Chemical Dependency Counseling A.A.S.

School: Business and Professional Careers
Academic Dept: Professional Careers
HEGIS: 5506

Important Note about Program Requirements

The requirements listed below are for students entering into this program from Fall 2020 to Summer 2021. Students who entered the program during a prior semester will find their specific requirements listed in the Catalog under which they entered. Archived Catalogs are accessible through the dropdown menu above.

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree Defined

The purpose of the A.A.S. is to be fully trained for immediate employment upon graduation. Students who opt to continue on to pursue higher levels of education are encouraged to check with the receiving institution regarding transferability of credits. Click to learn more about the differences among award types.

Program Description

If counseling individuals, groups and families affected by alcohol or other drug dependency is a career path that interests you, then this program is for you. The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Chemical Dependency Counseling (CDC) provides all of the 350 alcohol and drug specific classroom contact hours and 300 of the experience hours required to be eligible for certification as a New York State (NYS) Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC). Additional volunteer or paid experience as a CASAC eligible counselor are required by New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS). The courses in this curriculum are also applicable to the Certified Prevention Specialist and Certified Prevention Professional certificates offered by NYS OASAS.

The CDC curriculum includes courses and seminars during day and evening hours. Addiction Field Experience courses are corequisites with clinical courses, and the field experience is arranged and supervised by the school in appropriate alcoholism and/or substance abuse treatment agencies. Current employment may be approved for field experience. Enrollment in field work courses requires the written permission of the Curriculum Chairperson. Students in recovery from their own addiction or the effects of a family member’s addiction may take classroom courses but one year of recovery is required before taking Addiction Field Experience courses.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, a student will:

Demonstrate the ability to apply the principles of ethical and effective addiction counseling using organized, clear and precise written and oral communication skills.
Demonstrate competency and broad foundational knowledge in the general education curriculum as required by Westchester Community College.

Program Requirements

General Education Requirements - 24 Credits

Students are required to fulfill a certain number of credits within the specific categories shown below. Where specific courses are not listed within these categories, courses must be selected from the list of SUNY General Education Courses .

Social Sciences (6 credits)

The Arts, Foreign Language, or Other World Civilizations (3 credits)

Select a course from ONE of the following categories:

                    The Arts - see SUNY General Education Courses
                    Foreign Language - see SUNY General Education Courses
                    Other World Civilizations - SUNY General Education Courses

American History or Western Civilization (3 credits)

Select a course from ONE of the following categories:

American History - see SUNY General Education Courses
Western Civilization - see SUNY General Education Courses

Degree Requirements - 37 Credits

HSERV 101 - Introduction to Social Work
HSERV 102 - Human Behavior and Social Development/Lifespan
HSERV 180 - Psychosocial Issues in Addiction
HSERV 181 - Ethics in Addiction Counseling
HSERV 182 - Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and the Family
HSERV 200 - Ethnic and Cultural Diversity
The following two courses must be taken together:
HSERV 183 - Addiction Counseling Methods
HSERV 184 - Addiction Field Experience 1 * For Fall 2020 this internship experience will be offered as a remote class
The following two courses must be taken together:
HSERV 280 - Addiction Group Counseling
HSERV 281 - Addiction Field Experience 2
The following two courses must be taken together:
HSERV 282 - Addiction Counseling Models
HSERV 283 - Addiction Field Experience 3

Minimum Total Credits - 61

Career Path Opportunities

Are you wondering what careers you can explore with a degree or certificate? Perhaps you are not sure what people do or how much money they make in certain careers that pique your interest? Would you like to know how many jobs are predicted to be available in a particular industry? Or maybe you are unsure whether receiving a degree or certificate would be right for you? Go to https://sunywcc.emsicareercoach.com to explore career paths, their associated job descriptions, salary trends, and jobs trends. Complete a career assessment for additional guidance. Still not sure? Visit www.sunywcc.edu/career for more career resources and contacts.

Transfer Opportunities

Transfer Agreements

Westchester Community College is committed to facilitating a smooth transfer process to ensure that graduates of the college are prepared to transfer with junior status, and are able to complete a bachelor’s degree within two years of full-time study upon transfer. View 4-year institutions’ transfer agreement information by program here.

Getting Started

Are you a prospective Westchester Community College graduate? We look forward to seeing you soon! Apply today, then see the College’s Admissions and Enrollment Checklist.