The Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Counseling is designed for individuals interested in entering the demanding and rewarding field of alcohol and drug abuse counseling, as well as individuals who already work in the general field of drug and alcohol treatment in order to gain accreditation and advance in their professions.

The program provides comprehensive classroom instruction and practical field experience needed to succeed in the field. The program recognizes that drug and alcohol addiction and treatment are complex topics driven by an array of biological, genetic, neural, psychological, social, and cultural forces. The classroom instruction is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of many of these forces, an array of drug and alcohol treatment procedures, theories of drug use and abuse, the addiction process and its mental health connections, pharmacology, core counselor functions, strategies for addressing addiction, and ethical considerations. The in-field training is designed to enable students to apply this information and to practice all the core counselor functions including screening, intake, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client education, and record keeping.

No new students will be admitted into this program after 2010.  Students interested in addictions counseling should instead explore the Masters in Clinical Counseling specializing in Addictions also offered by the Department.

Student Consumer Information about this Program

Requirements - (27 cr.)

• Core Courses (9 cr.)
  • PSY-P 324
  • PSY-P 407
  • PSY-P 390 Special Topics in Psychology:  Professional Issues in Addictions Counseling
• Practica (9 cr.)
  • PSY-B 309 (9 cr.)
• Electives (9 cr.)
  • Select 3 from the following
    • PHIL-P 393
    • PSY-P 314
    • PSY-P 326
    • PSY-P 390
    • PSY-P 401
    • PSY-P 425
    • PSY-P 430
    • PSY-P 495
    • SOC-S 420
  Total (27 cr.)