Concord's Community College has an addiction counseling program that not only focuses on theories regarding the psychology of addiction, but also focuses on skill practice. Students learn about individual and group counseling, interviewing skills, crisis intervention and conflict resolution skills. Counselors often must work with groups, since addicts often have enablers who help the addict acquire resources needed to continue with the addiction. Also, counselors must be able to dig into the patient's history to determine possible root causes for the addictions. To acquire the associate's degree, students must completely a variety of courses throughout a two year span, such as a group therapy course and a physiology and pharmacology of addiction course.
City Vision offers an online addiction counseling degree and courses focused in this field. Students can either acquire a bachelor's of science in this specialization or can acquire a certification in addiction counseling. The student must complete 120 semester credit hours, many of which the student can obtain from a different university. Students only need to complete 30 credit hours at City Vision to get a degree from this program. Classes include group counseling practices and mental illness and addiction.
Kansas Community College offers an associate in applied science degree with a specialization in addiction counseling. Upon completing the course, students will have an Addiction and Preventative Services certification, which is required to practice as an addiction counselor in Kansas. Students take courses such as counseling the alcohol and drug abuser and special problems in psychology. In total, students must take 36 semester credit hours.
The University of the Pacific has a substance abuse counselor certificate program, which certifies the substance abuse counselor to practice in California. The program prepares students to assess substance abusers, devise specific treatments, intervene during a crisis and educating patients about substance abuse information. Students must complete 22 units and must also complete 255 supervised hours in an internship program. Students must earn a C or better in each course to continue through the program and receive certification.