Requirements for Substance Abuse Counseling Major, Bachelor of Science | 39 Hours
24 Required Hours, 6 Hours Professional Electives, 9 Hours Supporting Electives
Substance Abuse Counseling Core, Required Courses | 24 Hours
PSYH 405 Foundations of Chemical Dependency I (4 Credit Hours)
Introduction to the foundations of the alcohol and drug abuse rehabilitation field. Emphasis on the roles and responsibilities of the addictions counselor. Focus is on the first six (6) of the twelve (12) core functions: screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, and basic counseling skills. Interactive work stressed.
PSYH 406
Foundations of Chemical Dependency II (4 Credit Hours)
Introduction to the foundations of the alcohol and drug abuse rehabilitation field. Emphasis on the roles and responsibilities of the addictions counselor. Focus is on the last six (6) of the twelve (12) core functions: case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, reports and recordkeeping, and consultation with other professionals, in regard to client treatment and services. Interactive work stressed. Prerequisite: PSYH 405.
PSYH 407
Ethical Issues in Chemical Dependency Treatment (1 Credit Hour)
Introduce students to the ethical issues involved in chemical dependency treatment. Special attention will be given to the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted diseases that frequently infect people who use drugs or who are chemically dependent. Students will examine treatment options and prevention strategies. The ethical and legal issues that impact infected individuals as well as the larger community will be explored. Students are expected to demonstrate respect for the client and an appreciation of individual and cultural differences, including sexual orientation. They are also expected to explore their own attitudes and biases about HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases.
PSYH 410
Psychology of Addictions (3 Credit Hours)
Major emphasis is on factors determining the development of addictions, including physiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions of the addictive process. Also emphasizes intervention and treatment strategies for the various types of chemical dependency and substance abuse. Prerequisite: PSYH 200 or permission from instructor.
PSYH 413
Recovery & Relapse (3 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to address the diverse issues that are related to the recovery from addiction as an ongoing process involving physical, psychological, social, intellectual, spiritual, and cultural aspects of the individual. Major themes of the course include the passages of recovery, relapse prevention principles, relapse warning signs, and the 12-step approach to recovery. Using a holistic perspective, students will gain insight into basic recovery principles as they are related to the process and prevention of relapse.
PSYH 424
Biological Systems of Chemical Dependency (3 Credit Hours)
Exploration of the physiological effects of chemical use on human biological systems and human development. Emphasizes identification and management of chemically induced crises situations, including issues in co-morbidity and prevention.
PSYH 275
Cross-Cultural Psychology (3 Credit Hours)
This course examines human behavior from a cross-cultural perspective. This course will evaluate psychological theories that make assumptions from a limited cultural perspective through exploring recent research and topics that challenge these commonly accepted psychological theories. The goal of this course is to provide a broader knowledge and understanding of the field of psychology outside the U.S. culture. Prerequisite: PSYH 200 or permission from instructor.
PSYH 485
Substance Abuse Internship (3 Credit Hours)
The course will provide an overview and real-life experience in the field of substance abuse. Throughout this course we will look at the 12 core functions of substance abuse counseling and how they are applied, we will look at how to utilize community resources for a well-rounded approach to substance abuse counseling, we will look at assessing community needs, and we will look at program design and development in the substance abuse field.
Substance Abuse Counseling Professional Electives | 6 Hours
Choose 6 hours from the following:
PSYH 200
Introduction to Psychology (3 Credit Hours)
Emphasis on the study of human behavior and the ability of the individual to make adjustments to his/her environment.
WELL 272
Drugs and Society (3 Credit Hours)
The effect of drug use and abuse on the individual and society. Strategies for making intelligent decisions regarding drugs will be discussed. Drugs and the sporting society will also be included. Odd years only.
SOCI 231
Juvenile Delinquency (3 Credit Hours)
An introduction to the study of juvenile delinquency and the juvenile justice system. The course investigates the topics of juvenile law, theories of causation and procedural issues, and their interrelationships.
PSYH 352
Abnormal Psychology (3 Credit Hours)
Mental disorder, changing conceptions of normality, the more common forms of mental disorders, their psychological interpretation, principles of effective mental hygiene, and contemporary approaches to psychotherapy. Prerequisite: PSYH 200 or permission from instructor.
PSYH 202
Forensic Psychology (3 Credit Hours)
An application of psychological principles to the criminal justice system. Topics include: the relationship between the legal and mental health systems, the assessment of criminal responsibility, the psychodynamics of criminal behavior, and intervention strategies.
CRJU 101
Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 Credit Hours)
An introduction to the system and process of criminal justice encompassing the history and development of both, as well as an examination of their contemporary characteristics.
Substance Abuse Counseling Supporting Electives | 9 Hours
Choose 9 hours from the following:
SOCI 464
Deviance & Criminology (3 Credit Hours)
This course will examine the relationship between deviance, crime, and society. Included in this class is the examination of how deviance and crime are defined, by whom, and why they are seen as problematic; also, the study of important trends in terms of how crime and deviance have changed over time. Prerequisite: SOCI 131 or upper division standing.
PSYH 315
Physiological Psychology (3 Credit Hours)
This course examines the biochemical, neuroanatomical, and physiological bases of human and animal behaviors such as sensory perception, motor function, language, learning, memory, and emotion. Prerequisite: PSYH 200 or permission from instructor. Formerly PSYH 215.
PSYH 332
Lifespan Development (3 Credit Hours)
This course examines the theories and research on psychological development from birth to death. This course will focus on the topical areas of physical, cognitive, and social changes that occur throughout life. Prerequisite: PSYH 200 or permission from instructor.
PSYH 330
Social Psychology (3 Credit Hours)
Major emphasis is on problems involved in human relations. Designed to help the individual to understand and adjust to group thought and action. Attention is given to recent psychological and sociological research in human relations. Prerequisite: PSYH 200 or permission from instructor.
PSYH 425
Crisis and Trauma (3 Credit Hours)
This course is a basic introduction into accepted approaches to working with people who have experienced trauma in their lives. Using current available research literature, this course will introduce students to the definition and types of trauma, critical incident stress management/debriefing (CISM/CISD), client resourcing and stabilization ethical considerations, theoretical frameworks, assessments/diagnosis, effective treatments/interventions, prevention, and therapist self-care (vicarious trauma).
PSYH 475
Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience (3 Credit Hours)
This course will present an overview of topics in neuropsychology of behavior with the goal of: introducing students to the science of neuropsychology; familiarizing students with the methods in neuropsychology; and familiarizing students with how clients with neuropsychological impairments may present in their future clinical work. Prerequisite: PSYH 315. Odd years only.
PSYH 481
Special Topics in Psychology (3 Credit Hours)
An intensive study of selected topics of interest within the discipline of psychology. May be repeated for credit as the topic varies. Prerequisites: vary depending on course topic, or permission from instructor.
Additional Substance Abuse Counseling Graduation Requirements
- The General Education Core must be completed.
- Students must have a total of 39 upper division hours (300+ level course work).
- Students must earn a total of 120 credit hours.
- Students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA.
