Online Master of Substance Abuse Counseling
Take the next step in your career as a substance abuse counselor with a postgraduate degree that will prepare you for leadership roles and independent licensure. The University of Cincinnati's online Master of Substance Abuse Counseling degree will capitalize on your existing experience in the field to help you provide greater guidance to individuals struggling with addiction.
Master of Substance Abuse Counseling Program Overview
This program is designed to prepare chemical dependency counselors holding a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor III (LCDC III) or equivalent license to be a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC). Graduates of this program will be able to work in administrative roles, supervisory roles with other clinicians, as well as industry leadership roles.
Master of Substance Abuse Counseling Program Highlights
High Quality Education
Students enrolled in this program will learn evidence-based practices for treating individuals struggling with substance use disorders while simultaneously enhancing existing skills. By working alongside faculty who regularly engage with cutting edge treatments, individuals will gain important skills needed to be effective, independently licensed substance abuse counselors such as:
- Expansive assessment and diagnostic skills
- Supervisory skills
- Maintenance strategies and recovery science
- Motivational interviewing techniques
- Evidence-based counseling and medical practices to address substance use disorders
Flexibility
- 100% online instruction
- Enroll in the spring, summer, or fall semesters
- Part-time offering allows for degree completion for working professionals
Support from Application through Graduation
At UC, you’ll have a full support team behind you:
Enrollment Services Advisor: Your go-to resource during the application process
Student Success Coordinator: Helping you prepare for classes and stay on track
Access to Resources: Access to university resources that will support you through your program including online learning expectations and resources, health and wellness resources, and academic support
Applications to the MS Substance Abuse Counseling online program are reviewed on an ongoing basis by an admissions committee comprised of program faculty.
Applicants to this program are required to have each of the following:
- An undergraduate degree in a behavioral science field of study
- Applicants should have at least a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average*
- Applicants should have a minimum of 220 hours of supervised field experience providing counseling services to those with substance use disorders.
*Individuals not meeting this requirement may be offered conditional admission
Complete the online application and submit the application fee.
Standard Application Fees:
- $65.00 for domestic applicants to most degree programs
- $70.00 for international applicants to most degree programs
- $20.00 for domestic applicants to Graduate Certificates
- $25.00 for international applicants to Graduate Certificates
- Application fees are waived for Summer 2026 applications submitted by March 1st, 2026
- Application fees are waived for Fall 2026 applications submitted by July 1st, 2026
- Fee waivers are automatically applied for applicants who:
- are currently serving in the US armed forces
- are veterans of the US armed forces
All applicants are required to upload unofficial transcripts during the application process, showing all undergraduate and graduate course work completed, including degrees granted and dates of conferral.
Official transcripts are not required until the student has received and accepted an offer of admission from the university. Once the offer has been confirmed, the student must submit official transcripts.
Students who have received degrees from the University of Cincinnati do not need to submit official paper copies of their UC transcripts.
Transcripts can be submitted electronically or by mail. To see if your transcript(s) can be ordered electronically, visit the links below and search for your previous school(s).
- Parchment
- Please select “University of Cincinnati – Main Campus” as the recipient of your transcript.
- National Student Clearinghouse
- Please have your transcript sent directly to admissions@uc.edu.
If you do not see your past school(s) listed on either site, please contact the school(s) directly. Then, mail your sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
Please mail sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
University of Cincinnati
Office of Admissions
PO Box 210091
Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0091
One letter of reference is required.
- Please provide a letter from a professional or academic contact.
- Please note that the name and email address of the recommender is required.
Please provide your current resume or curriculum vitae.
Please prepare a statement-of-purpose essay explaining in less than 500 words how the MS Substance Abuse Counseling program will further your career goals.
An official TOEFL/IELTS is required for all international applicants.
International applicants must also submit foreign transcripts for evaluation to an agency recognized by the National Association of Credential Evaluating Services (NACES; www.naces.org).
| Term | Application Deadline | Classes Start |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | August 15, 2026 | August 24, 2026 |
The University of Cincinnati's online course fees differ depending on the program. On average, students will accrue fewer fees than students attending on-campus classes.
The one fee applied across all UC Online programs is the distance learning fee. Students living outside the state of Ohio must also pay an additional “non-resident” fee to enroll in courses at UC Online. This fee is lower than the out-of-state fee for traditional on-campus programs.
To view tuition information and program costs, visit the Online Program Fees page.
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