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Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling (Combined BS + MS) Accelerated Pathway

College of Community Studies and Public Affairs / Human Services
Accelerated combined degree / Master of Science

About The Program

Counseling individuals and communities impacted by co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders requires both strong relational skills and a deep grounding in evidence-based, culturally responsive practice. Effective counselors must be prepared not only for direct clinical work, but also for systems-level thinking, ethical leadership, and responsive care across diverse community contexts.

The Combined BS + MS Pathway in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling at Metro State University offers an accelerated pathway for students seeking to become highly skilled, licensed counseling professionals. By intentionally integrating undergraduate and graduate coursework, this program allows undergraduate students to enroll in up to 14 credits of graduate coursework, enabling them to earn two in-demand degrees more efficiently, while saving time and tuition, and building advanced clinical competence.

Graduates of this accelerated pathway complete coursework and supervised practicum aligned with Minnesota requirements for licensure as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counseling (LADC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

Program Accreditation

Our ADC BS and MS CODC programs are accredited by the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC*). NASAC ensures that higher education addiction studies programs adhere to a single, comprehensive standard. This standardization raises the quality and consistency of addiction studies education across institutions.

NASAC logo

Program Highlights

The Combined BS + MS Pathway is designed for motivated undergraduate students in the BS in Alcohol and Drug Counseling (BS ADC) who plan to advance into the MS in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling (MS CODC).

Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, students’ progress from foundational counseling knowledge and skills to advanced graduate-level training focused on integrated treatment of substance use and mental health disorders. Graduates are prepared to serve as change agents in clinical, community, and systems-based settings, delivering care that is ethical, anti-oppressive, and responsive to community needs.

Why Choose the Combined BS ADC + MS CODC Pathway

Students in the combined program benefit from:

  • Accelerated completion of the master’s degrees
  • Cost and time savings through integrated coursework
  • Early access to graduate-level training and advising
  • Preparation for leadership roles in substance use and co-occurring disorder treatment
  • A strong emphasis on person-centered, culturally responsive, and evidence-based practice
  • Dual Licensure: Completion of the ADC BS meets the educational requirements for eligibility as a Minnesota Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), and the MS CODC degree meets requirements for eligibility as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

This pathway enables promising students to complete their master’s degree approximately one year earlier than students who complete each degree separately. After completion of the ADC BS degree, students may begin working as an LADC while completing the MS CODC, gaining valuable professional experience along the way.

Degree Components

Bachelor of Science in Alcohol and Drug Counseling (ADC)

The BS in Alcohol and Drug Counseling provides the foundational preparation needed to work effectively with individuals, families, and communities impacted by substance use disorders. Students develop:

  • Core counseling and helping skills
  • Knowledge of substance use disorders and recovery-oriented systems of care
  • Ethical and professional competencies aligned with state licensure standards
  • Practical experience through supervised fieldwork

The BS in ADC prepares students for entry-level practice and licensure as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) in Minnesota.

Master of Science in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling (CODC)

The MS in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling builds on the undergraduate foundation and prepares students for advanced clinical practice with individuals experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Graduate training emphasizes:

  • Advanced assessment and integrated treatment planning
  • Evidence-based and emerging best practices
  • Community-responsive and anti-oppressive approaches to care
  • Ethical excellence and professional identity development

Graduates are counselors who are committed to supporting individuals, families, and communities in defining and fostering wellness across the lifespan.

Licensure Preparation

Graduates of the combined program meet the educational requirements to pursue licensure in Minnesota, including:

  • Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC)
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
  • Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)—with two years of post-master’s supervised practice

Advising and Progression

Students in the combined pathway receive intentional advising to ensure:

  • Appropriate sequencing of undergraduate and graduate coursework
  • Timely progression into graduate-level study
  • Alignment with licensure and practicum requirements

Early planning and close collaboration with program advisors are essential to successfully completing the combined degree.

