ADDICTION STUDIES PROGRAM
100% Online Education for Substance Use Disorders Counseling
Villanova's Addiction Studies program provides substance use disorder specific education for professionals interested in the subject or seeking a certification. Courses within this program can be applied to a variety of Pennsylvania Certification Board (PCB) and Delaware Certification Board (DCB) certifications detailed below.
Students can choose to take individual courses or the full certificate. To earn the Certificate in Addiction Studies, students must complete 13 courses (or 104 educational hours), which each count for .80 CEU's. Students must declare intent to earn the full certificate by the seventh course.
Eight of the required courses are core courses and the remaining five courses are topical and rotate each semester. Check the upcoming course schedule to see which topics courses are being offered.
Note: All Villanova Addiction Studies courses are approved education hours by the Pennsylvania Certification Board (PCB) and Delaware Certification Board (DCB). Students can apply courses and hours towards other PCB and DCB certifications if they choose or use the education hours towards recertification.*
*The curriculum of Villanova University’s Addiction Studies Program is designed to contribute required education hours toward select certifications in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of Delaware only, as approved by the Pennsylvania and Delaware Certification Boards. Please note that completion of all courses in Villanova’s Addiction Studies program does not meet the full educational requirements for Pennsylvania and/or Delaware certifications. In addition, classes taken online may be subject to additional certification restrictions by state and eligibility should be confirmed prior to enrollment.
PROGRAM DETAILS
- Explain the psychopharmacology of addiction including how addictive substances behave in the body and the effect that addiction has on the brain
- Explain addiction in social context and recognize the impact of social factors such as poverty, stigma, oppression, and trauma.
- Identify the progression from non-use, to use, to abuse of a substance and identify warning signs of abuse and triggers for relapse
- Demonstrate effective communication and counseling skills with diverse clients
- Explain the role of assessment and diagnosis in the treatment process
- .Demonstrate a basic understanding of prominent theories of counseling and how they apply to addiction counseling
- Recognize and be able to apply ethical principles (including confidentiality and boundaries) to their practice
Villanova Application Requirements
- Resume
- Statement of Goals (A brief overview of why you chose the addiction studies programs, and what you to gain by attending Villanova.)
- Bachelors degree encouraged, but not required
Program Tuition
Full Program Tuition: $2,860
(13 courses at $220 per course)
Single Course Tuition: $250
Course Materials: No additional charge
Additional parking fees apply.
For financial information, including cancellation policies, billing and payments, visit the College's Tuition and Fees page.
100% Online!
For individual courses, the deadline to apply is 1 week prior to the course start date.
| COURSE NAME | DATES | TIME |
|---|---|---|
| Addiction Counseling |
Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday, February 21, 23, & 25 | T & Th: 7-9:30pm Sat: 9am-12pm |
| Intake/Assessment/Record Keeping with Substance Abusers | Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday, February 28, March 2, & 4 | T & Th: 7-9:30pm Sat: 9am-12pm |
| Countertransference & Boundary of Self |
Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday, March 7, 9, & 11 | T & Th: 7-9:30pm Sat: 9am-12pm |
| Creativity & Coping |
Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday, March 14, 16, & 18 | T & Th: 7-9:30pm Sat: 9am-12pm |
| Counselor Wellness | Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday, March 21, 23, & 25 | T & Th: 7-9:30pm Sat: 9am-12pm |
| Medication-Assisted Therapies | Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday, March 28, 30, & April 1 | T & Th: 7-9:30pm Sat: 9am-12pm |
COURSES AND DESCRIPTIONS
*Denotes a core course
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
This course provides an introduction to the physiological mechanism underlying the effects of alcohol and other drugs on the brain, the individual and society. Topics covered include basic pharmacology, placebo and an overview of the nervous system.
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
This class will focus on methods that counselors can use to assist clients in the final stages of treatment and to make post-treatment plans to maintain sobriety. Participants will also learn to recognize the early signs of relapse and address these issues with intervention techniques.
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
This seminar investigates treatment considerations in diverse populations based upon ethnic, cultural and racial differences. The importance of these differences will be explored in terms of substance abuse and substance abuse treatment.
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
This course is designed to introduce the most common mental health disorders. This includes a review of the relevant signs, symptoms and diagnostic criteria. Students will see how substance related problems as well as barriers to maintaining sobriety interplay with the mental health diagnosis. Participants will practice various techniques that apply to both mental health and substance related disorders, seeing how to best address client’s complex needs. Responding to suicidality will also be emphasized.
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
This seminar will walk the counselor from the initial meeting with the client to their involvement in an ongoing counseling relationship. The essential ingredients for counselor skill-building will be explored as well as practiced in this core seminar.
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm 100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
This course will provide an operational model for identifying, problem solving, and resolving relevant ethical issues confronting the substance abuse treatment staff member.
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
Being able to work with groups in counseling is a critical skill. Topics covered in this class include observational methods in groups, supportive vs. self-awareness group therapy, an overview of group therapy approaches and how to lead a therapy group. Through this core class, students are able to develop their overall skills in group counseling.
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
This seminar explores the skills and abilities necessary for those seeking the credential of Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) in the state of Pennsylvania. Counseling methodologies will be reviewed as well as agency settings in which substance abuse counseling takes place.
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
Documentation skills are a critical component in the field of substance abuse counseling. This seminar reviews the essential elements of record-keeping as it relates to effective treatment and further defines the standards by which agencies are reviewed for compliance in this regard.
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
The therapeutic relationship is not an ordinary social exchange. Instead, the key differentials are ultimately aligned around issues of power and control. This workshop explores the use of clinical self while establishing and maintaining appropriate boundaries thus assuring that the client benefits maximally in the therapeutic exchange while the counselor maintains a healthy psychic distance as a means of assuring objectivity and avoiding burn out.
Upcoming Courses:
Spring 2023 - March 14, 16, & 18
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
Creativity is an important source of connection to our emotions, our experiences and our body. Many people in early recovery have a multitude of experiences they need to process and a need to develop helpful coping strategies for challenging emotions. Through voice, movement, art and symbology these practices are meant to assist the individual in truly centering oneself in the body and mind. Artistic expression helps process challenging or traumatic material which may make the difference between struggling through or thriving in recovery. This will be a highly experiential training so come prepared to sing, dance and play!
Upcoming Courses:
Spring 2023 - March 21, 23, & 25
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
Counselor Wellness: Due to the demanding nature of the job of working with substance abusers, burnout is a real & damaging possibility for counselors. This course will explore techniques for maintaining a sense of well-being even amidst the chaos that is often a part of our daily routine. This seminar is a must for those of us who somtimes feel overwhelmed by the ongoing pressures of dealing with dependent personalities.
Upcoming Course:
Spring 2023 - March 28, 30, & April 1
Tuesday, 7-9:30 pm
Thursday, 7-9:30 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm
100% Online
Single Course Cost: $250
Important Notices for Distance Education Students
The
following includes important information for students participating in
online courses, online programs and/or on-ground clinicals or practicums
while physically located outside of Pennsylvania.
VALUE OF A PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM:
Enhance your resume.
Professional education classes enable you to add new skills, expertise, or credentials to your resume and make you even more valuable to your employer.
Expand your professional network.
Communicating and building relationships with your classmates and instructors can open new doors in your career.
Learn from industry experts.
All programs are taught by instructors who have worked or who are currently working in the field, and who are able to share practical applications and real world examples of topics in the course.