Alcohol and Drug Studies
Undergraduate Programs
Description
Alcohol and Drug Studies (ADS) focus on substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities impacted by alcohol and other drugs. Employment settings for this field include behavioral health treatment centers, detoxification centers, health care facilities, social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, correctional facilities, and education institutions. Professionals in this discipline may pursue a range of career options such as working as an alcohol and drug counselor.
Professionals in this discipline are expected to demonstrate competence and commit to ethical practice as established by professional certification or licensure standards within their respective jurisdiction.
Majors |
Program | Locations | Major / Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol and Drug Studies BS | BS - Bachelor of Science |
|
48 / 120 |
Minors |
Program | Locations | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Drug Studies Minor |
|
21 |
Policies & Faculty
Policies
Admission Requirements:
- completion of a minimum of 30 credit hours,
- a minimum cumulative G.P.A. 2.5,
- a "C-" or better in HLTH 225: Introduction to Alcohol and Drug Studies
- a "C-" or better in two of the following four required General Education courses:
- PSYC 101: Introduction to Psychological Science
- SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology
- HLTH 240: Drug Education
- Meeting with the Alcohol and Drug Studies Advisor to complete the Alcohol and Drug Studies Program Permission Form and sign the Alcohol and Drug Studies Form of Understanding.
Program Requirement:
- "C-" or better in all required general education, required, and elective courses.
Progression Requirement: a G.P.A. of 2.5 or better in the major (required general education, required, and elective courses in a major)
Internship Prerequisites:
- a "C-" or better in all Major Common Core courses
- a minimum G.P.A. of 2.5
- deadlines for internship applications for both the Alcohol and Drug Studies majors: October 15 for Spring Semester, March 15 for Summer Semester, and May 15 for Fall Semester
- successful completion of an internship interview with the Alcohol and Drug Studies Coordinator
- successful completion of a Department of Human Services background check; and
- submission of the internship Site Approval Form signed by an official designee of the approved internship site
Internship Requirements:
- Completion of 880 clock hours at an approved internship site per the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy licensure requirements.
- Students must be free of chemical use problems for at least two years immediately preceding their internship. Examples of chemical use problems include, but are not limited to:
- receiving treatment for chemical use within this time period,
- chemical use that has a negative impact on the student's academic performance;
- chemical use that affects the student's professional credibility of treatment services with clients, referral sources, or other members of the community; and
- symptoms of intoxication or withdrawal during academic roles.
- Completion of a criminal background check prior to registering for HLTH 497 Internship: Alcohol and Drug Studies.
- Students are responsible for the fees associated with the background check.
- This information is provided to health agencies and organizations for their determination of suitability for placement.
- The Department of Health Science coordinates the background check process.
Graduation Requirement:
- G.P.A. of 2.5 in the major
Licensure and Certification. The Alcohol and Drug Studies Major provides students with the academic coursework necessary to pursue a number of credentialing options. Students are responsible for verifying their eligibility for credentialing with their respective credentialing boards.
Academic Integrity Policy: The Department of Health Science values and supports an environment conducive to learning as well as academic integrity. Therefore, students are expected to comply with Minnesota State Mankato student responsibilities and policies for academic integrity. Academic integrity includes meeting ones responsibilities in an honest and forthright manner and avoiding acts of dishonesty, plagiarism, cheating, collusion, and other forms of academic misconduct. An act of dishonesty, cheating, collusion, and/or any other form of academic misconduct will result in a 0 on the assessment and a full letter grade deduction from the final course grade (e.g., "A-" to "B-"). An act of plagiarism will result in a 0 on the assessment or assessments and the student will be required to meet with the chair of the Department of Health Science and receive remediation related to plagiarism. Two acts of dishonesty, cheating, collusion, and/or any other form of academic misconduct and/or an act of plagiarism after remediation will result in a final course grade of "F". Evidence related to any act of academic misconduct will be submitted to the Chairperson of the Department of Health Science. Two acts of academic misconduct or a repeated act of plagiarism after remediation in any Health Science course or courses will result in discontinuance from, or eligibility to enroll in, the academic programs offered by the Department of Health Science. Additionally, evidence related to academic misconduct will be submitted, as appropriate, to the Office of Academic Affairs and and/or the College of Education. Please note: Policy reflects minimum departmental standards. Individual instructors may impose more severe sanctions for an act of academic dishonesty within their courses.
