Course Syllabus

ADC406: Addiction Counseling Certification Preparation

Instructor & Contact Information

The People tab in Canvas provides information on the course instructor and you can send a message to your instructor following these instructions.  Faculty are expected to: 1) grade and return assignments, with feedback, within 7 days from the date of submission; 2) reply to your Canvas messages within 72 hours; 3) reply several times each week in total  in the discussion forums (not to each individual student); and 4) demonstrate the core values of City Vision University.

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to gain the knowledge and skills to excel as a certified addiction counselor as evidenced by possessing the knowledge necessary to pass the various state and national certification exams. Students will also begin the process of applying for certification in their state and will complete a portfolio outlining in detail the remaining steps to complete in order to become certified.

Please be aware that this course does not automatically lead to certification. Students must review the certification requirements for their home state - see here.

This course is designed to equip you to lay out a plan for completing the required steps to become certified. However, these steps will likely not be completed by the conclusion of this course, and additional steps beyond the course assignments are required.

Course Outcomes

After completing this course, you will be able to:

  1. Develop an individualized study guide to be used in preparing for the certification exam in their state
  2. Actively pursue placement at an organization to obtain work experience hours
  3. Develop and begin to implement a plan of action to complete remaining items to achieve certification
  4. Study major areas of theory in preparation for the certification exam

Degree Program Outcomes

Program outcomes are the overall skills and knowledge we expect you will have after successfully completing a certificate or degree program at City Vision University. This course supports the following program outcomes, marked with an asterisk (*). After completing the program, City Vision’s graduates will be able to do the following:

  1. Christian Integration. Integrate Christian principles and counseling theories in an ethical manner in both Christian and secular counseling environments.
  2. Certification Exam Prep. Identify the key concepts needed to take a licensure exam either to apply to be a peer support specialist or certified addiction counselor.*
  3. Case Management. Develop case management plans to help clients identify areas where they need help and connecting them with personal and community resources that will help them.
  4. Chemical Dependency. Describe foundational concepts of chemical dependency including a range of psychoactive drugs and how they work.
  5. Psychology. Describe the foundational concepts of psychology and apply that in both Christian and secular counseling environments.
  6. Clinical Counseling Skills. Utilize foundational skills for clinical addiction counseling.
  7. Multicultural Counseling. Utilize effective methods to counsel diverse clients in both Christian and secular counseling environments.
  8. Specialized Skills. Apply knowledge and skills in specialized domains related to Addiction Counseling.

Required Texts

Students are required to purchase these texts before the first day of classes. 

Guidelines for Written Work

All written work must follow our Writing Format and Forum Requirements. You must read these to understand how to cite sources appropriately.

Critical Policies to Read for This Course

Note: These policies are critical for all students to read. In case of change, we have linked to the versions on our website to make sure you have the latest version.

This syllabus is subject to change without notice up until the first day of the semester. Last updated: January 20, 2023

Course Summary:

Date Details Due