Career Outcomes

Graduates of the Combined BS + MS in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling are prepared for roles such as:

  • Alcohol and Drug Counselor
  • Co-occurring Disorders Clinician
  • Community Mental Health Practitioner
  • Integrated Care Counselor
  • Behavioral Health Program Coordinator
  • Clinical or Systems-Level Change Agent

Ready to become an agent of change?

The Combined BS in Alcohol and Drug Counseling and MS in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling at Metro State offers a distinctive, accelerated pathway for students committed to integrated, community-responsive care. This forward-thinking program prepares you for licensure as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Professional Counselor, and—following supervised practice—a Professional Clinical Counselor in Minnesota. Guided by supportive faculty and staff dedicated to your professional and personal growth, you will learn in an inclusive, diverse, and community-engaged urban environment. With a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice, cultural responsiveness, and real-world clinical experience, this combined pathway empowers you to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the lives of individuals, families, and communities affected by co-occurring disorders. For more information on the Combined BS + MS program, see the FAQ page.

Contact CCSPA Advising (ccspa.advising@metrostate.edu) to learn more about eligibility, advising, and application timelines.

How to enroll

Program eligibility requirements

Enrolling

Metro State University offers an accelerated pathway that allows qualified students to complete a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Alcohol and Drug Counseling and a Master of Science (MS) in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling. Admission is based on a review of each applicant’s application materials and an interview.

* Students pursuing this pathway are to consult with their academic advisor to ensure a clear understanding of program expectations, eligibility requirements, course sequencing, and financial considerations.

This pathway requires two separate applications at different points in a student’s academic progression.

Step 1: Apply to the Bachelor’s Program (New Students)

If you are new to Metro State University, you must first apply to the Alcohol and Drug Counseling BS program through the MinnState application. (Apply to Metro State)

After enrolling and meeting eligibility requirements, students may apply to the combined BS+ MS pathway.

Step 2: Apply to the Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling (MS) Accelerated Pathway (Current Metro Students)

If you are a current Metro State undergraduate student majoring in Alcohol and Drug Counseling and meet the eligibility requirements below, you may apply to the Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling (MS) Accelerated Pathway through GradCAS.

Eligibility Requirements

Meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission. Enrollment is limited, and admission is competitive. Applicants must:

  • Be a currently admitted Metro State undergraduate student
  • Have a declared major in Alcohol and Drug Counseling (BS)
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 (includes transfer GPA)
  • Have completed at least 45 credits
  • Have Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MNTC) goal areas 1-10 completed. Courses can be in progress at time of application but must be completed prior to the fall program start.
  • Be able to pass a Minnesota Department of Human Services background study
  • Prior to practicum, demonstrate a minimum of two years free from mental health, physical health, or substance use concerns that would impair professional objectivity or effectiveness.

GPA Review Option

  • Students whose cumulative GPA is affected by older coursework but who demonstrate strong academic performance in more recent coursework may submit a GPA review petition as part of the application process. Petition review is conducted on a case-by-case basis and does not guarantee admission.
  • The BS+MS accelerated pathway is intended for students pursuing their initial academic preparation in alcohol and drug counseling. Individuals who already hold an ADC-T credential or who are enrolled in the undergraduate certificate program should consult with an advisor to identify appropriate academic options, such as direct admission to the MS program.

Program Structure and Progression

Students accepted into the combined BS+MS accelerated pathway will be conditionally admitted allowing students to complete up to 14 graduate-level credits while enrolled as an undergraduate student.

Full Admission to the Graduate Program

Official acceptance into the MS in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling is contingent upon:

  • Successful completion of the BS ADC bachelor’s degree, and
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the time of graduation
  • Earn a grade of B- or higher in all graduate-level courses.

Students who do not meet these requirements upon graduation will not be formally admitted to the graduate portion of the combined program.

Application Instructions (CODC MS Accelerated Pathway)

Metro State University participates in GradCAS, the common application for graduate programs.

