Substance Abuse Counselling
diploma/certificate
Alcohol and drug abuse is a growing
problem in our society and an increasing number of individuals
are seeking help in treating their addiction problems.
Similarly there is an increasing number of people working in
the social services and related fields who are seeking
additional training in order to become more effective with
their client groups.
The Substance Abuse Counselling
programs are designed to produce beginning professionals who
recognize their own limitations and strengths and are prepared
to undertake professional development on an ongoing basis.
Intervention skills will be developed on individual, group, and
family levels. Emphasis in the programs will be on providing
knowledge of alcohol and drug dependencies, techniques of
working with clients with dependencies, and knowledge and
skills relating to specific client groups. Substance abuse
counsellors may or may not be recovering people, but
undertaking this training is not part of the recovery process.
Prospective students are expected to lead a life free from
substance abuse or risk being removed from the program.
The certificate program is offered as
a post-graduate certificate to those holding diplomas,
certificates, or degrees in allied fields (such as education,
health care, criminal justice, social services, etc.) and is
geared towards a post-basic level of educational achievement
The diploma program is available for
those with little or no post-secondary education.
Entrance requirements
Substance Abuse Counselling diploma
program
See Entrance Requirements for the
Social Services diploma.
How to apply
Diploma program
See
How to Apply in the Social
Services diploma section. See the
Program Charts for a complete
list of application dates and general information.
Entrance requirements
Substance Abuse Counselling
certificate program
As this program is structured as a
post-secondary program for those already holding professional
or para-professional credentials, all applications will be
assessed on an individual basis by the director. The admissions
requirements are as follows:
1. Interview
with the Substance Abuse director, during which time your
personal suitability for working with people with addiction
problems will be assessed.
2. Sustained
work history (approximately five years) evidencing stability.
3. Evidence
of professional or para-professional credentials.
4. Formal
training in counselling skills. Individuals lacking such
training may be provisionally accepted but required to complete
HSER 120 and 200 (or acceptable equivalents) prior to
registering in HSER 400, 401, and 402. Students may substitute
a videotape demonstrating counselling skills in lieu of formal
training.
5. Two
recent letters of reference.
6. Minimum
of four years sobriety for recovering individuals.
7. Willingness
to undergo a criminal records check.
How to apply
Certificate program
1.
Submit the UCFV application for admission form to the Admissions
and Records (A&R) office. Application forms are available from
any A&R or Student Services office. See the
Program Charts for a complete list of application dates and
general information.
Additional documents required for a
complete application:
• Official sealed transcripts from
all previous post-secondary institutions.
• An additional application
information form detailing all your past work and volunteer
experience and education (include social service related and
other).
• A letter stating why you want to
enter the program and what has brought you to make this career
choice. Please refer to the kinds of experiences you have had
in this field, either paid or volunteer.
• At least one recent letter of
reference from a past employer, teacher, or volunteer
supervisor who can comment on your suitability to work in the
field.
2.
You must attend an interview. Out-of-province applicants may be
able to make special arrangements with the director.
3. Applicants
for the certificate program will be accepted until the program
is full.
Academic and practicum regulations
A GPA of 2.0 (C average) is required
for graduation and practicum placement. Students who do not
complete a prerequisite course may be allowed to register for a
subsequent course at the discretion of the program head. UCFV
reserves the right to cancel any course for which there is
insufficient registration. Continuation of the program will be
dependent upon adequate enrolment.
Acceptance into the program does not
guarantee practicum placement. Students will be individually
assessed as to their readiness, in terms of skills, attitudes
and knowledge, for the practicum. Practica are primarily in the
Fraser Valley and students are not guaranteed the placement of
their choice. Students will generally begin their practica
after the completion of the first semester, although the
practicum can be started later. Students working in the field
may be allowed to do some, but not all, of their practicum
hours in their workplace.
Location
While the certificate program is
offered only in Abbotsford, students may complete the first
year of the diploma program in either Abbotsford or Chilliwack.
They should indicate the preferred campus on their application.
Fees and additional costs
Fees stated are in effect for 2005/06
and are subject to change for 2006/07.
Tuition fees for most full-time
students are about $2,000 per semester (based on enrolment in
five courses or 15 credits). See the
Fees and Other
Costs section for more information. However, HSER 400,
401, 402, 410, 411, 412, and 430 are offered on a cost-recovery
basis with higher tuition fees.
The certificate program is offered
part-time only, and does not qualify for financial aid. Some
bursaries are available. Contact the Financial Aid office for
more information.
Some employers may be willing to
sponsor their employees; prospective students are urged to
approach their employers about this possibility.
Workload and classroom expectations
In addition to the classroom modules,
you will be required to read, study, and prepare assignments
outside of class and you can expect to spend an additional
three to six hours per week outside of class. In addition you
will be required to make videotapes in our lab.
Program outline
For complete details on courses see
the
Course descriptions
section.
Substance Abuse Counselling diploma
Semester I
Course Title Credits
CMNS 155 Communications for Human
Services
or ENGL 105 The Reading and Writing of Prose 3
or ENGL 105 The Reading and Writing of Prose 3
HSER 120 Introduction to
Interpersonal
Communications 3
Communications 3
HSER 129 Seminar 1
PHIL 110 Morality and Politics 3
PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology
I 3
SOWK 110 Intro to Social Work &
Human Services 3
Total 16
Semester II
Course Title Credits
HSER 130 Practicum I 6
SOWK 210 Introduction to Social
Welfare 3
SOC 101 Introductory Sociology 3
Elective (Data Manipulation) (Group
A)
(See Note 1, Page 191 of the calendar) 3
(See Note 1, Page 191 of the calendar) 3
Total 15
Semester III
Course Title Credits
SOWK 225 Human Behaviour and the
Social
Environment 3
Environment 3
HSER 200 Counselling Skills 3
HSER 400 Counselling Skills for
Addictions Work 2
HSER 401 Group Facilitation Skills
for Addictions 2
HSER 410 The Nature of Substance
Abuse 2
HSER 427 Integrative and Self-care
Seminar 1.5
CMNS 250 Report Writing for
Business,
Information Technologies,
Social and Human Services 3
Information Technologies,
Social and Human Services 3
Total 16.5
Semester IV
Course Title Credits
HSER 402 Family Work in Addictions 2
HSER 411 Pharmacology and
Psychobiology
of Addictions 2
of Addictions 2
HSER 412 Community Treatment:
Assessment and Referral 2
Assessment and Referral 2
HSER 428 Integrative and Self-care
Seminar 1.5
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