Counselors and psychologists who are interested in furthering their knowledge in helping people overcome alcohol or drug abuse may consider a new "addiction studies" major offered by a university in Wisconsin. Viterbo University will offer the new program starting in fall 2010 o prepare students and other professionals for careers in psychology, human services and criminal justice, among others, program adviser Darcie Mueller, told the university newspaper, Lumen. The program will be offered by Viterbo's school of Graduate, Professional and Adult Education and will require 31 credits, including nine psychology courses and two classes on alcohol and drug abuse. Students who complete the bachelor’s degree with a major in addiction studies would need 3,000 hours of supervised training, instead of the usual 4,000 hours required by Wisconsin laws to be certified substance abuse counselor. The program also meets the 360-hour requirement for state approved education, Mueller said. Across the country, demand for psychologists and counselors are growing, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job growth in general will increase 14% by 2018 but varies depending on specialty. School psychologists will have 11% growth while the need for industrial-organizational psychologists will rise by 26% within the next decade.  |