Please note that the CODC MS Accelerated Pathway applications are only accepted for Fall semesters.

Application Deadline

Fall application deadline: July 15
Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis for consideration in the following year’s cohort.

Application instructions

Metro State University is participating in the common application for graduate programs (GradCAS). Applications are only accepted via the CAS website.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis for the upcoming fall cohort. Completed applications will be evaluated as they are received, pending seat availability.

CAS steps

  1. Select the term for which you are seeking admission (below), and navigate to the CAS website. Open applications include:
  2. Create or log in to your account and select the Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling (Combined BS + MS) Accelerated Pathway program.
  3. Carefully review all instructions and complete all four sections of the application.

Specific application requirements for individual programs can be found on each program page in CAS. Carefully read the instructions that appear throughout the application pages. You can only submit your application once. If you need to update information you have submitted, please notify graduate.studies@metrostate.edu

Application fee

A nonrefundable $38 fee is required for each application.
Applications will not be processed until this fee is received.

Active-duty military, veterans, and Metro State alumni are eligible for an application fee waiver. Once your application is complete and ready for submission, please contact graduate.studies@metrostate.edu.

Please note: only one application fee waiver code is provided per applicant.

Courses and Requirements

SKIP TO COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Overview
The Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s (BS + MS) Accelerated Pathway in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling (MS CODC) allows qualified students to begin graduate-level coursework while completing the Bachelor of Science in Alcohol and Drug Counseling (BS ADC).

*Students interested in this pathway are strongly encouraged to consult with an academic advisor to fully understand program expectations, eligibility requirements, course sequencing, and financial considerations.

Please note that there are several important financial aid implications of enrolling in the Combined BS + MS Pathway and students are strongly encouraged to discuss these with a representative of Gateway Student Services.

Course Overlap
Students in the Combined BS + MS Accelerated Pathway will have up to fourteen credits of coursework overlap between their BS and MS degrees by taking the following master-level courses in place of the indicated undergraduate courses.

Semester I Fall:
• HSCD 590G (1 credit) in place of required ADC BS electives
• HSCD 650 (2 credits) in place of ADC BS HSER 368
Semester II Spring:
• HSCD 621 (2 credits) in place of ADC BS HSCD 200
• HSCD 632 (3 credits) in place of required ADC BS electives
Semester III Summer:
• No graduate coursework. Follow your undergraduate course plan.
Semester IV Fall:
• HSCD 611 (3 credits) in place of ADC BS HSCD 303
• HSCD 610 (3 credits) in place of ADC BS HSER 348

Program Structure and Progression

Students in the Combined BS + MS Accelerated Pathway are conditionally admitted and may complete up to 14 graduate-level credits while enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Alcohol and Drug Counseling (BS ADC) program.

As part of the pathway, students will:

  • Enroll in approved graduate-level courses that overlap with undergraduate degree requirements
  • Satisfy all coursework and practicum requirements for the BS ADC degree
  • Officially graduate with the BS ADC degree
  • Apply for graduate status and complete remaining coursework and practicum requirements for the Master of Science in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling (MS CODC)

Upon acceptance into the combined pathway, students granted conditional admission are eligible to enroll in designated MS CODC graduate courses and are held to graduate-level academic standards for all such coursework.

Graduate courses must be completed in the prescribed sequence, with the exception of Major Electives and Liberal Studies coursework. Students who successfully complete up to 14 graduate credits during the combined portion may complete the MS CODC in approximately 6 semesters (instead of 8), provided they follow the full-time course sequence after transitioning to graduate status.

Professional Readiness Requirements

Prior to entering practicum, students must demonstrate:

  • A minimum of two years of stability from mental health, physical health, or substance use concerns that would impair objectivity, judgment, or effectiveness in professional counseling roles

Failure to meet professional readiness standards may delay or prevent progression in the program.

