Program Overview

The Certificate in Addictions Counseling may be earned concurrently with the M.A. Counseling Psychology degree offered at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) campus, or may be obtained after earning a master’s degree. Students may find that a combination of a degree and the Addictions Certificate may be best for them in their long-range professional development and career planning.

The Certificate in Addictions Counseling consists of 30 graduate semester credits as outlined below.

Course Requirements

Core requirements consist of 15 credits with all students required to take the following five courses:

  • COUN 762 - Drug and Alcohol Counseling
  • PSYC 775 - Psychopharmacology
  • PSYC 609 - Internship in Addictions*
  • PSYC 731 - Addiction Treatment Delivery
  • PSYC 833 - Advanced Techniques in Psychotherapy

Choose 5 of the following 8 courses for the additional 15 credits:

  • COUN 610 - Appraisal, Assessment and Evaluation
  • COUN 731 - Group Counseling
  • COUN 732 - Family Counseling
  • EDUC 507 - Human Growth and Development (Advanced)
  • PSYC 502 - Principles and Philosophy Of Counseling
  • PSYC 734 - Counseling Theory and Practice
  • PSYC 744 - Psychodynamics of Psychopathology I -DSM-IV-TR
  • PSYC 780 - Legal/Ethical Issues in Therapy

*Note: PSYC 609 Internship in Addictions can be taken after the completion of at least 21 hours of Addiction Certificate Courses. Students must complete 300 hours for their internship.