Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Counseling

Collaborative Online Degree

This 100 percent online, consortial program is taught by IU South Bend, IU Bloomington, IU East, IU Kokomo, and IUPUC. This consortial model allows you to take coursework from several campuses and learn from a wide range of faculty.

Many online support services are available to assist you as you progress through the program.

IU Online’s Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Counseling offers instruction in the 12 core functions of an addiction counselor. It also explores the history, major theories, techniques, and strategies in the field of substance addiction and intervention.   

Students in this program evaluate and critically analyze professional scholarship in the field. They apply the counseling skills needed to address the mental health needs of diverse clients—concentrating on prevention, intervention, and crisis management. They apply strategies for helping clients identify addiction’s impact on their life, relationships, and health, and the benefits of living without addiction. Emphasis is placed on critical analysis of one’s own previous attitudes and beliefs surrounding mental health issues, substance use, and culturally diverse groups—and how these may influence future clinical work.

Students in the Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Counseling will undergo theoretical and practical instruction, and upon completion demonstrate expertise in the following four core content areas:

1. Addiction Counseling Theories and Techniques
2. Clinical Appraisal and Assessment
3. Clinical Problems and Applications
4. Psychoactive Drugs and Psychopharmacology

In addition to completing rigorous coursework, students will complete supervised practicum in the field to include at least three hundred fifty (350) hours of addiction counseling services. 

Certificate Requirements (18 cr.)

Requirements are broken down as follows:

• Requirement #1: Addiction Counseling Theories and Techniques
• Requirement #2: Clinical Appraisal and Assessment
• Requirement #3: Clinical Problems and Applications
• Requirement #4: Psychoactive Drugs and Psychopharmacology 
• Requirement #5: Diversity
• Requirement #6: Practicum in Alcohol and Drug Counseling

• All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise noted.

Course Requirements (18 cr.)

Requirement #1: Addiction Counseling Theories and Techniques

Select one from the following:

• EDUC-G 510 Introduction to Alcohol and Drug Counseling
• PSY-G 510 Alcohol and Drug Counseling
• PSY-P 535 Introduction to Addictions Counseling

Requirement #2: Clinical Appraisal and Assessment

Select one from the following:

• EDUC-G 511 Screening and Assessment of Alcohol and Drug Problems
• PSY-G 505 Clinical Appraisal and Assessment 
• PSY-P 540 Principles of Psychological Assessment and Prediction 

Requirement #3: Clinical Problems and Applications

Select one from the following:

• EDUC-G 512 Counseling Approaches with Addictions
• PSY-G 512 Counseling Approaches with Addictions

Requirement #4: Psychoactive Drugs and Psychopharmacology

Select one from the following:

• EDUC-G 513 Legal and Illegal Drugs of Abuse 
• PSY-G 513 Psychopharmacology and Counseling 

Requirement #5: Diversity

Select one from the following:

• EDUC-G 575 Multicultural Counseling
• PSY-G 575 Multicultural Counseling
• PSY-I 501 Multicultural Counseling

Requirement #6: Practicum in Alcohol and Drug Counseling

Select one from the following:

• EDUC-G 514 Practicum in Alcohol and Drug Counseling
• EDUC-G 647 Advanced Internship in Counseling 
• PSY-G 524 Practicum in Mental Health Counseling
• PSY-G 550 Internship in Mental Health Counseling