120 separate on-time monthly qualifying payments and was just established in 2007, no borrower will be eligible for forgiveness until 2017.
Learn more about Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program at https://studentaid.gov/ click on Loan Forgiveness under Manage Accounts.
Students may be given credit for up to 9 hours of required or relevant elective classes completed with a grade of B or better. These credits will be evaluated only after admission.
If you have worked in the field of addictions counseling under a qualified supervisor, you may be eligible for up to 3 hours of practicum credit. These credits will be evaluated after admission.
The program is designed to help candidates master the background information needed to succeed on the licensing exam. The curriculum does not include a specific test preparation course. Note that in addition to completing the formal education requirements, applicants for the clinical addiction counselor license must have at least two years of clinical addiction counseling experience under appropriate supervision. For details, see the document Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board Compilation of the Indiana Code and Indiana Administrative Code 2012 Edition
IUN reserves the right to conduct a limited criminal background check before students enroll for course work in order to ensure the applicant meets state licensing guidelines. The application for admission requires answers to the following questions:
Have you ever been formally disciplined at another college or university?
Have you ever been convicted of a battery or sexual misconduct misdemeanor?
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or have you engaged in behavior that resulted in injury to person(s) or personal property?
If your answer to any of the questions is "yes", you must attach a statement describing the circumstances and result of the discipline or conviction. In addition, the State of Indiana now requires all applicants for the LCAC to submit to a national criminal background check at the cost of the individual.
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Employment of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors is expected to grow by 27 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. As society becomes more knowledgeable about addiction, more people are seeking treatment. Furthermore, drug offenders are increasingly being sent to treatment programs rather than to prison.
