Master of Science in Christian Counseling of Substance Use and Addictive Disorders
Overview
Ease Addiction with God's Word
When you have been called upon to share God's word while serving individuals who are struggling with drug addiction, a strong educational foundation in Christian principles, psychology theory and counseling practices is essential. Grand Canyon University's transformative Master of Science in Christian Counseling of Substance Use and Addictive Disorders helps you integrate Christian values into professional counseling practices applicable to addictive disorders.
This substance abuse counseling degree program is offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and includes coursework that allows you to focus on substance abuse counseling and prepares you for a career as a licensed addiction counselor. In addition to biblical wisdom, you explore psychological theories related to addiction, up-to-date assessment and treatment methods and the impact culture, family and other sociological influences have on the addict.
You are provided with comprehensive training and academic preparation to achieve national certification and licensure in Arizona as an addiction counselor. Graduates from other states may have the academic preparation to begin the process to seek certification and licensure in their respective states. This MS in Christian substance abuse counseling deeply explores the pharmacology, processes, effects of addiction, as well as the external influences on addictive behavior and how to effectively treat the addict. You learn about Christian wisdom and ethics, and how to integrate them into your practice. The coursework helps you to develop a Christian practice, while developing your own faith as a Christian practitioner.
Degree Outcomes
Address Addiction from a Christian Perspective
The substance abuse counseling degree offers a strong foundation in biblical knowledge and theological wisdom in order to serve clients who are searching for substance abuse treatments that instill the Christian faith. Develop a deep understanding of the gospel to discuss relevant issues from a Christian perspective, including an exploration of spiritual health, growth and character development for the counselor in life and practice.
This Christian counseling degree program is aligned to the national academic requirements established by the National Board for Certified Counselors. Our coursework helps you prepare for licensure and certification, so that you can become a licensed substance abuse counselor. The substance abuse and addictive disorders degree concludes with a supervised practicum or internship experience, to create an avenue for you to further nurture and develop your counseling skills. You have an opportunity to provide substance abuse disorder services under clinical supervision.
What You Will Learn
Study Psychology with Christian Values
Topics include:
- Biblical foundations for counselors
- Spiritual formation
- Biblical concepts of healthy relationships
- Integration of scripture with counseling theory
- Psychopharmacology and addictions
- Family issues and addictive disorders
- Group counseling theory and practice
- Diagnostics, assessment and treatment
Career Outcomes
Prepare for Demand in Substance Abuse Counseling
As a graduate of this substance abuse counseling degree program, you may choose to work in a variety of settings, including private practices, substance abuse clinics, group practices and hospitals. Licensed substance abuse counselors are expected to be in heavier demand in both the public and private sector for the foreseeable future, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 31 percent increase in this field from 2012 and 2022.* A master's degree is needed to achieve the highest level of licensing and certification in many states.
*Information obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Course List
Program Core Courses
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the health sciences. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success.
Course Description
This course provides a broad understanding of the stages, processes, and effects of substance use disorders, social and psychological dynamics of substance use disorders, and the professional's role in prevention, intervention, and aftercare, including recovery and relapse prevention. This course also explores theories and models of treatment of substance use disorders, drug classification, and assessment. It also continues building foundational knowledge, utilization of professional resources, and exploration of standards to help students prepare for licensure/certification within the counseling industry.
Course Description
This course provides a broad understanding of counseling ethics, legal standards, and responsibilities, including professional identity, report writing, record keeping, and service reimbursement for professional and substance-use-disorder counselors. Also covered are the history of and current trends in counseling. Important goals of this course are to help students develop a strong personal and professional ethic, as well as an appreciation for the value of professional collaboration and identity.
Course Description
This course provides a comprehensive survey of the major counseling theories and principles. Coursework includes the following theories: psychoanalytic, Adlerian, existential psychotherapy, behavioral, cognitive behavioral, person-centered, reality therapy/choice theory, and rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT).
Course Description
This course provides a broad understanding of group development, group dynamics, group counseling theories, and ethical standards with reference to professional and substance use disorders counseling. The course also addresses group process components, appropriate selection criteria, developmental stage theories, group members? roles and behaviors, and group leadership styles and approaches. The course includes didactic and experiential group learning. Required synchronous group experience: 12 hours.
