Social and behavioral sciences - Psychology and sociology

This Master of Counseling online will prepare you to become a licensed professional counselor in Arizona and other states with comparable licensure requirements. Upon graduation, you can work in a range of settings from small clinical private practices to large agencies and hospitals.

In this program, you’ll focus on growing your ability to counsel clients of all ages and backgrounds. You’ll learn how to promote mental health within individuals, families, groups and organizations in a multicultural society. Additionally, you’ll gain clinical and non-clinical skills to apply in your counseling practice, such as:

• Assessment (intake, crisis, personality and diagnostic)
• Basic trauma response
• Case management
• Clinical counseling (individual and group counseling, couples counseling, family therapy and counseling children and adolescents)
• Clinical documentation
• Cultural responsiveness
• Research

Who’s a good candidate for this Master of Counseling?

Candidates from a variety of educational and occupational backgrounds are encouraged to pursue this program. To succeed, you should have an interest in providing clinical counseling services to diverse client populations, as well as managing a range of psycho-social-emotional challenges. You must also demonstrate your commitment to personal growth and reflection, multicultural awareness and an openness to supervisory feedback.

Additionally, this counseling master’s program is designed for those looking for opportunities to learn hands-on. You’ll complete three semesters of in-person, supervised field experiences in your geographic region. As a required component of the field experiences and state licensure, you’ll also participate in a live, virtual group supervision session weekly. These opportunities will allow you to develop your skills in providing counseling services, case management, crisis and risk assessment, clinical documentation and diagnosis.

Learn from expert faculty who are active in the field

In this Master of Counseling online, you’ll learn from faculty who are also leading professionals in a variety of areas of the field from research to direct practice. In addition to teaching, a majority of faculty are licensed in their respective fields, hold leadership positions and engage in scholarly work. Many also are fellows of the American Psychological Association and hold specialized credentials. Key areas of focus for program faculty include:

• Children and adolescents/play therapy
• Counseling process and outcome
• Couple and family relationships
• Crisis assessment
• Culturally responsive treatment
• Mental health disparities
• Nonbinary stress and resilience
• Social justice and advocacy

This program will prepare you to enhance the well-being of vulnerable populations at all stages of life and promote a socially just society. You’ll also develop advanced cultural awareness and ethical intervention strategies at every level of social work practice, including:

• Advanced case management and counseling with individuals (micro), families and groups/communities (mezzo).
• Empowering social change in administration, policy development, legislative action and community practice (macro).

Additionally, you’ll gain the skills needed to become a well-rounded advanced generalist who can serve in multiple roles. You’ll develop knowledge about assessment and abilities in diagnosis and treatment, as well as learn how to lead the design, implementation and evaluation of programs.

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

This advanced standing, advanced generalist specialization is designed for those who’ve earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited program in the last six years. In this year-long program, you’ll build on the generalist foundation gained in your BSW program and graduate prepared to implement interventions that reflect advanced social work practice.

Additionally, this program is an ideal fit if you want to work in a growing field that interacts with people in a helping capacity. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for social workers is expected to increase by 7% from 2022 to 2032, which is faster than average for all occupations.

How is an advanced standing MSW different from a traditional MSW?

The advanced standing, advanced generalist MSW and the traditional MSW programs online differ in the length of time and practicum education requirements. Because BSW-holding candidates have direct education in social work, they can complete the advanced standing MSW in a one-year, intensive program with one practicum experience. For those who have a bachelor’s degree in other areas, our MSW online offers a two- or three-year program with two internships.

No matter which of the two MSW programs you complete, you’ll earn a graduate degree that is accredited by the Council on Social Work (CSWE). You may also be eligible for state licensure through the Association of Social Work Board (ASWB). Both programs are also a step toward achieving clinical licensure if you plan to pursue that career path.

Positive psychology is the scientific study of strengths and behaviors that enable individuals and communities to thrive. This form of psychology differs from traditional psychology, as it focuses on mental strengths and wellness rather than deficits and illness. For example, a traditional psychology researcher is more likely to investigate environmental factors contributing to depression, whereas a positive psychology researcher is more likely to investigate environmental factors contributing to happiness.

