Emphasis in Addictions Counseling

In addition to your major courses and General Education requirements, the emphasis in Addictions Counseling requires 33 credit hours of specific courses in alcohol and drug counselor training. Completing this degree program AND taking the required alcohol and drug counselor training courses are the first steps in meeting certification requirements.

• Develop your knowledge of addiction issues to prepare for a supervised field experience, a requirement of the Maryland State Addiction Counselor license.
• Make new friends in Psychology Club or in Psi Chi, FSU’s chapter of the National Honor Society for psychology students.
• Improve your application to a graduate program in psychology or counseling with this stand-out credential.

Sample Addictions Counseling Courses

Pharmacology of Chemical Dependence – Research and theory concerning psychoactive drugs. Various drug classifications, their biological, psychological and social effects on the human organism and the environment, especially alcohol and other frequently abused drugs.

Addictions Treatment Delivery – Addresses the practice dimensions necessary for addiction counselors. Within each dimension, student introduced to the knowledge, skills and attitudes conducive to appropriate addiction service delivery.

View the full program in the undergraduate catalog

Addictions and behavioral counseling fields are expected to see rapid job growth, with over 21,000 new jobs anticipated between 2014 and 2024. This growth is due to more widespread insurance availability and coverage of addiction and mental health counseling, as well as courts increasingly preferring treatment services over jail time for some drug offenders. Private practitioners must be certified by their state and hold at least a master’s degree. Requirements for jobs outside of private practice vary by state. For more information, check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ pages on Substance Abuse Counselors and other Community and Social Service Occupations.