Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor Internships
The post-graduate Addictions certificate program is intended to prepare graduates for credentialing as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) in Minnesota. It is an on-campus program (with the exception of the internship), with courses meeting Wednesdays evenings to accommodate working students. The Addiction Counseling: Certificate Program Plan (PDF) is a document that lists the coursework required for this program.
Students admitted to the social work BSW program may complete the certificate track in concurrently with their BSW degree, or students who have already completed their bachelor’s degree may complete the certificate program. If a student plans to become licensed in a state other than Minnesota, then they are advised to become familiar with the specific licensure requirements of the state in which they plan to practice.
The LADC curriculum prepares students for the Minnesota LADC comprehensive examination and to become credentialed as a Board Certified Counselor. The program emphasizes personal and professional growth and development through a curriculum designed to enhance student understanding of self and others within an addiction counseling context, and to prepare students to apply for the Minnesota LADC credential. This certificate program provides academic and experiential training intended to prepare students for the addiction counseling profession.
LADC graduates have gained employment working for:
- Adult and adolescent public and private addiction treatment centers
- Community mental health centers
- Correctional facilities
- Federal, state, or county agencies
- Clinics and hospitals
- Educational settings.
Coursework
Required Courses:
| Course | Name | Credits | Prerequisites/Comments |
| PSY 1100 | Intro to Psychology | 4 | |
| PSY 2217 | Abnormal Psychology | 4 | PSY 1100: Intro to Psychology |
| CHEM 2130 | Chemistry of Drugs | 3 | |
| SOWK 2030 | Intro to Substance and Behavior Addictions | 3 | Offered fall term only. |
| SOWK 3201 |
Family: Dynamics
|
3 | PSY 1100: Intro to Psychology |
| SOWK 3330 |
Substance and Behavioral Addictions: Prevention and Intervention
|
3 |
PSY 1100: Intro to Psychology SOWK 2030: Intro to SBA or consent of instructor. Offered spring term only. |
| SOWK 3551 or PSY3332 |
SOWK 3551: Generalist Practice 1 (SOWK Students) PSY 3332: Counseling and Crisis Intervention* (Non-SOWK Students) |
3 or 4 |
PSY 1100: Intro to Psychology Non-Social Work majors will take Psy 3332: Counseling and Crisis Intervention. Social Work majors will take Generalist Practice 1. |
| SOWK 3552 or PSY 3337 |
SOWK 3552: Generalist Practice 2 (SOWK Students) PSY 3337: Group Processes (Non-SOWK Students) |
3 |
Social Work Majors: Social Work majors will enroll in SOWK 3552: Generalist Practice 2. Prerequisites for SOWK: SOWK 3551 Non-Social Work Majors: Non-Social Work majors will enroll in PSY 3337: Group Processes Prerequisites for PSY : PSY 1100 and 2217 |
| SOWK 4880 | Internship Orientation | 1 | Preparation for internship, to be taken the semester immediately before the start of the internship |
| Total Classroom Credits | 27-29 | ||
| SOWK 4970-02 | *Internship | 24 | 880 hour internship (two semesters) |
| TOTAL Credits | 51-53 |
*All students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in order to enroll in the Internship. Students will also be required to pass a state and national background check in order to complete an internship. If you have any concerns about your ability to pass a background check please meet with a Social Work faculty member about this prior to enrolling in chemical dependency courses.
Social Work majors will complete a concurrent Social Work/Substance and Behavior Addictions internship during the first semester for 480 hours. The second semester students will complete a Substance and Behavior Addictions only internship for an additional 400 hours.
The time frame to accept transfer credits will follow the BSU policy of accepting credits completed within the last 10 years. The department will accept credits on a case-by-case basis outside of this time frame.
Internship Course Registration Information
| Social Work Internship | Dual Social Work/LADC Internship | LADC Internship | |
| Internship Hours | 480 Hours | 880 Hours | 880 Hours |
| First Semester Internship Course Registration | SOWK 4970-01 (12 Credits) |
SOWK 4970-01 (6 Credits) SOWK 4970-02 (6 Credits) |
SOWK 4970-02 (12 Credits) |
| Second Semester Course Registration | SOWK 4970-03 (12 Credits) | SOWK 4970-03 (12 Credits) |
Career Outlook
As of Dec 9, 2019, the average annual pay for the LADC jobs category in Minnesota is $53,077 a year.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $100,292 and as low as $27,780, the majority of salaries within the LADC jobs category currently range between $42,847 (25th percentile) to $61,211 (75th percentile) in Minnesota. The average pay range for a LADC job varies modestly (up to $18,364), which suggests there may be fewer opportunities for advancement based on skill level, but increased pay based on location and years of experience is still possible.
Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the LADC job market in both Minnesota and the surrounding area is very active. Minnesota ranks number 27 out of 50 states nationwide for LADC job salaries.
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