The Bachelor of Science (B.S) in Addiction Studies is a 124-credit program designed to serve students who are interested in becoming skilled professionals to understand and treat individuals suffering from addiction. The program is structured around courses that address fundamental aspects of how addiction affects individuals, families, and communities, while examining the assessment, treatment, and prevention of substance abuse.

The Bachelor of Science (B.S) in Addiction Studies includes a set of required courses that all students must take, along with SUNY General Education and other academic requirements, in order to be eligible to receive a degree. The required courses for programs in Addiction Studies can be found on the “Program Details” tab. Students will work with a faculty mentor to develop a degree plan that matches their goals and meets all program requirements. Students should speak with their mentor to see if any credit earned through individualized Prior Learning Assessment (iPLA) or Professional Learning Evaluation (PLE) might fulfill these course requirements. Courses are offered online, through independent studies, or through a blended approach. 

The program is guided by the competencies model from the US Department of Health and Human Service and features a curriculum focused on equipping students with fundamental skills through core courses. Once a foundational skill set is laid, students are given the opportunity to customize their education to match their educational and career goals by choosing from a wide variety of courses to fulfill the degree requirements. Students will have the option of completing the degree program through various delivery modes such as online, independent study, blended, and/or face-to-face study.

Students completing a bachelor’s degree in Addiction Studies will demonstrate knowledge of human behavior, service delivery, skills, and ethics, to work with diverse individuals, families, and communities struggling with addiction. Obtaining a bachelor’s degree in an approved Human Services field from an accredited institution may be substituted for 2,000 hours of work experience, thus allowing individuals with a CASAC-T to obtain their CASAC in a shorter period of time.

For more information, including sample degree plans, please visit the B.S. in Addition Studies web page and the Health and Human Resources Degree Planning Resources web page.  

The Bachelor of Science (B.S) in Addiction Studies degree program includes the following required courses:

Curriculum Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Lower Level Core Courses
HUDV 1015	Human Development: Introductory	4
ADDS 2005	Addiction & Dependency: Introduction	4
HUSV 2010	Case Management	4
HUSV 2020	Crisis Intervention: Theory & Practice	4
HUSV 2025	Helping & Counseling Skills	4
HUSV 2035	Introduction to Human Services	4
Upper Level Core Courses
ADDS 3005	Interventions for Addiction Disorders	4
HUSV 3005	Advocacy in Human Services	4
PSYC 3010	Abnormal Psychology: Advanced	4
ADDS 4005	Adolescence & Addictions	4
HUSV 3020	Documentation in Human Services	4
ADDS 3010	Substance Abuse Interventions in the Workplace	4
or ADDS 3020	Substance Abuse with Special Populations
HUSV 3030	Group Work	4
or CHFS 3030	Family Intervention
PSYC 3040	Biological Psychology	4
ADDS 4010	Advanced Substance Abuse Counseling	4
ADDS 4015	Evidence-Based Substance Abuse Counseling	4
or HUSV 4035	Internship in Human Services
HUSV 4020	Diversity in Human Services	4
HUSV 4030	Human Service Ethics	4

Courses in the Addiction Studies program emphasize five essential foundations. Knowledge of each foundation can be demonstrated through transcript credits, Joint Services Transcript (JST) credits, Empire State College coursework, prior learning evaluation, and/or prior learning assessment. Students will explain how they meet these foundations in their rationale essay.