Addiction Counseling and Prevention Certificate - Online Only

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The online Addiction Counseling and Prevention Certificate is an innovative program that prepares addiction professionals to meet the increasingly complex needs of alcohol/drug patients, as well as the increasing educational and professional expectations of employers. The program focuses on science-based addiction education enabling professionals to provide the highest quality addiction counseling to individuals dealing with substance use and addiction.

All courses have been approved by the South Dakota Board of Addiction & Prevention Professionals. Students completing this program will meet the 27 credit hours required for South Dakota state certified addiction counselor status. Participants should contact their state addiction and prevention certification/licensure board to assure courses meet their qualifications. Requirements may differ from state to state.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the program requires:

a Statement of Purpose
a successful criminal background check reviewed and approved by the Health Science background check committee
official high school transcript or GED
ACT or SAT scores*

*If applicant is over the age of 24, ACT or SAT scores are only required if test was taken within the last five years.

To apply for admission to the Addiction Counseling and Prevention Certificate program:

Visit https://goyotes.tfaforms.net/f/apply
Complete the application and statement of purpose form
Upload the completed application and select your method of payment
Official high school transcripts or verification of GED and ACT or SAT scores (if applicable) must be sent to the University of South Dakota

Certificate Requirements - 27 Credit Hours Required

Distance Program Leading to Professional Licensure

Location Matters. This program is designed to meet the educational requirements for a professional license or certification and allows students to enroll in at least one course through distance education during the first semester. Pursuant to Federal Regulations, the program may only admit students who are located in states where the program meets the educational requirements for professional licensure or who attest in writing that they intend to seek licensure or employment in a state where the program meets those requirements. As part of your application to this program, you will be asked to provide additional information regarding your location to assist the program in determining your eligibility for admission.

If you have questions regarding licensure, we encourage you to contact a program representative prior to submitting your admission application. For more information, visit USD’s Licensure-Track Programs page for links to the USD program websites and state licensure board websites.

Additionally, this program is authorized to offer supervised field study experiences (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) in South Dakota. Please be aware that there may be some restrictions on your ability to engage in supervised field study outside of South Dakota. If you have questions regarding supervised field study, please contact a program representative.

Distance education courses or programs will not be offered outside of the United States without prior written approval from the University, which may be withheld for any reason. If you are taking distance courses while physically located outsides of the United States, it is your responsibility to confirm the following: (a) if the country will recognize an online degree; (b) whether the program meets licensure or certification requirements in the country including the availability of supervised field study opportunities in the country; and (c) if the country charges any additional taxes, withholdings or fees associated with online distance education programs.