The Graduate Certificate in Addiction Counseling provides advanced training to professionals in counseling and other mental health disciplines in their preparation to treat and prevent substance use disorders and addictive behaviors. This program further enables candidates to take on management and leadership roles in substance use disorder treatment and a variety of social service settings where clients with substance use concerns are served.
This 12-credit graduate certificate program is composed of four courses with topics including ethics, HIV/AIDS, pharmacology, assessment and treatment planning in addiction, and cross-cultural, special populations and ethnically diverse groups. The graduate certificate is intended to help candidates complete coursework commonly required by state certificate/license-granting bodies. Note that addiction counseling certificate students are responsible for contacting specific credential-granting bodies to determine the student’s own unique curricular needs for certification/licensure in their state or region. The graduate certificate is administered completely online. This program is not CACREP accredited. For further information at AddictionCounselingGrad@southernct.edu
Admission Criteria
Admission to the program is based on the following criteria:
- Academic background: Applicants must provide verification of completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education in counseling or a related mental health discipline.
- Current professional resume or vita: Resume includes education, training, professional activities and/or experiences that reflect the applicant’s interest in addiction counseling.
Application Deadline
Admission consideration occurs on a rolling basis. Prior to being admitted to the program, students may take up to 9 credits on a non-matriculated basis. However, taking such courses does not guarantee admission.
Important information regarding credentialing
Applicants considering the Addiction Counseling Graduate Certificate must be aware that a state certification/licensure process is separate from completion of the graduate certificate at SCSU. Applicants, not SCSU, are solely responsible for completing requirements related to eligibility for state certification/licensure, as requirements may differ depending upon each applicant’s preparation and coursework completed prior to matriculation into the graduate certificate program. If applicants wish to pursue clinical credentials such as certification or licensure, they must apply to the State of CT Department of Public Health for these credentials, or to the licensing board or credentialing body in the state in which the applicant intends to practice. Part of that process may involve a criminal record background check.
For further info: AddictionCounselingGrad@southernct.edu