Our innovative curriculum integrates human service and addiction studies in an academic medical center environment, allowing for a unique perspective on managing addictive disorders at the point-of-care. The program has designed its curriculum to provide a comprehensive education in addictive disorders. Students are required to take at least 39 credit hours, 18 of which are in core courses, and additional credits are required for the individual educational tracks — clinical or research. Students have access to unlimited electives from within the program and across other programs in the graduate school, as approved by course faculty.
The Addiction Research and Clinical Health program provides three distinct tracks, with a core curriculum that is required of students in all tracks.
Core Coursework:
Foundations of Addiction (ARCH 701, 3 credit hours)
- This course is designed as a broad introduction to foundational concepts of addictive substances and disorders. Major topics of the course include the primary categories of substances of abuse; epidemiology, etiology, and effects of substance use; and current scientific findings related to addictive behaviors. Typically offered in fall term.
Human Development, Addiction & Human Services (ARCH 702, 3 credit hours)
- The course addresses development and cognitive processes governing learning from conception to death with an emphasis on the implications for addictive disorders and the treatment of addictive disorders. Normative, non-normative and historical effects within childhood, adolescence, adulthood and later life are presented. Formal developmental and learning theory is emphasized in conjunction with practical interpretation and application. The course provides an orientation and background for sound educational and clinical practices. Typically offered in fall term.
Theories of Addictive Disorders (ARCH 704, 3 credit hours)
- Theories of Addictive Disorders is designed to introduce students to the theoretical, philosophical, and historical premises upon which addictive disorders are explained and treatment and prevention of addictive disorders are based. Biological, psychological, and sociological aspects of substance abuse and dependence will be the frameworks upon which the course will be taught. Typically offered in fall term.
Social & Cultural Diversity in Addictive Disorders (ARCH 721, 3 credit hours)
- The purpose of this course is to help students gain awareness of their cultural values and biases, of other’s worldviews, and of culturally appropriate research and intervention strategies related to addictive disorders. Typically offered in summer term.
Addictive Disorders Seminar Series (ARCH 722, 3 credit hours)
- This course includes presentations and discussions by faculty, guest speakers, and graduate students on current topics within the realm of addiction, including areas of focus within basic science, clinical practice, prevention, public health, and others. Typically offered in spring term.
Addiction Research & Clinical Health Journal Club (ARCH 719/720, 1 credit hour)
- This journal club focuses on articles related to current trends in addiction research and addictive disorders treatment. Each week a different student presents an article providing a thorough review of the article and relevant background information. Typically offered in summer term.
Ethics Coursework – to choose from the following (ARCH 709 or GRAD 713 & 714 for a total of 3 credit hours):
- Ethics in Health, Addictive Disorders, and Health Services (ARCH 709, 3 credit hours): The Ethics in Health, Addictive Disorders & Human Services course is designed to examine the ethical and legal standards required by the industry, state entities, or federal entities that affect the practice of addiction prevention and addiction treatment of adults and minors. This course discusses five principles of ethical decision-making in addictive disorders clinical practice and provides a step-by-step model for resolving ethical dilemmas. The course also explores specific ethical and legal issues as they relate to addictive disorders treatment. Typically offered in the spring term
- Foundations of Scientific Integrity and Professionalism (GRAD 713, 1 credit hour): A short-course designed to offer foundational ethics and integrity training to incoming Bowman Gray graduate students. Key concepts will include introduction to key professional norms in science, including, but not limited to, responsible conduct of research, new professional expectations, as well as student life. An introduction to topics, that will be further explored using case-studies in GRAD 714, will include: 79 plagiarism, animal & human subject research, record keeping, data management, grant writing, the student and advisor relationship, laboratory dynamics, and managing conflicts of interest. Typically offered immediately following fall orientation.
- Scientific Integrity and Professionalism (GRAD 714, 2 credit hours): A small-group, problem-based learning formatted course designed to teach discipline-specific and broad, professional norms and obligations for the ethical practice of science, primarily for first-year graduate students on the Bowman Gray campus. The content will present ethical dilemmas and promote professional behavior on, but not limited to, the responsible conduct of research and the current regulatory climate with emphasis on the underlying principles that shape these concepts. Topics will include plagiarism, animal & human subject research, record keeping, data management, grant writing, the student and advisor relationship, laboratory dynamics, and managing conflicts of interest. Typically offered weekly at 2-hour discussion sections during the spring term. This course satisfies graduation requirements for ethics training for Bowman Gray students.
Clinical Track
This track is designed to prepare students to seek the Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) licensure upon completion, allowing a graduate to practice as a clinical addiction specialist in the state of North Carolina. The degree requires a minimum of 39 credit hours, including a minimum of 600 hours of internship with a site supervisor. Students in the Clinical Track are guaranteed internship placement providing brief addiction counseling services on inpatient units at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. Full-time students may complete the degree in 4 terms across ~16 months.