Full Admission to the Graduate Program

Official acceptance into the MS in Co-occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling is contingent upon:

  • Successful completion of the BS ADC bachelor’s degree, and
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the time of graduation

  • Earn a grade of B- or higher in all graduate-level courses.

    Students who do not meet these requirements upon graduation will not be formally admitted to the graduate portion of the combined program.

Summary of Key Expectations

  • Admission to the combined program is competitive and limited
  • Graduate-level coursework carries graduate academic standards
  • Progression into the MS program is not guaranteed
  • Final graduate admission occurs only after BS completion
  • Students who decide not to pursue the MS can still use the graduate level courses for satisfaction of undergraduate graduation requirements.

COMBINED PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

+ Undergraduate - Level Courses (46 credits)

HSER 346 is a variable credit course; ADC students should register for the 4 credit course.

This course is designed to be an overview of the practice of Alcohol and Drug Counseling. It covers the main theories or models which explain what substance use disorder is. It also provides a survey of the practice of alcohol and drug counseling, including history, licensure requirements, 12 core functions, continuum of services, culture, evidence-based practices, laws, ethics and professionalism. An orientation to the Alcohol and Drug major will also be provided.

Full course description for Introduction to Substance Use Disorders

This course will focus on how prevention practitioners can design and implement scientifically defensible prevention principles, programs and practices that meet the needs of their own communities. The course will examine science-based prevention and its relevance, the theoretical approaches to evidence-based prevention, and identify effective prevention principles, programs and practices. Special emphasis will be placed on adapting evidence-based models to meet local needs and interests. Successful completion of the course will qualify students for certification as a Certified Prevention Professional (CPP) through the Minnesota Certification Board.

Full course description for Prevention of Substance Use Problems

Significant numbers of chemically-dependent individuals have one or more mental disorders. This course is designed to help the alcohol and drug counselor to become more familiar with the most common mental disorders, the interrelationship between mental disorders and substance abuse, and various counseling methods and treatment approaches for the dually disordered client. This course covers the main features of the most common mental disorders, how they interact with substance abuse, assessment and counseling approaches, medications used for treatment, and community resources used to help these clients.

Full course description for Co-Occurring Disorders: Substance Use and Mental Health

This course provides students with a beginning understanding of the essential components of successful case management for alcohol and drug counseling. That is, the activities which a counselor engages in to bring services, agencies, resources, and people together within a planned and coordinated framework of action toward achievement of established clinical goals. Specifically the course will focus on, the theory of case management for alcohol and drug counseling, related state and federal laws, the Twelve Core Functions, the Rules of Professional Conduct, and the practice of clinical writing.

Full course description for Case Management for Alcohol and Drug Counseling

This course introduces students to basic counseling skills to be used with clients dealing with a variety of issues including family challenges and substance use disorders. As such, it is designed to help students develop essential helping skills needed for client engagement, follow-through, completion and overall therapeutic effectiveness. It includes examination and practice Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing, techniques central to helping others across a range of issues including substance use disorders. Specific skills covered include developing rapport, building empathy and active listening, encouraging trust, self-disclosure, immediacy, questioning and evoking, addressing discrepancies, etc. This course is highly experiential in its format. Students will participate in classroom exercises, role plays, and video-taping and self-assessment of counseling skills.

Full course description for Counseling and Interviewing Skills

This course's goal is to improve outcomes in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling by linking scientific research to treatment practice. As such, the course explores current best practices in alcohol and drug counseling, such as transtheoretical stages of change, motivational enhancement techniques, and so on. The student also selects, researches, and completes a study project, which explores an evidence-based approach to alcohol and drug counseling, in depth. Counseling skills are practiced in this course.

