Substance Abuse & Addictions Counseling AA

Associate of Arts 

Contact: Dr. Elfie Neber

Program Website

The Substance abuse & Addictions Counseling  AA degree is offered online and onsite.

The Substance Abuse & Addictions Counseling AA prepares individuals for careers in the addictions field. The program is designed to develop the student's skills to provide therapeutic services for people dealing with substance abuse, and with an emphasis on helping them maintain recovery and prevent relapse.  Graduates will be prepared for entry into the drug and alcohol counseling profession.  By pursuing this emphasis, students complete both a general Associate of Arts degree and the preparatory coursework required to become a licensed addictions counselor. It also allows for transfer to a variety of baccalaureate programs.

For more information on other degrees offered for Substance Abuse & Addiction Counseling, visit the catalog pages for the Substance Abuse & Addictions Counseling CTS.

Graduates are prepared to:

• Demonstrate entry level skill set needed to perform the duties of a licensed addictions counselor candidate and pass the licensing exam. 
• Describe the interaction between mental health and addiction and the scope of practice for an addictions counselor.
• Practice under the NAADAC code of ethics and understand the legal, ethical and professional issues facing addictions counselors.
• Incorporate knowledge about cultural and socioeconomic factors and how they impact the treatment and recovery process in their practice as addictions counselors.
• Identify treatment and recovery resources in the community and understand how to use these resources to support clients in their recovery.

Estimated Resident Program Cost*

Estimated Resident Program Cost

Item	Cost
Tuition and Fees	$8,523
Lab/Course Fees	$35
Books/Supplies	$2,714
Total	$11,272

*

Fall 2026 MUS Student Health Insurance Premiums may be changing. Please check the Health Insurance website for confirmed premium rates.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Credits
BIOH 112	Human Form and Function I +	4
CAPP 131	Basic MS Office +	3
PSYX 100	Introduction to Psychology +	3
PSYX 150	Drugs and Society +	3
Select one of the following:
WRIT 101	College Writing I **,+	3
WRIT 121	Introduction to Technical Writing **,+	3
	Credits	16
Spring
CAS 140	Addictions and Diversity (N) +	3
CAS 242	Fundamentals of Substance Abuse and Addiction *,+	3
CAS 252	Gambling and Game Disorders in Substance Abuse Counseling *,+	2
CAS 279	Legal, Ethical, and Professional Issues in Substance Abuse Counseling *,+	2
COMX 115	Introduction to Interpersonal Communication +	3
Choose one of the Following:
M 105	Contemporary Mathematics **, +	3
STAT 216	Introduction to Statistics **, +	4
	Credits	16-17
Second Year
Fall
CAS 231	Pharmacology/Addictions *,+	3
CAS 243	Substance Abuse Counseling I *,+	3
CAS 254	Co-Occurring Disorders-Assessment &Treatment Planning *,+	2
CAS 264	Fundamentals of Group Dynamics for Substance Abuse Counselors *,+	3
PSYX 240	Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology *,+	3
Any Fine Arts or Humanities Core Class +		3
	Credits	17
Spring
CAS 248	Substance Abuse Counseling II *,+	3
CAS 250	Assessment and Case Management Processes *,+	4
CAS 260	Addiction Assessment/Documentation *,+	3
CAS 295	Field Work/Clinical/Practicum *,+	1
Any Fine Arts or Humanities Core Class +		3
Any Natural Science w/lab Core Class +		4
	Credits	18
	Total Credits	67-68

Suggested Electives 

These courses are highly recommended in addition to standard substance abuse & addictions curriculum.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Any PSYX course
Any SOCI course
Any SW course

+

A grade of C- or above is required for graduation.

*

Indicates prerequisites needed.

**

Placement in course(s) is determined by placement assessment.

Note: Students planning to transfer to UM's Bachelor of Social Work should check those requirements as well. https://health.umt.edu/socialwork/