Contact Information
213 Highland Center North
Main Office (507) 389-1527Program Coordinator (507) 389-5937
https://ahn.mnsu.edu/healthscience
Faculty
Chair
- Joseph Visker, Ph.D, MCHES®
Program Coordinator
- Jennifer Londgren, Ed.D., LMFT, NCC, BC-TMH
Faculty
100 Level
Credits: 3
This interdisciplinary course is designed to introduce students to health careers and related professions. It is a writing intensive course preparing students to become effective communicators within the context of health care settings.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
An introduction to the dimensions of wellness; physical, emotional, occupational, intellectual, financial, interpersonal, cultural, environmental, and spiritual health of the individual.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-10
Credits: 2
Focuses on the role of the Community Health Worker in health promotion and disease prevention and/or management, including cultural navigation, social determinants of health, connections to resources, and educating and supporting clients and families.Prerequisites: HLTH 101
200 Level
Credits: 3
Defines the role of the Community Health Worker (CHW) as a liaison, connecting clients and appropriate community resources, based on familiarity with health-related needs of the communities and cultural considerations for which they serve. Explores strategies for personal safety in relation to home visits, and an understanding of the value of self-care, and personal wellness.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Introduces concepts of verbal and non-verbal communication required for the Community Health Worker (CHW) to effectively interact with clients, their families, and healthcare providers of all backgrounds. Students apply skills such as active listening and motivational interviewing, to empower clients to become self-sufficient in achieving personal health goals. This course also focuses on the CHW's role as a teacher to increase the capability of the community and the client to access health and social services.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Focuses on the legal and ethical dimensions of the Community Health Worker's (CHW) role. Included are boundaries of the CHW position, agency policies, confidentiality, liability, mandatory reporting, and cultural issues that can influence legal and ethical responsibilities. This course also focuses on the importance and ability of the CHW to gather, document, and report client visits and other activities. The emphasis is on appropriate, accurate, and clear documentation considering legal and agency requirements.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Provides the knowledge and skills necessary in an emergency to help sustain life, reduce pain, and minimize the consequences of injury or sudden illness. Includes First Aid certification for the non-professional and all aspects of CPR for the non-professional and professional.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-11
Credits: 3
This course is an overview of Human Sexuality with special emphasis on how sexuality relates to marginalized populations. This course requires a supervised fieldtrip.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-07
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
This a course designed to examine health products, services, and information from the consumer's perspective. Emphasis will be placed on those factors that influence and ultimately determine which products, services, and information sources that you will either accept or reject.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-02
Credits: 3
This course provides information on a variety of topics related to chemical use, abuse and dependency. Students will be exposed to chemical dependency counseling, assessment and intervention techniques. Different drug classifications will be discussed in detail. Counselor core functions and ethics will be discussed also.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-05
Credits: 3
Addresses drugs and drug use from psychological, behavioral, pharmacological, historical, legal and clinical perspectives - while examining the effects of drug use on personal health and social functioning.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-05
Credits: 3
HLTH 260 Introduction to Applied Health Science is required of all Applied Health Science majors and minors. This is the foundation class for the professional preparation of health educators. The course explores the knowledge, skills, and competencies of health educators in various settings.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1
Prepares students for the workforce and advanced graduate studies within the Applied Health Sciences.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-2
Supervised practical experience (80 hours) that allows opportunities for the student to prepare for independent work in the Community Health Worker (CHW) role.Prerequisites: HLTH 101, HLTH 201, HLTH 202, HLTH 203
300 Level
Credits: 3
Explores biological, physiological, and sociological perspectives of human sexuality. The course examines personal and family relationships and addresses family life and sex education teaching methods for school and community settings.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course presents a study of the essential nature and characteristics of total health. The course explores dimensions of mental, physical, social, and spiritual wellbeing. Various approaches to holistic health and wellness are considered.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course provides School Health teaching majors the knowledge, skills and dispositions they will need to be a part of a coordinated school health program team and teach comprehensive school health education in middle/junior and senior high schools. SpringPrerequisites: none
Credits: 3
