Microcertificate in Substance Use and Addiction

Application and Admissions Criteria

Students applying to the micro-certificate must be eligible for admission to UA as a degree-seeking or non-degree-seeking student at the graduate level. In addition, applications must include: (1) documentation of good standing in a graduate program at UA or official transcripts from undergraduate and/or graduate degree earning institutions; (2) current resume or curriculum vitae; and (3) statement of purpose. The statement of purpose must specify previous degrees and professional training and experience, professional goals as they relate to this program, and proposed path to complete the requirements (e.g., which courses the student intends to take to complete the microcertificate and the proposed timeline).

Admissions decisions will be made primarily by the Department of Human Development and Family Studies within the College of Human Environmental Sciences. However, departmental chairs from programs that offer classes in the micro-certificate will serve as ad hoc members of the admissions committee, providing consultation on a case-by-case basis for students in their degree programs or for students who intend to take classes in their department.

Students may apply for the micro-certificate alone, independent of another degree at UA. Students already holding the micro-certificate who decide to matriculate in a degree program at UA may be eligible to apply their courses to that degree depending on their degree program.

General Requirements

Students will complete a minimum of 6 hours of coursework as part of the micro-certificate. These will come from a variety of existing courses, including some required for specific degree programs. Depending on the student's home program, it would be possible for all 6 hours to count toward their degree requirements. Examples of this include Human Development and Family Studies, Counselor Education, Rehabilitation Counseling and Social Work. For others, such as Clinical Psychology, Health Education & Promotion and Public Health, a course would serve as an elective in their degree program.

Students will take their course either in-person or online based on their campus classification (main campus or distance learning) and the current established delivery method for the course.

Existing courses at UA will be used for the micro-certificate. The program will provide students with specialized content on the nature of substance use, addiction, and basic service provision (Block A) along with additional essential material to ensure adequate service provision (Block B, e.g., co-occurring mental health conditions, social determinants of health, barriers to service delivery, etc.). Courses do not need to be taken in any particular order.

Code and Title		Hours
BLOCK A - choose one		3
BCE 613	Substance Abuse Counseling
HD 650	Treating Sub. Use Disorders
SW 514	Chem Depend Knowledge Interven (Restricted to MSW students.)
BLOCK B - choose one		3
BSP 660	Psychopathology
HD 642	Assess Psychopathology MFT
HHE 587	Health Disparities
PY 658	Psychopathology
SW 515	Psychopathology (Restricted to MSW students.)
Total Hours		6

Time Limit

Students will be awarded this graduate micro-certificate upon completion of the required 6 hours of coursework. The timeline for completion is 6 years for students enrolled in masters programs or doctoral programs.