"Here, you change lives."
MHS Virtual Information Session
Meet Dr. Cheryl Mejta, the Chair of the Addictions Studies Program and Kelly Robinson the Academic Advisor. Learn about the demand for licensed substance abuse counselors and what GSU is doing to prepare leaders in addictions prevention and treatment.
Visit https://www.govst.edu/AddictionsMHS/ for more information.
The damage from substance use disorders reaches beyond the person who is using substances. It affects loved ones and extends into the community through impact on healthcare, law
enforcement, and occupational and educational arenas. Governors State
University’s Masters of Health Science in Addictions Studies prepares leaders in addictions prevention and treatment.
As the number of people suffering from substance abuse and addiction grows, so
too does the demand for licensed substance abuse counselors.
Through a curriculum fully accredited by the Illinois
Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association (IAODAPCA), you’ll
receive the skills and background you need to meet the changing needs of
clients and their communities. The program is also accredited by the National Addiction Studies Accreditation
Commission (NASAC), which is the only accrediting body that represents
addiction-focused educators and practitioners.
Reach
Your Career Goals
In the Addiction Studies program, you will prepare to enter the
field as you translate research into practice. Expert faculty members integrate
that knowledge into a thorough investigation of treatment programs, from
planning to management. Complete your program with an internship that provides
a hands-on opportunity to apply what you’ve learned, and
enter the field with the education requirements to practice as a certified
addictions counselor.
Qualified students may also take the criminal justice internship
option to meet the requirements for the Certified Criminal Justice Addictions
Professional.
Why Get a
Masters of Health Science in Addiction Studies?
Treatment programs need professionals who understand addictions
and how to empower individuals to overcome them. Cultural understanding and
sensitivity are essential to your ability as a counselor to appreciate and
respond to cultural and community influences on addiction and recovery. As a
graduate student in the program, you will receive a comprehensive course of
study emphasizing state-of-the-art, evidence-based approaches to addictions,
which includes pharmacology, prevention, counseling, and group techniques.
Data
collected in 2019 reflected the median annual salary for Substance Abuse and
Behavioral Disorder Counselors at $42,700 with an average range of
$52,260 – $74,210 (salary.com). Chicago’s median
salary for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors is $47,000.
Delivery
Format
Governors State’s 32-credit
hour MHS in Addictions Studies is offered in three flexible formats: courses can
be taken fully on-campus, through hybrid courses in which 50% of the coursework
is completed online, or fully online.
National
Recognition
GSU's online Master of Health
Science in Addictions Studies degree program has been ranked as a top 5 online Addictions Studies program in the nation by
Center for Online Education, The Best Schools, and Great Value Colleges.
Jessica Love Jordan, Addictions Studies MHS Candidate
At GSU, I have been presented with opportunities I could never have imagined. Last year, my professor invited me to sit as a student member on the board of the IL. Assoc. for Addictions Professionals, and this year I will serve as Treasurer. Through the newly awarded BHWET grant, I will have the opportunity to complete paid internships, receive trauma and integrated behavioral care training, attend workshops,even a conference, all at no cost to me. I am very fortunate to have these experiences on my pathway to becoming an Addictions Professional.
Dr. Serena Wadhwa, Assistant Professor
With the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, my colleagues and I saw a need for more substance abuse counselors in the field, and we wanted to prepare our students for that need. It’s an essential part of my role to encourage students to dream and to dream big. I tell them, ‘Dream big, and if you hold onto that vision throughout your time at GSU, your dream will come true.’ And it does.