Substance Abuse Certificate

What is a substance abuse counselor?

Substance abuse is a major national problem. There is a need for well-trained substance abuse counselors and substance abuse prevention specialists. The IU Columbus Substance Abuse Counseling and Prevention certificate provides specialized education and training for individuals who want to work in the field of substance abuse or substance abuse prevention.

The certificate will provide students with knowledge and skill in the following areas:

  1. Factors that contribute to the use and abuse of drugs
  2. Personal, interpersonal, legal, and societal issues in substance abuse
  3. Psychopharmacology of substance use and abuse including influences of drugs on the brain function and behavior
  4. Counseling for individuals with substance abuse problems
  5. Research-based approaches to substance abuse prevention

Substance Abuse Counseling and Prevention Certificate Program

The Certificate consists of 25 credit hours of course work. The required courses include:

PSY-B110 Introduction to Psychology (3 cr.)

PSY-B310 Life Span Development (3 cr.)

PSY-B321 Clinical Writing (1 cr.)

PSY-B325 Professional Ethics (1 cr.)

PSY-B380 Abnormal Psychology (3 cr.)

PSY-B386 Introduction to Counseling (3 cr.) (P: PSY-B 110, B310, & B380)

PSY-B394 Drug and Behavior (3 cr.) (P: PSY-B 110)

PSY-B395 Issues in Substance Abuse Counseling and Prevention (2 cr.)

PSY-B396 Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Drug Abuse (3 cr.)

PSY-B422 Professional Practice in Substance Abuse Counseling and Prevention (3 cr.); Perquisite: Three (3) credits of psychology