Addiction Counseling Concentration and Minor
Counseling careers are expected to be among the fastest-growing career areas in the US over the next decade. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Substance Abuse Behavioral Health Counselor careers are projected to grow 22 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average of 11 percent for other occupations.
The human services addiction concentration and minor are designed to meet the educational requirements for the North Carolina Addiction Specialist Professional Practice Board (NCSAPPB) Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) or the Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Professional (CCJP). The addictions counseling minor is open to any major.
The addiction counseling concentration and minor prepares students to meet the increasing needs of individuals and families dealing with addiction disorders. The concentration is available for Human Services majors and minor for non-human services majors. The 18-credit hour addiction counseling programs can be completed entirely online or through a combination of in-person and online courses.
Program start dates are available each term on a rolling basis. Students can complete the minor in as little as three semesters.
Students can also complete an addictions-specific internship to satisfy the field placement experience required by the NCSAPPB.
Students must complete six courses, three core courses, and three elective courses. All classes are 300-level, which also meets the requirements for advanced electives:
Core Courses:
- Professional Counseling and Case Management Skills
- Introduction to Addictions
- Co-Occurring Disorders
Elective Courses:
- Counseling Assessment & Diagnosis
- Prevention, Treatment, & Intervention of Alcohol, Drug & Behavioral Addiction
- Addictions in Family Systems
- Community Mental Health and Group Work
- Psychopathologies
- Introduction to Counseling
- Field Experience