Addictions and Mental Health Treatment - MACC Bridge Program

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The AMH/MACC degree is designed for students who wish to become ethical professional counselors skilled in treating mental health and addiction disorders. The AMH /MACC program’s mission "is designed to develop professionally ethical practitioners trained within the Franciscan tradition of ��ֱ�� to promote social justice, dignity and respect for all human life within the community."

Alvernia counseling students have the opportunity to take the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and choose the NCE because of its portability to other states for licensure purposes. Most students who take the NCE in their final semester of coursework pass this examination on their first attempt. Many graduates of the MACC program have become licensed without delay after successfully completing two years and 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience as required by law. ��ֱ��'s masters program is available in a 4-year curricular format for part-time students and a 3-year curriculum format for full-time students.

The addictions and mental health treatment major can be followed as a 3+3 curricular track leading to potential matriculation into the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling program in the senior year. That addictions and mental health treatment curricular track and the 8-semester plan for the 3+3 year curricular track are specifically detailed and differ from the 8-semester plans for the 4-year undergraduate major in addictions and mental health treatment.

In This Section

College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences

Getting Started

General Notes

A minimum of 123 credits are required for graduation.
Credits earned for COM 100 and MAT 100 do not count toward the 123 credits required for graduation; however, COM 100 students may petition for elective credit.
Where appropriate, courses required for the major can be used to satisfy General Education requirements. However, the credits earned for these courses are applied to either Gen Ed requirements or the major, not both.
Paths of Knowledge coursework may count towards major or minor requirements, but may not fulfill a second Mid-Level Liberal Arts Exploration requirement.
Students are expected to follow the catalog requirements for General Education, the major, and additional requirements.
A minor or second major within the areas listed under Paths of Knowledge automatically fulfills that area of the Gen Ed requirements.

Application Instructions

Through a rolling admission process, prospective undergraduate students — including first-year, transfer, and international students — may apply via the or . To learn more about how to complete your application, please visit our application page.

Financing Your Education

There are options to assist in financing your education and making the tuition affordable. Visit our Student Financial Services page for a detailed overview of the process, including a link to complete the FAFSA application, as well as more information about tuition, the tuition payment plan and the tuition deferment program we offer. ��ֱ��’s Title IV code for the FAFSA is 003233. The Office of Student Financial Services is available to help with any questions you may have. Call 610-796-8201 or email sfs@alvernia.edu.

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Program Overview

Curriculum: General Education

All ��ֱ�� students must successfully complete a minimum of 123 semester credits to receive a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. You’ll need to complete 54-56 liberal arts core credits and complete community service hours.

First Year Curriculum: Enduring Questions

SEARCH Seminar-Enduring Questions or Honor Search-Enduring Questions (3 credits: SRH 101 or HNR 160)
COM 101 Composition & Research: Must earn a C or higher (3 credits)
THE 105 Foundations of Theology (3 credits)
PHI 105 Introduction to Philosophy (3 credits)

Mid-Level Liberal Arts Exploration Credits

Exploring the Natural World (6-8 credits)
- Lab Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
- Math (Other than MAT 100)
Individuals & Communities (6 credits)
- History or Political Science
- PSY 101, HIS, POS, SOC, SSC, or ECON 3 (Met in major)
Culture & Language (9 credits)
- Communication (Not COM 100 or 101)
- World Language – 2 courses in sequence (6 credits)
Creative Expressions (6 credits)
- Literature (ENG)
- Art, Music, or Theatre

Ethical Leaders and Followers Credits

Theology or Philosophy (200-400 level) (3 credits)
Theology or Philosophy (Ethics/Morality @ 200 level) (3 credits)

Curriculum: Paths of Knowledge

Paths of Knowledge may count towards minor or Related Requirements, but not Mid-Level Arts Exploration requirements. Choose one path.

PATH 1: Interdisciplinary Study (IS)

Three courses, at least two from Liberal Arts disciplines, not the major, at the 200-400 level from the interdisciplinary minors of Women & Gender Studies, Digital Media, Community & Environmental Sustainability, Community Engagement, Cultural Studies, Leadership Studies or Pre-Law.

PATH 2: Multi-disciplinary Study (MS)

Three courses, at least two from Liberal Arts disciplines, not the major, at the 200-400 level employing multiple disciplinary perspectives to explore the Enduring Questions in one of the following themes: Cultural & Global Studies, Imagination & Creativity, Peace & Conflict, Poverty & Wealth or Sustainability, Science & Technology.

PATH 3: In-depth Disciplinary Study (DS)

Three courses at the 200-400 level in one Liberal Arts discipline other than one’s major, guided by common ideas and methods of inquiry. Students choose from Art, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Computer Science, Economics, English, History, Mathematics, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Theology, Theatre or World Languages. This path may be used to give students a firm foundation in a discipline supporting their chosen major, or to pursue an interest in one of the Liberal Arts disciplines.