For health care personnel, emphasis on spelling, pronunciation and meaning.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Introduces theories and models in the context of health education. Examines approaches to health education program planning as well approaches to explain and predict health behavior and their application to interventions in health education. NOTE: HLTH 360 may be taken concurrently with HLTH 260 with instructor permission.Prerequisites: HLTH 260
Credits: 4
Health Communication and Advocacy focuses upon the development of communication and advocacy skills for the health educator. Identifying credible sources, communicating public health information, health media campaigns, health advocacy; written and verbal communication skills emphasized.Prerequisites: HLTH 101, HLTH 360
Credits: 3
This course provides an understanding of the multicultural aspects of addiction and addiction treatment. Multiculturalism is a critical topic to examine in relation to addictions counseling as our clients¿ race, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, gender identity, or disability status can impact the course of their addiction and treatment. In this course, students will develop cultural self-awareness and sensitivity to their cultural background and experiences. They will examine cultural influences as they intersect with the substance use and mental health disorders. Developing cultural competence in addictions counseling knowledge and skills is emphasized.Prerequisites: HLTH 225
Credits: 3
The purpose of this class is to provide students with an overview of the 12 core functions of licensed alcohol and drug counselors (LADCs). These core functions include client screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, record-keeping and reporting, and consultation. Students will be taught decision making models related to screening and intake of clients, diagnostic and treatment planning protocols, and will develop writing skills related reports and record keeping. Students will understand the importance of the core functions of the addictions professional and their integration into the daily work of an LADC.Prerequisites: HLTH 225
Credits: 3
This course is designed to help students understand adolescent substance use disorders from a developmental perspective. The developing adolescent brain and the behavior associated with it will be examined as well as the risk and protective factors these present. The course will overview current drug trends and the social climate that contributes to these trends. Evidenced based treatment interventions and substance abuse prevention will also be examined.Prerequisites: HLTH 225
Credits: 3
This course requires students to plan a health promotion and health education program. Skills include assessing needs, determining objectives, identifying measurement and intervention strategies, and developing an evaluation plan. HLTH 261W may be taken concurrently with HLTH 380W with instructor permission.Prerequisites: HLTH 360, HLTH 361W
400 Level
Credits: 3
This course explores current issues, controversies and concerns affecting women's health. Relationships between social, cultural, psychological, environmental and physical factors of women's health status are examined.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
The focus of this course is on the foundations of ethics and professionalism for addictions professionals. The course will cover professional and ethical codes as well as topics related to continued development as a professional.Prerequisites: HLTH 225
Credits: 3
This course provides information on characteristic and classifying information, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, behavioral effects, and pharmacotherapy options for drugs of abuse. The course will focus on the application of topics in alcohol and drug professional settings.Prerequisites: HLTH 225
Credits: 3
This course explores counseling theories and strategies and how they can be applied to clients in alcohol and drug treatment programs. The course also provides an overview of primary functions of addictions professionals and methods to deliver effective services.Prerequisites: HLTH 225
Credits: 3
An in-depth review of significant current health concerns and controversies in health science using the elements of reasoning as the framework for critiquing the issues.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course provides School Health teaching majors the knowledge and skills they will need to be a part of a coordinated school health program team and teach comprehensive school health education in middle/junior and senior high schools.Prerequisites: HLTH 320
Credits: 3
Explores the relationship of death concerns to the process of meaningful living. Uses a variety of learning strategies to examine death attitudes, values and related behaviors.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
To promote identification and analysis of environmental influences upon health status. Health concerns related to residential, occupational, and other environments are explored. Problems pertaining to air, water, solid waste, housing, land use, toxic waste, and sanitation are addressed.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Emphasis is on recognition of, and enhancing awareness about, how stress affects human health and performance. Stress management techniques such as relaxation, effective communication, cognitive-behavioral approaches, eating behaviors, regular exercise, and time management are explored.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
The purpose of this course is to develop the knowledge and understanding of the causes, symptoms and methods of controlling and preventing chronic and infectious diseases. Primary and secondary prevention strategies will be identified. Emphasis will be placed on those behaviors that foster and those that hinder well-being.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course investigates the physical and mental health concerns of the aging process. Explores specific health problems confronting older persons, and examines preventive health behaviors and health maintenance practices.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course is designed to provide students with practical knowledge and application techniques in assessing an individual with a chemical use/dependency problem. Various assessment techniques will be presented and discussed as to appropriate utilization. This course meets the criteria or Rule 25 training in Chemical Dependency Assessment.Prerequisites: HLTH 225
