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Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Addictions

Division of Arts and Sciences

The IU Northwest Psychology Department proudly announces the creation of a 27 credit hour Post-Baccalaureate Certificate program in Drug and Alcohol Counseling.

The program is designed to provide drug and alcohol abuse counselors and others who wish to pursue this profession with the knowledge and experience needed to gain certification from organizations such as NAADAC and ICAADA. The program is specifically designed to help candidates master the background information needed to succeed on the ICRC examination.

The program will help students acquire information about psychology, abnormal psychology, psychopharmacology (how drugs affect the brain), counseling, and addiction theory.  Students will study different addictions and how they affect the mind, body, and emotions. Students will review how to diagnose various addictions, create treatment plans, and run individual and group therapy sessions. 

The program consists of two components, didactic college classroom instruction and “in the field” counseling experience.  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 will 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 will help students apply this information and to practice all of the core counselor functions including screening, intake, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client education, and record keeping.

Required Classroom Courses             (9 Credits)

• P324 Abnormal Psychology
• P407 Drugs and the Nervous System 
• S686 Social Work Practice: Addictions

Required Application/Practica Courses (9 credits)

• B309 Cooperative Work Experience: In addition to direct patient treatment and assessment, this course addresses Interviewing Skills, Aggression,  and Ethics
• P691 Practicum in Applied Psychology In addition to direct patient treatment and assessment, this course addresses applications of research to improve treatment outcomes

Electives (9 Credits)– must complete 3 courses

• P393 Biomedical Ethics
• P326 Behavioral Neuroscience
• P314 Psychology of Adolescence
• P401 Alcohol/Drug Treatment Seminar
• P425 Behavioral Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence
• P430 Behavior Modification 
• S420 Topics in Deviance  (depending on topic)
• P390 Special Topics in Psychology (depending on topic)
• P495 Reading and Research in Psychology

Sample Plan of Study

Admission Requirements

Applicants should have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and have relevant work experience in a health or human services agency.  If the applicant is a recovering substance abuser, two years of continuous sobriety is recommended.