Admission: Master of Arts in Addiction Counseling Online Program

Master of Arts in Addiction Counseling Admission Requirements

Apply online or call an admissions counselor at (800) 424-9596.
A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Fax/scan unofficial college transcripts. Please Note – Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a transcript request form.
Mail official college transcripts (sealed, unopened copy or via a direct electronic transcript system). Admission requires a regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 for admission in good standing. Students with a GPA less than 3.0 may be considered for admission on caution. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work. A 3 credit hour undergraduate statistics course is required but can be taken after admission if not reflected on the undergraduate transcript.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Preliminary Acceptance

Dual Enrollment

Disclosure Statement

Transcript Policies

Preliminary Transcript Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcripts must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment.

Dual Enrollment

Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.

Disclosure Statement

Enrollment in one of Liberty’s licensure-track master’s degree programs does not guarantee a degree from Liberty or qualification for professional licensure. Students are responsible for meeting all academic and professional requirements for graduation. Further information regarding these academic and professional requirements is outlined in the handbook. Students enrolled in an M.A. counseling licensure program are responsible for knowing the material outlined in the handbook. Further, it is the sole responsibility of the student, not the program, to obtain information regarding prerequisites for licensure as outlined by their particular state board of counseling or marriage and family therapy.

Licensure Information Addiction Counseling

With 12 additional hours of coursework, Liberty University’s M.A. in Addiction Counseling degree (48-hour degree program) meets the current academic education and degree requirements established by the Virginia Board of Counseling for licensure as a Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Professional (LSATP) and exceeds those set for certification as a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC). The faculty provide quality professional training from a faith-based perspective.

The purpose of the program is to produce ethically and spiritually aware addiction counselors who possess the knowledge, values, skills, and personal disposition to promote the mental health and holistic wellness of individuals and families across diverse populations. This purpose is achieved, in significant measure, through offering rigorous academic programs, dynamic online interaction with faculty, and carefully structured internships.

Students interested in licensure or certification in addiction counseling in states other than Virginia are required to contact the licensing boards of those states to obtain copies of their licensure laws and regulations. These will help students ensure they take all courses necessary for licensure or certification in addiction counseling in those states. The M.A. in Addiction Counseling does not lead to licensure as a licensed professional counselor or licensed marriage and family therapist.

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of acceptance and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript must be issued directly from the institution in a sealed envelope with a signature across the back. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements.

Official college transcripts are not required initially for acceptance if unofficial transcripts are provided; however, if the student uses unofficial transcripts to earn acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day time frame will prevent registration.