Addictive Disorders Counseling

Addictive Disorders Counseling Online Graduate Certificate

About Addictive Disorders Counseling Certificate

Help individuals overcome addiction to drugs and alcohol with our 100% online certificate.

Provide rehabilitation treatment and support to help clients recover from addiction and modify problem behavior with a graduate certificate in Advanced Addictions Counseling from PennWest California. This fully online program is a perfect addition to a master's degree in counseling or a related field and can be completed in 15 weeks over the summer semsester. 

PennWest California's counseling education programs are among the top in Pennsylvania. Advanced Addictions Counseling certificate courses are rooted in best practices and the American Counseling Association code of ethics.

Advance your career while improving lives.

  • Grow personally and professionally in a program that cultivates academic preparation and self-awareness.
  • Stand out in the job market with a certificate taught by leaders in the addictions counseling field.
  • Increase your chances of promotion and career advancement.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: ADDICTIVE DISORDERS COUNSELING

Flexible Schedule
Learn on your schedule from anywhere. All Advanced Addictions Counseling classes are delivered asynchronously and online through videos, PowerPoint presentations and online forums. You can connect with professors and peers via discussion groups, chat rooms and email.

Top Quality Courses
PennWest California's Global Online programs have ranked among the Best Online Programs in 2016 by U.S. News & World Report. Online courses at PennWest California have the same objectives, content and learning outcomes as campus-based programs and are taught by the same expert professors.

Learn more about applying

22%
Job growth for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors is projected to grow 22 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
100%
All of PennWest California's counselor education faculty are licensed professional counselors (LPCs).
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Degree Benefits

Advance your career options with a comprehensive understanding of contemporary topics, practices and problems relevant to addictions counseling, including:

  • Familial dysfunction and its relationship to drug and alcohol abuse or dependence.

  • Gambling addiction and other impulse control disorders.

  • Pertinent assessment and evaluation procedures relevant to working with the substance abuse population.

  • Techniques for determining addiction and mental health issues, leading clients on a path to recovery and eliminating triggers.

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Graduate Outcomes

Substance abuse and addiction affect all sectors of our society, and the demand for addictions counselors is growing. Professionals in the addictions counseling field have rewarding careers as:

  • Professional counselors.

  • Case managers.

  • Addiction experts and rehabilitation specialists.

  • Group support leaders.

  • Teachers.

Curriculum, Admission Requirements and Related Programs

The three-course (9-credit) graduate certificate in Advanced Addictions Counseling is delivered 100% online. Courses will not certify you as a professional counselor, but may be utilized as Act 48 continuing education units, and applied toward Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) credentials.

Curriculum

 

Course Credits
Select three courses from the following:  
CED 760  Gambling Addiction  3
CED 761  Addiction and the Family 3
CED 762  Assessment and Evaluation of Substance Use Disorders and Advanced Group Skills 3
CED 788  Contemporary Topics in Counselor Education (must be in area of addiction) 3
Total 9

 

VIEW COHORT SEQUENCES

Admission Requirements

 

 

Regular Admission Requirements

  • Regionally accredited bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.90 or higher (Students with a GPA below 2.90 may apply for conditional admission)
  • Official transcripts from an accredited institution
  • Interview may be required
  • One-page resume of work and education may be required

 

Conditional Admission Requirements

  • Conditional Admission may be granted with the following modifications of the Regular Admissions Requirements:
    • Certificate: Bachelor's degree with a GPA under 2.90 will be reviewed for a decision
    • Interview may be required
    • One-page resume of work and education may be required

Provisional Admission:

Applicants who have provided unofficial documentation of test scores, prerequisite courses, transcripts or lack of letter(s) of recommendation may be admitted provisionally.This policy also applies to undergraduate students who apply for graduate admission pending bachelor degree completion. Upon receipt of all official documents, a student will be changed from Provisional Admission to either Regular Admission or Conditional Admission. Provisional Admission students may take classes for one term but will not be eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

How to Apply:

  • Complete the Graduate School Application
  • Submit the non-refundable $35 Application Fee
  • Mail official transcripts to:

School of Graduate Studies and Research
PennWest California
Box 91
250 University Ave.
California, PA 15419

For additional information:

Email: GradAdmissions@pennwest.edu
Phone: 724-938-4187

Out of State Students:

All students who will be seeking certification outside of Pennsylvania are responsible for securing and following the certification requirements in the state in which they intend to apply for certification.

 

A therapist talks to her doctor.

Program Philosophy

PennWest California's counselor education program is grounded in the belief that humans are bio-psycho-social-spiritual beings who have the capacity for self-reflection, to be responsible for their actions, and to articulate personal meanings for existence.