For prospective undergraduate students, Nevada State College offers a minor (but no major) in counseling in the Social Sciences Department. The college is located in Nevada State Drive in Henderson. Students of the minor gain listening and understanding skills, interview techniques, a grounding in ethical issues, legal confidentiality issues and assessment strategies, all techniques that a drug counselor might need. The minor can be combined with a major in psychology or another social science. Graduating students are prepared for careers in counseling, school psychology and social work.
A Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology is offered by the National University. One of the campuses is located on Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson. The program requires applicants to undergo an interview prior to admission. Students preparing for a career in drug abuse counseling take between 17 and 21 courses during the master's degree, along with 100 hours of counseling experience, of which 75 hours must be personal counseling face-to-face with a client. The minimum pass requirement is a grade point average of 3.0 across all courses.
Neither the bachelor's degree minor from Nevada State College nor the master's degree in counseling from the National University in Henderson qualify graduates to work as drug addiction counselors. Graduates of relevant social science degrees to the field of drug abuse must undergo an examination set by the Nevada Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug and Gambling Counselors. Novice counselors take this examination after two years work experience under clinical supervision. The examination necessary differs depending on whether the applicant has a bachelor's degree or a master's degree. Applicants with a bachelor's degree take Level II of the written examination and pass an oral exam to become certified as a certified alcohol and drug abuse counselor. Applicants with a master's degree take a separate written and oral exam to become licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor.
People who already have a Nevada licensure for certain jobs are exempt from the requirement to undergo the examination. These licensed jobs include clinical social worker, physician and marriage and family therapist. Students may be able to qualify in these other fields and act as drug addiction counselors, instead of qualifying in drug counseling specifically.