Course Description
This course provides a broad understanding of issues and trends in a multicultural and diverse society. Studies in this area include the following: attitudes and behaviors based on such factors as age, race, religious preference, physical disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity and culture, family patterns, gender, socioeconomic status and intellectual ability; individual, family, group, and community strategies for working with diverse populations; theories of multicultural counseling and identity development; and multicultural competencies. Students examine a variety of cultural populations in multiple regions of the United States, exploring issues and trends that are associated with each population. Cultural considerations for immigrants, refugees, and undocumented immigrants are also addressed.
Course Description
This course is a narrative approach to the theology of God, humanity, and salvation. Students learn to apply the story of the Bible to the life and practice of the Christian counselor.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to spiritual formation with attention to classical spiritual disciplines and stages of growth. This course includes an exploration into personal spiritual health and character development with implications for counseling practice. Prerequisite: CCN-601.
Course Description
This course introduces students to the basic principles of psychopharmacology and the effects of psychoactive substances. Students examine the behavioral, psychological, physiological and social effects of psychoactive substance use, and learn to recognize symptoms of intoxication, withdrawal, and toxicity. The class covers various screening options, limitations, legal implications, and the utilization of pharmacotherapy as part of substance addiction treatment.
Course Description
This course introduces students to co-occurring disorders. Students examine screening and assessment tools to reveal and evaluate the presence and severity of co-occurring disorders. This course also explores the treatment needs of persons with co-occurring disorders. Strategies for risk management associated with treating individuals with co-occurring disorders are presented.
Course Description
This course explores relational health in connection with topics including self-assessment, forgiveness, reconciliation with God and others, and the pursuit of spiritual health. Personal practice and implementation in professional counseling are emphasized. Prerequisite: CCN-650.
Course Description
This course examines the impact of substance use disorders in family systems. Various treatment interventions are discussed. The treatment roles and responsibilities of addicted individuals and their families are also examined.
Course Description
This course provides a conceptual framework for the use of assessment and diagnostic tools for the development of appropriate treatment interventions for a variety of behavioral health and substance use disorders. Included is an introduction to the use of the diagnostic tools, including the DSM, and the integration of diagnostic and assessment information, in the development of treatment plans.
Course Description
In this course, students explore the integration of the Christian worldview into counseling theory and practice. Emphasis is placed on the nature and purpose of human beings from a biblical perspective as well as ethical issues pertinent to the Christian counselor, while critically evaluating contemporary secular theories and practices. Prerequisite: CCN-655.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to adolescent substance use disorders prevention and treatment techniques and interventions. Signs, symptoms, and patterns of adolescent substance use are examined. Students also explore adolescent screening methods and assessment tools.
Course Description
This is a supervised fieldwork experience under the supervision of a faculty member and an on-site clinical supervisor approved by the college or university. Documentation of a minimum requirement of 100 hours of counseling-related activities, which include 40 direct contact hours, is submitted to Typhon and monitored by the office of field experience. Students may not progress to PCN-662A without the required amount of hours submitted to Typhon and proper approval. State licensure requirements may mandate additional hours. Students must review and adhere to their state board's additional requirements. Practicum/field experience hours: 100. Prerequisites: Completion of all didactic coursework in the program; a GPA of 3.0 or better; and maintenance of student professional liability insurance in the amount of $1 million, $3 million.
Course Description
Students use this supervised practicum/internship experience to develop their counseling skills and to perform all the activities that a regularly employed professional counselor would be expected to perform in a supervised setting. The practicum/internship is performed under the supervision of a faculty member and an on-site clinical supervisor approved by the college or university. Documentation of 150 hours of counseling-related activities, which include 50 direct contact hours, is submitted directly to the college’s office of field experience for verification and tracking. Practicum hours: Addiction Counseling students, 150 total hours; Professional Counseling students, 600 total hours. State licensure requirements may mandate additional hours. Students must review and adhere to their state board's additional requirements. Prerequisites: PCN-622; a GPA of 3.0 or better; maintenance of student professional liability insurance in the amount of $1 million, $3 million; and college approval.
Program Locations
Online
Evening
* The Department of Education defines how an institution must calculate a program's On-Time Completion rate for federal disclosure purposes. The On-Time Completion rate is based on a program's published required number of months to complete all degree requirements as provided in the institution's catalog. Completion statistics are updated every January and are based on the cohort of students who started the program in the same year and then graduated within the published program length.
Online and Evening program disclosures* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Program subject to change.