Career-Ready Credentials
Designed to support students pursuing licensure and advanced certification in Pennsylvania and beyond.
Our curriculum is aligned with the Pennsylvania Certification Board, setting you up to pursue advanced credentials like the Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC). You’ll also complete the PA academic requirements toward licensure as a professional counselor (LPC), giving you the flexibility to work in both addiction treatment and broader mental health settings.
Comprehensive, Modern Learning
Learn how to turn evidence into action and support meaningful recovery at every level.
Master evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), trauma-informed care, relapse prevention, and integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders. You’ll also explore the broader context of addiction including social determinants of health, family systems, prevention, ethics, and advocacy.
Hands-On Clinical Training
Targeted skills for immediate application, supporting licensure and professional readiness.
Gain real-world expertise through 700 hours of supervised clinical training, including a 100-hour practicum and two 300-hour internships. You’ll work directly with clients in substance use treatment and behavioral health settings, building practical skills in assessment, counseling, treatment planning, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Curriculum
Build a strong foundation in the knowledge and skills needed to effectively assess, treat, and support individuals across all areas of substance abuse and behavioral healthcare. You’ll engage in partnerships with local and regional substance use treatment providers, community mental health agencies, healthcare systems, recovery organizations, and more. Moravian’s MSUC includes a core counseling curriculum combined with focus areas in:
- Substance Use & Addictive Disorders
- Evidence-Based Interventions
- Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment
- Trauma-Informed Care
- Motivational Interviewing & CBT
- Prevention, Policy & Ethics
- Recovery & Relapse Prevention
Our curriculum is aligned with the Pennsylvania Certification Board and prepares students to pursue advanced substance use counseling credentials, including the Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC). The CAADC uses the IC&RC Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor examination, connecting graduates to a widely recognized credentialing network. IC&RC member boards support credential reciprocity across many U.S. states, territories, military branches, and international jurisdictions. This can provide graduates with greater professional mobility if they choose to work beyond Pennsylvania.
Year 1: Fall 1
- MCC 500-Helping Relationships: Substance Use
- MCC 510-Professional Orientation: Ethics and Counseling: Substance Use
- MCC 530-Human Growth and Development
- MCC 550-Counseling Theory
- MCC 560-Social and Cultural Foundations
Year 1: Spring 1
- MCC 520-Career & Lifestyle Counseling
- MCC 570-Group Theory and Practice
- MSUC 630-Substance Use and Addictive Disorders
- MCC 540-Clinical Appraisal
- MSUC 645-Prevention and Policy in Addiction Work
Year 1: Summer
- MCC 680-Practicum
- MCC 620-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- MCC 625-Third Wave Cognitive Behavioral Modalities and Motivational Interviewing
Year 2: Fall 2
- MCC 600-Trauma Informed Practice
- MSUC 635-Recovery, Relapse Prevention, and Community Systems
- MSUC 655-Evidence-Based Interventions for Addictions and Co-Occurring Disorders
- MSUC 685-Internship Supervision I
Year 2: Spring 2
- MSUC 686-Internship Supervision II
- MCC 605-Advanced Trauma Topics
- MCC 580-Research Design & Methodology
Program Director
Patrick McElwaine, Psy.D, LPC
Dr. Patrick McElwaine (Dr. Mac) is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and a Beck Institute CBT Certified Clinician. In addition, Dr. McElwaine is the founder of Dr. Mac and Associates, a private practice committed to supporting mental health and recovery.
Dr. McElwaine is a passionate speaker and educator, having presented at national and regional conferences including NAMI, the Pennsylvania Psychological Association (PPA), and the Lilly Conference. His presentations focus on mental health, addiction, stigma reduction, and innovative approaches to teaching and therapy.
He is also active in his own recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, currently with 17 years of continued recovery. Dr. McElwaine believes deeply in the connection between substance use disorders and mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief. He is a strong advocate for those affected by mental illness and addiction, often stating, “those who are in recovery or diagnosed with mental health disorders are resilient, strong, and empowered.â€
Dr. McElwaine is a columnist for Psychology Today, where he writes about addiction recovery, resilience, and mental health. He has over 28 years of clinical experience in a wide range of settings, including community mental health, primary care, private practice, wrap-around services, residential treatment facilities, inpatient hospitals, and academia. Through his work at the Beck Institute, Dr. McElwaine provides supervision, consultation, and facilitates workshops focused on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for substance use, depression, anxiety, suicide prevention, and trauma. He is a member of multiple professional psychology organizations and serves on the Montgomery County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Council as well as the Board of Trustees for the Bucks County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
Dr. McElwaine also provides national and international training, supervision, and consultation in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and substance use treatment.
Questions?
Jessica Skultety
She/her/hers
Student Experience Mentor—Behavioral and Community Health
(610) 625-7986
skultetyj@moravian.edu