Addiction Counseling Certificate

Program Overview

The addiction counseling certificate program is an online academic  program that prepares students to pursue licensure as a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) in Montana.  Please note, this is a graduate certificate program--not a master’s degree program. Students must have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field with a GPA of 3.0 to apply. However, we encourage motivated students with a GPA less than 3.0 to contact us to discuss the application process.

Certification and Licensing 

The Montana State University certificate in addiction counseling consists of 10 courses that can be completed in 1 year by full-time students and may be completed over longer time frames for students wishing to participate part-time. These courses fulfill, and are tailored to, the Montana Board of Behavioral Health addiction counselor licensure requirements. 

State licensure requirements vary. Course credits often count toward interstate licensure however, we encourage you to verify licensure requirements for the specific state where you are pursuing licensure prior to applying.

Prerequisite coursework for the State of Montana licensure depends upon on your educational background. The MSU addiction counseling certificate program provides individual academic advisement and tailors a program of study based on individual student academic backgrounds.

Dual Licensure 

Students who have completed, or are currently completing, master's- or higher level coursework in a related discipline such as counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, or psychology often opt to complete our addiction specific courses to pursue additional licensure as an addictions counselor.  Many master's- and doctoral-level courses fulfill the Montana Board of Behavioral Health addiction counseling licensure requirements and these students can fulfill the licensure requirements by completing several of our courses, depending on their specific academic programs. 

Gainful Employment  Disclosure

The Addiction Counseling certificate program is a gainful employment (non-degree certificate) academic program.

Please contact Edward Dunbar, Program Director, at ACprogram@montana.edu