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Substance Use Counseling Minor and Concentration

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Pamphlets related to the Substance Abuse Counseling minor and concentration at Curry CollegeThe Substance Use Counseling minor and concentration is open to any student interested in a career in substance abuse services or in an area where an understanding of substance use is an important aspect of job performance, such as nursing and health care, social work and psychology, law enforcement and criminal justice, or college counseling and youth services. This program is also relevant for students planning to pursue graduate studies in the social and behavioral sciences, as well as, professional degrees in law, social work, nursing, and criminal justice.

Interested Psychology majors should choose the The Substance Use Counseling concentration. The minor is recommended for students majoring in something other than Psychology.

Although there is no formal relationship between the SUC Program and the Massachusetts Board of Substance Abuse Counselor Certification, the program satisfies in part the educational and practicum requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Substance Abuse Counselor Certification (MBSACC). Requirements leading to licensure are currently under consideration by the Massachusetts Legislature; this program will be adjusted accordingly.

Course Requirements and Information

Core Courses:

PSY 2125 Substance Use Counseling: Theory and Practice
PSY 2300 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 2330 Drugs and Behavior
PSY 3120 Counseling Theory
PSY 3350 Health Psychology
PSY 3450 Internship in Substance Use Counseling

Select one of the following:

HE 2000 Community Health
SOC 2420 Working with Groups and Communities
SOC 3390 Crisis Intervention

Courses recommended, but not required:

PSY 2205 Dysfunctional Families
PSY 2500 Behavior Change: Theory and Practice

Concentrations have been designed to correspond to the major areas of study in psychology. Selecting a concentration is advisable if students wish to focus on a specific area, structure their courses in an organized way, and/or determine whether they wish to pursue further academic or career opportunities in a specific area. Students may elect to concentrate on one of the following areas by taking a minimum of five courses (15+ credits) designated as appropriate to that concentration, including the required (*) core courses. In addition, students are encouraged to develop internships or independent research/readings within the selected concentration, and to take courses in other disciplines which pertain to their area of concentration. However, psychology offerings will continue to be varied and concentrations should not limit a student’s selection of courses in addition to the five or more selected from within a particular concentration. Psychology majors are urged to find an academic advisor in psychology to help them design an exciting and useful program of study.

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