Full course description for Best Practices in Drug and Alcohol Counseling

This course is the culminating experience for seniors, who are majoring in alcohol and drug counseling. In this course students reflect on their academic course of study and demonstrate the relationship between what they have learned and how they apply this to the professional practice of alcohol and drug counseling. In addition, students analyze and explore agency management systems which complement their practice of alcohol and drug counseling. This course is a combination of Senior Seminar in Alcohol and Drug Counseling and the Human Services Capstone. Prerequisite: Completion of at least 28 credits in the alcohol and drug counseling major, must have been completed or is currently or enrolled in an internship.

Full course description for Senior Seminar: Alcohol and Drug Counseling

+ Undergraduate Practicum

This course is intended to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired during their academic coursework and transfer it into clinical settings. This internship requires students to demonstrate competence in the Transdisciplinary Foundations of 8 Practice Dimensions (12 core functions) of alcohol and drug counseling, including culturally competent and professionally ethical practice.

Full course description for Alcohol and Drug Counseling Group Practicum I

The alcohol and drug counseling group internship is intended to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired during their academic coursework and transfer it into clinical settings. This Internship requires students to demonstrate competence in the Transdisciplinary Foundations and 8 Practice Dimensions (12 core functions) of alcohol and drug counseling, including culturally competent and professionally ethical practice. In the classroom portion of this course, students will review and critically analyze counseling style, diversity, ethics and the agency in which they are conducting their internship. In addition, they will continue to practice and enhance clinical skills and techniques.

Full course description for Alcohol and Drug Counseling Group Practicum II

+ Undergraduate Required Elective Courses

Select one 4 credit course from these course HSCD 301, 304, 308; HSER 333, 350, 354, PSYC 343

This course provides a basic understanding of the unique cultural, historic and legal status of the American Indian. Topics covered include; population demographics; the shifting public policies toward American Indians; the historic rise of chemical dependency among American Indians bio-psycho-social and economic needs and resources of the American Indian. This course focuses on culture, history and related chemical dependency issues from the American Indian perspective.

Full course description for Substance Use and Native Americans

This course explores the bio-psycho-social developmental issues and tasks of adolescence, substance use trends, risk and protective factors and recognition of the signs of potential substance abuse problems. Methods of screening, assessing and treating adolescents and how to involve the family and other collaterals in the treatment process are addressed. Interventions and approaches that are identified as "best practices" are emphasized. Legal and ethical issues of screening, assessing and treating teens are addressed.

Full course description for Adolescent Substance Use Disorders

This course presents a historic overview of gambling and describes gambling addiction and the variety of ways in which it manifests itself in society. The course will also identify diagnostic criteria and treatment strategies for the pathological gambler and how gambling impacts family, society, and crime. When the academic coursework is completed to satisfy Minnesota statute 2005 chapter 148C, this course would be credited toward the 270 hours needed for chemical dependency licensure and the 60 hours needed to meet provider status in the state of Minnesota.

Full course description for Problem Gambling

Students confront complex ethical and moral issues in their professional and personal lives. In this course, students study and apply the cultural, social, legal, economic, theological and philosophical bases for making such decisions. Each student learns to articulate coherent arguments involving at least two divergent views of many current ethical issues confronted in human services today. Students select, research and present an individual project on a major ethical issue relevant to their professional interests in human services.

Full course description for Ethical Issues in Human Services

This course reviews current information on the clinical use of psychoactive medication. The course focuses on standard clinical psychopharmacology, applications of psychoactive medication, and relative merits of medication vs. psychotherapy rather than on illicit drugs. This course examines several classes of therapeutic drugs, such as neuroleptics, antidepressants, tranquilizers and hypnotics, their mechanisms of action and side effects, and research/experimental issues.

Full course description for Drugs and Behavior: An Introduction to Behavioral Pharmacology

Select one credit total from WRIT 330 or PSYC 360 Friday Forum Topics 0.5 credits x2 or 1 credit

Students in many academic and professional contexts are asked to cite sources according to APA (American Psychological Association) guidelines as they write and conduct research. This course will provide an introduction to APA documentation methods and give students opportunities to practice creating and revising APA narrative citations, parenthetical citations, and reference lists. Students will also explore the elements of an APA-formatted manuscript and practice organizing APA documents.

