• This program is offered online.
  • CPS - Psychology Degree

    Graduate Certificate in Addictions

    Addiction is one of the most severe health and social problems facing our nation. According to a 2009 survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an estimated 22.5 million Americans (8.9 percent of the population aged 12 or older) were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year.*

    Kaplan University’s Graduate Certificate in Addictions is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills to pursue employment or career advancement as an addiction professional.†

    Courses in the program focus on chemical and psychological dependency counseling, advanced addictions counseling, group counseling, psychopharmacology, and co-occurring disorders, with an emphasis on application.

    The Graduate Certificate in Addictions consists of a minimum of 30 quarter credit hours. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a certificate

    Graduate Certificate in Addictions Program Highlights

    The Graduate Certificate in Addictions provides you with the opportunity to:

    • Apply contemporary theories and information technologies to real-world situations, and engage in research in the focal areas of the science of psychology
    • Analyze and apply theoretical and conceptual foundations of psychology to arrive at appropriate professional practice strategies
    • Evaluate ethical, legal, individual, and sociocultural implications of decisions within the field of psychology 

    What are the Career Opportunities?

    A graduate certificate from Kaplan University could help you pursue a number of careers in the field of addiction counseling and treatment. Work settings may include hospitals, mental health clinics, behavioral health centers, detox centers, and more.†  

    Prepare for Future Studies

    Qualified credits earned in fulfillment of this certificate may be applied toward the requirements of certain Kaplan University degree programs. When the time is right, come back and earn your degree online at Kaplan University.

  • Kaplan University offers multiple start dates, giving you greater flexibility with your education, life, and work schedules.

    Jun 05

    Online Start Date
    Jun 05, 2013

    Jul 03

    Online Start Date
    Jul 03, 2013

    Jul 31

    Online Start Date
    Jul 31, 2013

    View the Academic Calendar

  • Curriculum: All Tracks

    Certificate Requirements

    PS 506: LIFE SPAN DEVELOPMENT (5 Credits)

    This course examines human development through the life span from birth to adulthood, concluding with issues surrounding death and dying. The student will use case studies to examine biological, social, and cognitive changes at each stage of life and their relevance to clinical, educa­tional, and social problems. Students also evaluate the major psychosocial issues and conflicts that arise, and identify individual and social needs at each stage of development.

    Total Certificate Requirements Credits: 30
    Total Program Credits: 30

    PS 511: CHEMICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCY COUNSELING (5 Credits)

    This course provides an overview of dependency counseling strategies using a biopsychological approach to help identify, change, and maintain dependency-free behaviors. Students will use their understanding of the biopsychological model in order to explore how addiction begins and intensi­fies as a complicated interaction between chemical and behavioral changes occurs during addiction. Students will practice identifying diagnoses using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) and proposing appropri­ate interventions through evaluating and writing case studies.

    Total Certificate Requirements Credits: 30
    Total Program Credits: 30

    PS 516: PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY (5 Credits)

    This course surveys basic psychopharmacological concepts, the effects of various psychotropic drugs on the brain, and the actions of hormones released during addiction episodes. In the first part of the course, students focus on basic principles of psychopharmacology and drug-receptor interactions and dose-response relationships. In the second part of the course, students examine how specific drug families affect different parts of the brain causing interference with normal function­ing. Students will use their understanding of basic psychopharmacology to propose appropriate di­agnoses and interventions for hypothetical clients, and to evaluate current research studies.

    Prerequisites Required:

    PS  511

    Total Certificate Requirements Credits: 30
    Total Program Credits: 30

    PS 521: GROUP COUNSELING (5 Credits)

    This course focuses on the theory and practice of group counseling and its application to the chemical dependency counseling field. Concepts include stages of group development, theories of group counseling, including the interactional group model, strategies for group motivation, and group process. Students will engage in group simulation exercises wherein they will take on roles of differ­ent group archetypes in order to evaluate group situational reactions, evaluate current research studies, write a group session plan, and propose strategies for solving common group problems that arise during the course of treatment. The ap­plication of group counseling theory and practice to culturally diverse groups is addressed.

    Total Certificate Requirements Credits: 30
    Total Program Credits: 30

    PS 526: ADVANCED ADDICTION COUNSELING (5 Credits)

    This course provides an in-depth examination of dependency and addiction dynamics. Students will use their knowledge of counseling theories common to dependency counseling, such as cog­nitive behavioral therapy, to evaluate case studies, diagnose dependency, and propose appropriate treatments. Ethical dilemmas that occasionally arise in the counselor/client relationship will be analyzed and discussed. Additionally, students will evaluate case studies that contain ethical, legal, and sociocultural issues using the code of ethics of addiction counseling.

    Total Certificate Requirements Credits: 30
    Total Program Credits: 30

    PS 531: CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS AND TREATMENTS (5 Credits)

    This course will prepare students to work with clients diagnosed with an addiction and mental health disorder. Students will survey some of the special problems related to having addiction and various types of mental health disorders. Different treatment models will be discussed and students will practice using their knowledge of co-occurring theory to analyze research and case studies.

    Total Certificate Requirements Credits: 30
    Total Program Credits: 30

    Tuition & Fees: All Tracks

    The 25% tuition reduction applies only to international students living outside of the United States. This discount does not apply to military students. Please check with your advisor to see if you are eligible. 

    All Tracks Online &
    Learning Center     		Campus
    Cost Per Credit
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    Tuition and Fees

    Some programs have additional associated fees that are not included in the price of tuition. Click here or check with an Admissions Advisor for more information. 

    Learn More about Kaplan University Tuition and Fees  

    Notice to Learning Center Students

    Kaplan University Learning Center students will only complete a portion of this program on site. You will need to complete at least 50% of the program requirements online, or through transfer credit awarded via prior learning assessment. If you have any questions about these requirements, please speak with an admissions advisor.

    Scholarships and Grants

    Learn more about grants and Kaplan University Scholarships and that may help reduce the cost of your education.

    Kaplan University tuition reductions (including active-duty, spouse, and veterans military tuition rates; scholarships; grants; vouchers; and alumni and alliance reductions) cannot be combined. 

    Tuition Rates for Military Students and Spouses

    Kaplan University has significantly reduced many of our tuition rates and fees for active-duty servicemembers, their spouses, and veterans. Click here for more information.
     

  • * Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Volume I. Summary of National Findings (2010), on the Internet atoas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k9NSDUH/2k9ResultsP.pdf.

    † Kaplan University cannot guarantee employment or career advancement.

    ‡ This program is not eligible for Title IV federal financial aid.
    The professional practice of psychology is regulated by each state, and the degree requirements in Kaplan University’s Graduate Certificate in Addictions do not guarantee or prepare graduates for state licensure 

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