Help to transform health and wellness

The PSYCH/MACC degree is designed for students who wish to become ethical professional counselors skilled in treating both mental health and addiction disorders. The PSYCH/MACC program鈥檚 mission "is designed to develop professionally ethical practitioners trained within the Franciscan tradition of 麻豆视频 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. Alvernia'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.

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College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences

Getting Started

Psych/MACC Bridge Program Admissions

Decisions regarding admission into the university will be made by the Office of Admissions. Admission into the PSYCH/MACC bridge program (6 years) will be available to students who meet the criteria (3.0 high school GPA, 1100 SAT). Upon timely completion of ALL admission criteria, applicants will be offered admission into the university, and conditional admission into the graduate MACC Program, as determined by the maximum number of allotted seats in the program set by the university.


Students within the accelerated bridge (6 years) format will follow a curricular plan in PSYCH, with MACC listed as the student鈥檚 second major. At the beginning of semester 6, students submit a letter of intent to proceed into the MACC program to the MACC program director. Admission into the MACC program will be determined by the MACC admissions committee in accordance with the university admissions policies.

Application Instructions

Through a rolling admission process, prospective students may . Multiple start dates throughout the year allow accepted students to begin a program of study at an accommodating time. We constantly accept and review applications contingent on openings in specific academic majors.


Keeping on track is important throughout the process. We encourage you to work with an Admissions Counselor to submit all necessary materials by required deadlines. Our dedicated Admissions team will work directly with you to identify the best options that work for you and your unique situation.


Once your application is reviewed, we make every effort to notify you of our decision within two to four weeks.

Financing Your Education

There are options to assist in financing your education and making the tuition affordable. Visit our financial aid page for a detailed overview of the process, including a link to complete the FAFSA application, as well as more information about the tuition payment plan and the tuition deferment program we offer. Alvernia鈥檚 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.

Student in classroom
Why Alvernia?
鈥 A nationally ranked comprehensive regional university, Alvernia offers doctoral, master's, and post-baccalaureate programs to advance your career or prepare you for a new one.
鈥 Alvernia is the ideal choice for students because of a growing number of affiliation agreements with other local institutions and industry partners and dedicated advisors to help through every step of the educational journey.


Program Overview

PSYCH-MACC Program Curriculum

Alvernia'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.

SEMESTER 1 - 15 CREDITS

  • SRH 101 or HNR 160: SEARCH Seminar
  • PSY 101: Introductory Psychology
  • THE 105: Foundations of Theology or PHI 105: Introduction to Philosophy
  • COM 101: Composition and Research
  • Gen Ed SEARCH


SEMESTER 2 - 18 CREDITS

  • PSY 130: Exploring Research (must be taken before PSY 230)
  • THE 105: Foundations of Theology or PHI 105: Introduction to Philosophy
  • BIO 109: Human Biology (recommended)
  • Gen Ed SEARCH
  • Elective
  • Elective


SEMESTER 3 - 18 CREDITS

  • PSY 208: Human Development Across the Lifespan
  • PSY 230: Applications of Research (Pre-req: PSY 130)
  • MAT 208 (Co-req: PSY 230)
  • Gen Ed SEARCH
  • Gen Ed SEARCH
  • Gen Ed SEARCH


SEMESTER 4 - 18 CREDITS

  • PSY 250: Psychopathology
  • PSY 314: Application of Theories/Tech (Offered Spring only)
  • Gen Ed SEARCH (PHI ethics/morality 200 level)
  • Gen Ed SEARCH
  • PSY Elective (Human Diversity)
  • PSY Elective


SEMESTER 5 - 18 CREDITS

  • PSY 301: History & Systems (Offered Fall only)
  • PSY Elective
  • PSY Elective
  • Gen Ed SEARCH
  • Gen Ed SEARCH
  • Gen Ed SEARCH


SEMESTER 6 - 18 CREDITS

  • PSY Elective
  • Gen Ed SEARCH
  • Gen Ed SEARCH
  • PSY 413: Practicum II
  • PSY 423: Ethical and Professional Issues II
  • Elective
  • Elective


By January 15 of Junior Year (beginning of semester 6; MUST meet MACC progression requirements: GPA: overall 3.0: PSYCH 3.0)


SEMESTER 7 - 18 CREDITS

  • PSY 412: Practicum I
  • PSY 422: Ethical and Professional Issues I
  • Elective
  • Elective
  • MACC (MCC 500 & MCC 560)


SEMESTER 8 - 9 CREDITS

  • MACC (Semester 1, see program curriculum and the Graduate Catalog)

 

Total Credits for Graduation - 123
MACC- Requirements - 3 years


Students must complete all undergraduate degree requirements and be certified to graduate with the psychology bachelor鈥檚 degree by semester 7 to matriculate into the MACC program beginning semester 8 of the plan. Department chair will make decision about PSY 250 as prerequisite for PSY 314 on a case by case.


Year 4 - Semester 1

  • MCC520: Counseling Theories
  • MCC610: Advanced Counseling w/ Groups
  • MCC640: Psycho-pathology


Year 4- Summer

  • MCC530: Multicultural Issues in Counseling
  • COR520: Ethical & Moral Leadership


Year 5 - Semester 2

  • MCC600: Advanced Counseling Individuals
  • MCC620: Research
  • MCC540: Addictions & Society


Year 5 - Semester 3

  • MCC630: Appraisal Test & Measurements
  • MCC650: Career Counseling
  • MCC550: Practicum


Year 5 - Summer

  • MCC645: Crisis Counseling
  • MCC535: Children & Adolescents


Year 6 - Semester 4

  • MCC670: Internship I
  • MCC675: Current Issues


Year 6 - Semester 5

  • MCC680: Internship II
  • MCC545: Counseling Families
Accreditation Statements
  • The PSYCH/MACC program is accredited by the . The curriculum includes the core academic requirements for Licensed Professional Counselors in Pennsylvania.
  • Alvernia is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Career Outlook

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.

  • Counselor
  • Community Health Worker
  • Career Counselor
  • Chemical Dependency Counselor
  • Clinical Therapist
  • Substance Abuse Counselor
  • Social Worker
  • Health Educator
  • Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
Experiential Learning Opportunities
  • 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.
Stephanie Berlin '18
Family experiences fuel counseling career
鈥淭here are not many things that I am always sure about in my life,鈥 said Stephanie Berlin, Masters Clinical Counseling '21, 鈥渂ut I have never been surer that coming to Alvernia and becoming a counselor was what I was meant to do.鈥