Full course description for APA Documentation Basics

Forums are on topics of current importance in the field of psychology and are offered in collaboration with the Minnesota Psychological Association. Students are asked to write papers summarizing the content and discussing the relevance of principles and practices presented to their own activities or within a specified hypothetical context. Specific topics are listed in the Class Schedule or announced in the Catalyst. Note: At least 12 credits in psychology, human services, or social work prior to registration.

Full course description for Friday Forum Topics

+ Graduate - level courses (14 credits)

In this course, students gain an initial understanding of substance use and co-occurring disorders and how they are addressed. Emphasis is placed on understanding multiple conceptualizations of the disorders and their treatment. The fundamental knowledge gained and resources explored in this course help prepare students for advanced studies in substance use or co-occurring disorders counseling.

Full course description for Introduction to Substance Use and Co-occurring Disorders

In this course, students investigate group theories, dynamics and processes at an advanced level. Emphasis is placed on the foundations of group facilitation and on application of motivational interviewing skills, cognitive behavioral strategies and other evidence-based practices to group counseling. Students gain advanced knowledge and capacities in process, dynamics, developmental stages, leadership and ethical issues involved facilitating group work in substance use disorders counseling (SUDC) and co-occurring disorders counseling (CODC). Students participate in a classroom-based skills development group as part of this course.

Full course description for Evidence-Based Group Counseling

In this course, students engage in thoughtful dialogue regarding issues of race, class, language and immigrant status in the provision of alcohol and drug counseling and co-occurring disorders counseling services. The course places the interplay of racism, classism and addiction in its historical context, and considers how institutionalized race and class privilege manifest in current research and treatment gaps and law enforcement biases. Attention is given to the intersectionality of racism and classism with other forms of oppression, such as those based on sex, sexual and gender identity and ability. Students examine their own preconceptions and points of privilege, and evaluate methods of bridging service gaps through incremental and systemic change. Students also consider power structures in helping relationships, with the goal of creating egalitarian and empowering practices in alcohol and drug counseling and co-occurring disorders counseling.

Full course description for Culturally Responsive and Anti-Oppressive Practice

This course provides a broad understanding of psychopharmacology related to substance use disorders. Following a review of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and synaptic and behavioral mechanisms of addictive drugs, the course focuses on medications used to treat substance use disorders. Students distinguish among the major classes of addictive drugs and medications used to treat substance use disorders, evaluate the evidence base for clinical effectiveness of such medications, and engage in clinical applications of this knowledge.

Full course description for Psychopharmacology I

This course introduces the philosophical underpinnings of public health approaches to and case management of substance use and co-occurring disorders. Students gain knowledge and understanding of the history, principles and strategies of harm reduction interventions, as well as knowledge of and proficiency in delivering specific brief interventions that have been shown to reduce both risky behavior and its consequences. Students also review the principles of and strategies for effective case management in substance use and co-occurring disorders counseling, and create a broad database of case management resources. Significant attention is paid to culturally specific considerations and strategies, and students consider issues of gender, race, class and age when reviewing access to and appropriateness of services.

Full course description for Integrated Care: Harm Reduction and Case Management

This course is designed to expand understanding of formal and informal investigations relevant to alcohol and drug counseling, and to guide students in evaluating research and incorporating research results into counseling practice. Students endeavor to become proficient in searching, evaluating and critiquing scientific literature, particularly that regarding evidence-based practices and clinical outcomes evaluation in alcohol and drug counseling. Students also critically assess research with regard to the populations on which it is performed and on which its evaluation instruments are normed. This course provides the foundation for the Masters Project, as students determine the topic areas of their projects and consider how to implement them with underserved populations.

Full course description for Evaluation and Utilization of Research