Graduate Certificate in Addictions

(Currently Not Accepting Enrollments)

Description and Outcomes

Effective July 3, 2024, this program will no longer be accepting enrollments or reentries. Students interested in a similar program may consider the Master of Psychology with a concentration in addictions.

The Graduate Certificate in Addictions program is designed to provide you with the requisite knowledge to pursue employment and career advancement as an addiction professional. Courses focus on chemical and psychological dependency counseling, advanced addictions counseling, group counseling, psychopharmacology, and co-occurring disorders, with an emphasis on application.

Qualified credits earned in fulfillment of this certificate program may be transferable to certain Purdue Global degree programs.

Program Length

The Graduate Certificate in Addictions program consists of a minimum of 40 quarter credit hours. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a certificate.

Program Outcomes

Apply contemporary theories and information technologies to real-world situations, and engage in research in the focal area(s) 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.

Program Availability

For program availability, please refer to the U.S. State and Other Approvals section and Program Availability Information.

Policies

Admissions Requirements

You must meet the below admissions requirements in addition to Purdue Global's general requirements.

You must pass a criminal background check.

Progression Requirements

You may not use credits for prior learning to fulfill any requirements in the Graduate Certificate in Addictions program. All courses must be completed at Purdue Global.

You should be aware that health care organizations may have specific requirements regarding vaccination against communicable diseases including COVID and Influenza. Failure to comply with requirements could interfere with the opportunity to complete a required practicum, fieldwork, or internship experience, may delay graduation or lead to an inability to complete your program, and could impact future employment opportunities.

If you are enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Addictions, you will take PS535 Addictions Practicum I and PS536 Addictions Practicum II.

  • If you feel that you may not be able to complete the PS535 Addictions Practicum I prescribed requirements in 10 weeks, you must contact the Clinical Placement Team in order to receive an extension in the course. If an extension is granted, you will enroll in PS535A Addictions Practicum I Extension and/or PS535B Addictions Practicum I Extension which will allow you up to 20 extra weeks to complete the requirements of PS535 Addictions Practicum I. Enrollment in these courses will only be granted at the discretion of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
  • If you feel that you may not be able to complete the PS536 Addictions Practicum II prescribed requirements in 10 weeks, you must contact the Clinical Placement Team in order to gain an extension in the course. If an extension is granted, you will enroll in PS536A Addictions Practicum II Extension and/or PS536B Addictions Practicum II Extension which will allow you up to 20 extra weeks to complete the requirements of PS536 Addictions Practicum II. Enrollment in these courses will only be granted at the discretion of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

If you enroll in the Graduate Certificate in Addictions program, you will have all course-level prerequisites waived.

You are responsible for participating in locating, selecting, and obtaining an agreement with an appropriate site that best fits your location preferences and meets program requirements. You are required to speak with the Clinical Placement Team to determine your exact responsibilities and process for site selection.

Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams

Certification and licensure boards have state-specific educational requirements for programs that lead to a license or certification that is a precondition for employment. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.

Licensure-track programs may limit enrollment to students in certain states; please see Purdue Global’s Program Availability Information to determine enrollment eligibility.

Optional certifications may be available, such as the Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) credential. You are responsible for understanding the requirements of optional certification exams. Such requirements may change during the course of your program. You are not automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Although certain programs are designed to prepare you to take various optional certification exams, Purdue Global cannot guarantee you will be eligible to take these exams or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of education and/or degree requirements, not having a criminal record, and meeting other certification requirements.

The Graduate Certificate in Addictions is accredited by the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC). The NASAC can be contacted at:

44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 301
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: 703-562-0211
Website: http://nasacaccreditation.org

The NAADAC (Association for Addiction Professionals) has designated Purdue Global as an Approved Education Provider for meeting nationally approved standards for the addiction counseling profession. Students who complete the Graduate Certificate in Addictions will meet the coursework requirements to take NAADAC’s optional Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) certification examination.

Note that additional requirements must also be completed to take the optional MAC examination, including degree, field experience, and licensure requirements. Refer to http://www.naadac.org/mac for full eligibility requirements.

The NAADAC can be contacted at:

44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 301
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: 703-741-7686
Website: http://naadac.org