MA in Addiction Counselling

Course description

Who is this course for?

This Master’s programme in Addiction Counselling is designed for graduates in health and human sciences – disciplines such as nursing, social care, social work, psychology and programmes in a cognate area who wish to prepare for initial access to professional Accreditation as an Addiction Counsellor.

This programme will provide a postgraduate qualification in Addiction Counselling for professionals who work with (or seek to work with) individuals, families and communities exposed to or experiencing addiction and its consequences in a range of health or social care environments – to enable them to specialise, lead and work for better outcomes for individuals with complex needs.

This MA in Addiction Counselling will enable graduates to act as agents for change at an individual or broader level, advocating for social justice and human rights for their clients, and through specialised counselling interventions, promote principles of respect and empowerment for clients.

Course Delivery

This course is taken over 2 years on a part-time basis. It is taught using a combination of classroom & work based learning and blended learning technologies for theoretic elements of engagement. It thus allows the learner to access classes in person or online to allow for a better work/life/study balance. Lectures occur 1 evening a week from 6pm-9pm and on approximately eight Saturdays, 9:30am-4:30pm in the academic year (Sept-May).  Learner attendance is required for skills-based modules.

Course Content

Modules

• Understanding Addiction
• Skills & Competencies in Addiction Counselling
• Contemporary Evidence Based Interventions in Addiction Recovery
• Research Methodologies & Design
• Community Reinforcement Approach & Family aspects in Addiction
• Comorbidity & Trauma Informed Care
• Knowing Self
• Professional Practice
• Dissertation

Learners on the MA in Addiction Counselling programme are required to complete 90 ECTS (as outlined above) over the two academic years and are required to take two co-requisite modules, namely Knowing Self (5 ECTS) and Professional Placement (10 ECTS). For more details on module content please visit www.ichas.ie.

Professional Placement & Personal Therapy

Professional Placement

·         All students will undertake work-based learning as part of the programme – comprising 120 hours of direct client work (10 ECTS) in an approved placement setting.

·         In conjunction with the 120 client hours students will undertake Clinical supervision at a ratio of 1-hour clinical supervision to 4 hours of client work. This equates to 30 hours of Clinical Supervision.

The Professional Placement module will also enhance the development of students’ professional capicity to work confidently and independently in various settings. Some of the placement providers that we work closely with are Aiseiri Treatment Centres (Nationwide), Saoirse (Limerick), My Move Counselling (Limerick & Tipperary), Cuain Mhuire, Coolmine Treatment Centre, The Grove, Kerry.

Knowing Self 

·         Students are required to engage in a minimum of 50 hours of Personal Therapy or equivalent through this module. These hours may include certified participation in a Therapeutic Group process to a maximum of 50% of the total requirement.

Professional Accreditation

In addition to meeting the QQI Awards Standards, programmes at ICHAS are designed to facilitate those who wish to pursue professional accreditation. Students should be aware that they need to meet the requirements of whichever professional accreditation body they want to be accredited with. Programmes at ICHAS are structured with sufficient flexibility to allow for the varying requirements for pre-accreditation membership with a range of professional accreditation bodies in Ireland, including:

Addiction Counsellors Ireland (ACI)
Association of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Ireland (APCP)

Entry Requirements & Selection Criteria

·         A minimum of a Second Class Honours (2:2) award in a relevant Human Science Degree at Level 8 on the NFQ – or equivalent.

·         Those who have completed other relevant education programmes or have relevant professional experience etc., where Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and Acquired Prior Learning (APL) can be applied, may apply for admission to the programme by submission of programme content, qualification and assignments equivalent to an appropriate Second Class Honours (2:2)award  at Level 8.

·         The minimum English language proficiency requirement for this programme is B2+ in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages which is equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.5.

·         Garda Vetting is a requirement for all successful applicants.

·         All applicants will be required to attend for interview to ascertain their suitability for the Programme.