Helping Skills in Addictive Disorders (ARCH 703, 3 credit hours)
- Helping Skills in Addiction & Human Services investigates techniques of helping skills and multidisciplinary intervention options for addictive disorders. The course teaches fundamental helping skills such as relationship building, basic assessment, goal setting, selecting interventions and evaluation of client outcomes in the context of addictive disorders in human services settings. Typically offered in fall term.
Addictive Disorders Treatment: Individuals, Families & Groups (ARCH 705, 3 credit hours)
- This course is an introduction to basic therapeutic counseling skills for use with chemically dependent clients and/or their families. It is designed for counseling students who have worked as professional substance abuse counselors and for those who have little or no such experience. The course helps prepare students for certification as North Carolina Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialists (LCAS). Typically offered in spring term.
Assessment & Diagnosis: Addictive Disorders (ARCH 706, 3 credit hours)
- This course is an introduction to assessing and diagnosing risky misuse and addiction disorders with the use/abuse & dependency continuum. It is designed for graduate students preparing to work as a professional Clinical Addiction Specialist. The course helps prepare students for certification as North Carolina Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialists (LCAS) through the approved program at Wake Forest Graduate School – Biomedical campus. Typically offered in spring term.
Advanced Study in Addictive Disorders (ARCH 708, 3 credit hours)
- The Advanced Study in Addictive Disorders is a course designed to provide an in-depth look at special topics related to addictive disorders such as process disorders, codependency, emerging practices and more. The disease of substance abuse and dependence has many unique characteristics when it occurs in persons and groups outside the typical family unit. In this course, an examination of those characteristics is explored among special populations including adolescents, the elderly, the physically and developmentally disabled and the chronically ill. Prerequisite— ARCH 703.Typically offered in summer or fall term.
Addictive Disorders Clinical Experience I (ARCH 710, 3 credit hours)
- The Addictive Disorders Clinical Experience I & Lab is the introductory professional experience in a student’s program. It is an opportunity to increase an understanding of addictive disorders treatment and the clinical, personal and professional skills necessary to be successful in this profession. Through experiences at a clinical addiction site and with classmates, students will grow in the use of intervention and helping skills, case conceptualization skills and self-awareness. Prerequisite —ARCH 703. Typically offered in spring term.
Addictive Disorders Clinical Experience II/III (ARCH 711 & 712, 6 credit hours)
- The Addictive Disorders Clinical Experience II/III & Lab are the continued comprehensive professional experience in a student’s program. It is an opportunity to continue to synthesize and apply knowledge with supervised training at a site congruent with the student’s career goals. Through the sharing of experiences in the lab experiences, students refine previously learned skills in an increasingly autonomous role with clients. Prerequisite —ARCH 706, ARCH 710. Typically offered in summer & fall terms.
Behavioral Pharmacology (IPP 722, 3 credit hours)
- Focuses on behavioral factors that influence the effects of drugs. Material presented provides a detailed review of the rate dependent, reinforcing, and stimulus effects of drugs. Additional topics include behavioral factors related to tolerance and sensitization and a review of animal models of drug action. This course is cross-listed as NEUR 722. Typically offered in summer term.
Health Services Track
This track is designed to support students who are seeking to expand their understanding of human development, addictions, helping skills, and diversity and inclusion in clinical environments, allowing them to submit more competitive applications to additional professional degree programs, such as PsyD, PhD in clinical psychology, MD, DO, MMS (PA), MSW, MA in counseling. The degree requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, including a minimum of 6 capstone project credit hours on a topic agreed upon by the student and their advisor; full-time students may complete the degree in 3 terms across ~12 months.
Addictions Capstone Project (ARCH 710, 6 credit hours)
- This course provides students with the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty member on a particular topic or creative project. Students will be engaged in directed study through readings, projects, papers, and other activities. Typically offered in fall term.
Research Track
This track is designed to support students who are preparing for entrance to the non-clinical workforce, or wish to pursue PhD-level study in Neuroscience or Addictions. The degree requires a minimum of 39 credit hours, including a minimum of 9 capstone project credit hours on a research topic agreed upon by the student and their advisor; full-time students may complete the degree in 4 terms across ~16 months.
Addictive Disorders Research Project (ARCH 713 & 714, 6 credit hours)
- The Addictive Disorders Research Internship sequence of courses represent the final comprehensive professional experience in a research student’s program. It is an opportunity to synthesize and apply knowledge with supervised training in up to three research laboratory experiences with the student’s career goals.
Behavioral Pharmacology (IPP 722, 3 credit hours)
- Focuses on behavioral factors that influence the effects of drugs. Material presented provides a detailed review of the rate dependent, reinforcing, and stimulus effects of drugs. Additional topics include behavioral factors related to tolerance and sensitization and a review of animal models of drug action. This course is cross-listed as NEUR 722. Typically offered in summer term.
Statistics or Research Methodology course (3 credit hours)