Degree Offered
- Associate of Arts
Nature of the Program
The Mental Health and Addiction Studies major provides a broad knowledge base in mental health prevention, intervention and community impacts, with an in-depth focus on addiction treatment and recovery. Students in the major also take a variety of elective courses in diversity, aging, disabilities and wellness.
With its well-rounded curriculum, the major prepares students for fulfilling careers that lead to individual, family and community transformation.
Career Opportunities
Possible careers for a four-year graduate in mental health and addiction studies include child, family and school social workers; mental health counselors; mental health and substance abuse social workers; psychiatric aides; social and human service assistants.
Faculty
Chair
- Cassandra Pritts - M.A. History (Duquesne University)
Year @ PSC (2011)
Assistant professor
- Kristin Smouse - MSW (West Virginia University)
Year @ PSC (2019)
Admissions
Entering freshmen are admitted directly into the major.
Benchmark Requirements
Students who plan to continue their studies at WVU-Morgantown will need to maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA in all courses with the COUN and CDFS designator required in the major and a 2.0 overall GPA. If a student’s overall GPA drops below 2.0, he or she may be subject to academic probation and potentially dismissal from the program.
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEF Requirements (2A, 3, 5, and 6) | 15 | |
| ENGL 101 | Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
| ENGL 102 | Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | 3 |
| COUN 201 | Foundations of Mental Health Intervention | 3 |
| COUN 230 | Life Choices | 3 |
| COUN 240 | Introduction to Addiction Studies | 3 |
| COUN 340 | Counseling Techniques | 3 |
| CDFS 110 | Families Across the Life Span | 3 |
| CDFS 112 | Introduction to Family Processes and Dynamics | 3 |
| CDFS 210 | Introduction to Parenting | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 241 | Introduction to Human Development | 3 |
| PSYC 281 | Introduction to Psychological Disorders | 3 |
| WGST 170 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies | 3 |
| WVUE 191 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| General Electives | 2 | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 101 | 3 | ENGL 102 | 3 |
| MATH 121 (or higher) | 3 | COUN 240 | 3 |
| COUN 201 | 3 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| CDFS 110 | 3 | GEF 2A | 3 |
| SOC 101 | 3 | WGST 170 | 3 |
| WVUE 191 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| COUN 230 | 3 | COUN 340 | 3 |
| CDFS 112 | 3 | CDFS 210 | 3 |
| PSYC 241 | 3 | PSYC 281 | 3 |
| GEF 5 | 3 | GEF 2A | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | GEF 6 | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 60 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
Mental Health and Addiction Studies
Upon successful completion of the A.A. degree, Mental Health and Addiction Studies majors will be able to:
1. Apply appropriate communication skills across settings, purposes, and audiences.
2. Analyze resources in order to critically examine information.
3. Examine the connections among self, society and the environment.
4. Evaluate the role of art in society.