Curriculum: Major Requirements

The ��ֱ�� masters program can
be completed on a part-time schedule in 4
years or a full-time schedule in 3 years.
Semester 1 -Total Credits 15
SRH 101 Search Sem-Enduring Questions or
HNR 160: Honor Search Enduring Questions
PSY 101: Introductory Psychology
THE 105: Foundations of Theology or PHI
105: Introduction to Philosophy
AMH 201: Foundations of Addictions
COM 101: Composition and Research
Semester 2 - Total Credits 18
AMH 202: Origins of Mental Illness
AMH 230: Assessment and Evaluation
THE 105: Foundations of Theology or PHI
105: Introduction to Philosophy
Gen Ed (BIO 109 recommended)
Gen Ed
Elective
Semester 3 - Total Credits 18
AMH 204: Theories of Counseling &
Psychotherapy
AMH 305: Group Counseling I
PSY 208: Developmental Psychology
Gen Ed
Gen Ed
Gen Ed
Semester 4 - Total Credits 18
AMH 303: Counseling Techniques I
AMH 330: Crisis Intervention
MAT 208: Introductory Statistics
Gen Ed
Gen Ed
Elective
Semester 5 - Total Credits 18
AMH 310: Legal & Ethical Issues
AMH 315: Treatment Planning & Case
Conceptualization
MAJOR ELECTIVE
MAJOR ELECTIVE
Gen Ed
Gen Ed
Semester 6 - Total Credits 18
AMH 340: Addictive Behaviors
AMH 404: Practicum Field Experience 1
PSY 215: Multicultural Issues in Psychology
MAJOR ELECTIVE
Gen Ed
Gen Ed
By January 15 of Junior Year (beginning of
semester 6; MUST meet MACC progression
requirements: GPA: overall 3.0: AMH 3.0)
Semester 7 - Total Credits 18
AMH 405: Practicum Field Experience 2
Gen Ed
Elective
Elective
MACC (MCC 500 & MCC 560 )
Semester 8 - Total Credits 9
MACC (Semester 1, see program curriculum
and the graduate catalog)
Students must complete all undergraduate
degree requirements and be certified to
graduate with the AMH Bachelor’s degree
by semester 7 to matriculate into the MACC
program beginning semester 8 of
the plan.
Year 4 - Semester 1
MCC 500: Intro to Counseling *
MCC 560: Legal and Ethical Issues in
Counseling
Year 4 - Semester 2
MCC 520: Counseling Theories *
MCC 610: Advanced Counseling with Groups
MCC 640: Psycho- pathology *
Year 4- Summer
MCC 530: Multicultural Issues in Counseling
COR 520: Ethical & Moral Leadership
Year 5 - Semester 3
MCC 600: Advanced Counseling Individuals
MCC 620: Research
MCC 540: Addictions and Society
Year 5 - Semester 4
MCC 630: Appraisal Test & Measurements
MCC 650: Career Counseling
MCC 550: Practicum
Year 5 - Summer
MCC 645: Crisis Counseling
MCC 535: Children & Adolescents
Year 6 - Semester 5
MCC 670: Internship I
MCC 675: Current Issues
MCC 510: Human Development
Year 6 - Semester 6
MCC 680: Internship II
MCC 545: Counseling Families
* pre-requisite for MCC 550

Experiential Learning Opportunities

AMH

All Addictions and Mental Health Treatment faculty members are experts in the classroom and in their professional areas. Faculty members are actively engaged in research, have written articles that have appeared in prestigious publications and have presented nationally and internationally at conferences.

400 hours (12 credits) of practicum field experience required.
Service opportunities are encouraged through local addictions and mental health agencies.
Class sessions involve active role plays facilitated by past and present clinical practitioners.
Students participate in several related student clubs.

MACC

Attending professional conferences offered through the American Counseling Association and the Pennsylvania Counseling Association. These activities offer the opportunity to network with other professionals at the state and national levels.
Complete counseling internships among many public and private agencies in Reading, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Pottsville and the surrounding areas.

Accreditation Statements

Alvernia’s courses are approved by the (PCB), the foremost drug and alcohol credentialing organization in the state. Certification by the PCB is reciprocal among other U.S. states and internationally. A Bachelor of Arts in Addictions and Mental Health Treatment fulfills the requirement for certification and re-certification of addiction counselors by the PCB.
The Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MACC) is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs.
Alvernia is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Career Outlook

After earning your Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling, you can pursue a variety of careers, including:

Counselor
Community Health Worker
Inpatient & Outpatient Rehabilitation
Chemical Dependency Counselor
Clinical Therapist
Substance Abuse Counselor
Social Worker
Prevention and Intervention

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors is projected to grow 22 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than average for all occupations. The median annual wage in 2021 was $48,520.

Get To Know Your Faculty

For more information about ��ֱ��’s Addictions and Mental Health Treatment program, contact the Admissions Office at 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu. Or reach out directly to Program Director David Reyher at 610-796-8318 or david.reyher@alvernia.edu.

For more information about ��ֱ��’s Clinical Counseling program contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 610-796-5187 or gradandadult@alvernia.edu. Or reach out directly to Associate Professor of MACC Nicole Hall at 610-796-8474 or nicole.hall@alvernia.edu.