Overall, there’s a rapidly growing body of research in the field of positive psychology with many applications to individual well-being, relationships, the workplace and other life domains. Positive psychology promotes individual flourishing, satisfaction with life and overall happiness of others.

What you’ll learn in a positive psychology master’s concentration

As a student in this master’s in positive psychology online, you’ll gain the foundational knowledge and skills of a traditional psychology program, while focusing your studies on topics central to the field of positive psychology, such as optimism, gratitude, coping mechanisms, resilience and mindfulness.

Upon graduation, you’ll walk away with a range of skills and competencies, including:

• Basic research methodology and statistics.
• Fundamental constructs within positive psychology, such as hope, resilience, joy, gratitude and more.
• Positive psychology interventions and practices.
• Problem solving and critical analysis.
• Psychological theory and knowledge.
• Writing for academic audiences.

Who is a good candidate for this master’s program?

This program is ideal for those passionate about bringing out the best in others and looking to gain additional knowledge in the field of psychology with a specialization in positive psychology.

Graduates of this program may pursue professional opportunities in health care or education settings, public health agencies or wellness promotion companies. Additionally, the positive psychology coursework will benefit graduates working in supervisory or management positions, teaching roles or any social services profession.

Please note, this master’s in positive psychology may not provide the hands-on research experience needed to pursue a pre-doctoral, pre-clinical or counseling program. Thus, the ideal candidate for this program is looking for a comprehensive overview of specialized knowledge in psychological concepts, without conducting primary research.

This master’s in addiction studies equips you to pursue state licensure and become an addiction counselor. The courses in this program meet the educational requirements for national certification, qualifying you for licensure in nearly every state upon graduation. Upon graduation, you’ll be qualified to supervise bachelor’s-level clinicians, oversee clinical programs, provide case management and engage in advocacy and marketing. After obtaining licensure you can find employment in many settings, including substance misuse treatment centers, community mental health agencies, hospitals, high school and university counseling centers and military affairs hospitals.

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

As an ideal candidate for this program, you should have a strong interest in assisting individuals struggling with addiction and a desire to pursue licensure as an addiction counselor. Although completing an undergraduate degree before this program is required, a background in behavioral health is preferred but not mandatory. Experience working in a behavioral health facility, whether as a technician, case manager or in a similar role, would be highly beneficial as well. Upon graduating, you’ll be prepared to advance or begin your career path toward many roles that support addiction recovery.

Substance abuse counseling: An in-demand career

This master’s in addiction psychology combines cutting-edge research from internationally recognized experts in addiction with the clinical expertise of licensed addiction counselors. These professionals bring decades of experience in providing addiction treatment. This unique blend of research and clinical knowledge sets the program apart from other addiction psychology programs, giving you a distinct advantage in the field. Additionally, job prospects are expected to be in demand for counselors who hold active licensure. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of addiction counselors is expected to grow 18% from 2022 to 2032, which is a much quicker rate than other occupations.

Is licensure or certification required to practice as an addiction counselor?

Yes. All states require either licensure or certification to practice as an addiction counselor. Most states have multiple levels of licensure, typically a bachelor’s-level license that requires ongoing supervision and a master’s-level license that allows independent practice. For example, Arizona has two licenses at the master’s level:

LASAC – Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselor: Requires a master’s degree in a behavioral-health related field (such as the master’s in addiction psychology) and a passing score on an advanced substance abuse licensure exam administered by the IC&RC, NAADAC or NBCC. Counselors at this level cannot practice independently and must be supervised by a LISAC.

LISAC – Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor: Requires a master’s degree in a behavioral-health related field, an active LASAC credential, and 1600 hours of supervised work experience that includes 100 hours of clinical supervision.

ASU’s Master of Science in addiction psychology covers the seven core content areas required for licensure in the State of Arizona, as well as the educational content requirements for most states in the U.S. ASU is also pursuing NASAC and NAADAC certification. Please visit our professional licensure page for the most up-to-date information on requirements for licensure in your state.