Addiction Counseling

What You'll Learn

This 60-credit graduate program provides the academic preparation required to pursue licensure as a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) in Maryland and supports licensure portability in jurisdictions that recognize equivalent addiction counseling credentials. Graduates are prepared for employment across a wide range of treatment settings, including community agencies, residential and outpatient programs, hospitals, correctional systems, and integrated healthcare environments.

What distinguishes Coppin’s program is its integrated, practice-focused curriculum that combines theory, research, and supervised clinical training. Students are immersed in evidence-based and trauma-informed approaches designed to address the complexities of substance use disorders and co-occurring conditions with competence, cultural humility, and compassion. The curriculum is aligned with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Standards for Addiction Counseling, ensuring rigorous professional preparation and national relevance.

Choose Coppin State University for a graduate education that offers academic rigor, clinical depth, and a clear professional identity in addictions counseling. Your future in recovery-focused practice begins here.

Program Overview: Roadmap to Degree Completion

The Master of Science in Addictions Counseling is designed with flexibility to support both full-time and part-time students while maintaining a structured pathway to degree completion.

Full-Time Enrollment

Full-time students typically enroll in up to four courses per semester and complete the program in approximately two years (six semesters). Supervised practicum experiences begin in the third semester, providing early exposure to addiction treatment settings and applied clinical skill development consistent with CACREP clinical training expectations.

Part-Time Enrollment

Part-time students may take up to two courses per semester and complete the program across ten semesters. Practicum experiences begin in the sixth semester, allowing students to build a strong academic foundation before entering clinical training. This option is well-suited for working professionals and career-advancing students.

Regardless of enrollment status, all students follow a carefully sequenced curriculum aligned with addiction counseling practice and CACREP training standards. Addiction counseling has never been more accessible. Choose the path that fits your life—and begin making a difference today.

Program Requirements

To graduate with a Master of Science in Addictions Counseling, students must complete 60 hours of coursework:

• Core course (15 credits)
• Measurement and Research (3 credits)
• Field Work and Internship Program (6 credits) 600 Supervised Hours
• Courses (36 credits)

Each chart in this section explains course offerings and requirements

Master of Science in Addictions Counseling Curriculum

The mission of the program is to prepare graduates to become competent, ethical, and culturally responsive addiction counselors. Through a rigorous curriculum grounded in evidence-based practice and CACREP Standards, students develop the clinical knowledge and applied skills necessary to support individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring conditions across the lifespan.

A defining feature of the program is its commitment to serving underserved, rural, and marginalized communities, where access to high-quality addiction treatment is often limited. Students learn to address systemic barriers to care while empowering clients to draw upon their strengths, resources, and resilience throughout the recovery process.

At Coppin State University, addiction counseling is more than a profession—it is a commitment to equity, healing, and community transformation.

Curriculum Overview

The Addiction Counseling Program includes specialized coursework designed to develop advanced competencies in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. The curriculum integrates theoretical foundations, clinical skill development, and supervised field experiences to prepare students for ethical, culturally responsive, and evidence-based practice in addiction counseling settings.

Core coursework includes:

• Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis
• Addiction Counseling Theory and Practice
• Pharmacology and Neurobiology of Substance Use
• Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Models
• Abnormal Behavior
• Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment
• Ethics in Addiction Counseling
• Treatment Planning and Case Management
• Clinical Practicum and Internship

These courses are designed to provide students with comprehensive training in biopsychosocial assessment, evidence-based intervention strategies, ethical decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through supervised practicum and internship experiences, students apply counseling theories and clinical skills in real-world settings while receiving structured supervision and professional feedback consistent with CACREP clinical training standards.

Core Courses (15 credits)

Measurement and Research (3 credits)

Fieldwork and Internship (6 credits)

600 supervised hours

Courses (36 credits)

Graduation Candidacy Requirements

Students advance to candidacy once completing all coursework. There are 2 options for candidacy:

• Option I: comprehensive examination and research paper
• Option II: Thesis I and II course work, along with a master’s thesis

Note: Any graduate student who has not completed a basic undergraduate or graduate statistics course with a B or better must take EDUC 581, Statistics in Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Faculty

The Master of Science in Addictions Counseling program is led by a dedicated team of full-time faculty with extensive clinical, supervisory, and instructional experience in addiction counseling. Faculty members are licensed addiction professionals who bring real-world expertise into the classroom, ensuring instruction reflects current practice standards, workforce needs, and CACREP expectations.

Faculty are actively engaged as educators, researchers, and practitioners and are deeply committed to student mentorship, professional identity development, and licensure preparation. Through a student-centered approach, faculty provide individualized guidance that supports academic success, clinical competence, and professional growth.

Apply

When you choose Coppin, you choose a program grounded in excellence, relevance, student success, and accreditation-aligned training.

• Flexible online learning
• Addiction-focused licensure preparation (LCADC)
• CACREP-aligned curriculum
• Faculty committed to your professional growth

Apply today and begin your journey toward transforming lives—starting with your own.