Credits: 3
This course will explore transdisciplinary research design with emphasis related to the areas of allied health and nursing sciences and disciplines. Basic overview of research methodologies commonly utilized in health sciences and approaches to transdisciplinary research will be explored through review of original research. Students will be required to produce and revise scientific writing with specific focus on inter/transdisciplinary studies. Team-based problem centered research questions will be developed and investigated using transdisciplinary methodology with current health-related issues.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-3
An in-depth study of specific topics of current interest in the Health Science discipline.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Examines the philosophy and rationale of current epidemiological practice. Requires the application of epidemiological techniques to selected health concerns. Explores the interaction of agent, host and environment with the emphasis on application of principles of prevention.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
An examination of the system of delivery of health care in the United States from a historical, social, political, and economic perspective.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course focuses on the determinants of health, the concept of culture, and the intersection of health issues, culture, and health status. Linkages between health and development are addressed and research methods instrumental for identifying relationships between culture and health are discussed. The course examines diverse strategies for measuring health and explores how public health efforts (domestic and global) benefit from understanding and working with cultural processes. Emphasis is placed on the burden of disease, risk factors, populations most affected by different disease burdens, and key measures to address the burden of disease in cost-effective ways.Prerequisites: none
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
An examination of the judicial system and the development, enactment and enforcement of laws as they relate to the public's health.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
The focus of this course is on assessment and treatment of persons with coexisting mental disorders as well as chemical dependency.Prerequisites: HLTH 225
Credits: 3
Introduction to statistical analysis as applied to the health sciences. Examines concepts and methods of statistical procedures applied to health problems and issues.Prerequisites: MATH 110, STAT 154, Or any other mathematics course higher than MATH 110.
Credits: 3
Behavior Change Foundations and Strategies (3 semester credits) is a course that focuses upon the complexity of health behavior change and the skills necessary for a health promotion professional to assess, plan, and evaluate behavior change interventions for individuals and communities. Health behavior change theories and strategies will be discussed. Topics covered in class will include: behavior modification, goal setting, self-management, coping skills, and social support. Emphasis will also be given to the impact of policy and environmental influences on behavior.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course includes health program evaluation and research, with emphasis on evaluation models and approaches, qualitative and quantitative methods, process and summative evaluation, logic models, and dissemination of results.Prerequisites: HLTH 380W
Credits: 4
Focuses on entry-level competencies related to the administration and management of health education programs. These include obtaining acceptance and support for programs, leadership, managing human resources, facilitating partnerships in support of health education, grant writing, and training individuals involved in the implementation of health education.Prerequisites: HLTH 380W
Credits: 3
The course examines approaches to promote health and prevent disease and injury, and explores other health related issues at the workplace. Assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation strategies are addressed. Model programs are reviewed and analyzed.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-6
Supervise individual research or investigation in Health Science under guidance of a faculty mentor. Culminating research project with paper and/or presentation required.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-5
A university-based experience related to pedagogy for Health Science majors under the guidance of a faculty member. Faculty permission required.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1
A seminar for students preparing for a career in Health Education. Emphasis on: reviewing coursework, identifying and securing an internship site, and exploring employment opportunities within community organizations, public health agencies, worksites, healthcare facilities, and educational settings for health education.Prerequisites: HLTH 380W
Credits: 1-9
A concentrated pre-professional work experience for those students preparing for a career in the Applied Health Sciences. Students must schedule placement one semester in advance.Prerequisites: HLTH 260, HLTH 295, HLTH 360, HLTH 361W, HLTH 380W, HLTH 454, HLTH 460, HLTH 480, HLTH 482W
Credits: 1-12
A concentrated pre-professional experience for those preparing for a career in chemical dependency counseling. All course work must be completed prior to placement. Student must schedule placement one semester in advance. Prereq: Completion of all Alcohol and Drug Studies required core courses.Prerequisites: Completion of all Alcohol and Drug Studies required core courses.
Credits: 1-6
An in-depth study on a topic of particular interest to the student and project supervisor.Prerequisites: none
