Degree in Nutrition and Addiction Services


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If you want to make a difference in the lives of others and are interested in learning timely, marketable job skills, you should earn a degree in Community, Family, and Addiction Services (CFAS). No doubt that this degree will give you all necessary tools to achieve such goals.

As a CFAS student, you should take courses in a wide variety of departments to gain comprehensive knowledge of human functioning and organizational management. Required courses usually cover topics such as Understanding Addictive Behavior, Coaching Leaders, Intimate Relationships, Family Financial Counseling, Program Development and Evaluation, and Nutrition. Students choose electives related to Nutrition, Family Therapy, Eating Disorders, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment, Human Sexuality, and Parenting. Their choice depends on future career goals and interests. During the senior capstone course, CFAS students learn the basics of grant writing. They put these skills into action by creating a funding proposal for a local non-profit agency.

Mental Health Disorders and Addictions Interact

During their studies, students learn how individuals can become “addicted” and how mental health disorders and addictions interact, resulting in a more complex assessment and treatment process. They discuss current research and critiques of the concept of dependency, contemporary psychological theories about addictive behavior, treatment issues and strategies to change or shift co-dependent patterns.

The CFAS undergraduate major provides a strong foundation for students who pursue graduate degrees in Nutrition, Marriage and Family Therapy, Substance Abuse, Counseling, or other mental health fields.

Community, Family, and Addiction Services Students Practicum

All CFAS students complete a 14-week practicum scheduled within the summer before their senior year. During the practicum, students work with a community agency or treatment facility to gain valuable hands-on experience in their future career. They work side by side with professionals in organizations such as local substance abuse recovery centers, hospice, school-based substance abuse prevention programs.

The CFAS major is a perfect choice for those students who pursue a career in substance abuse prevention, addiction recovery counseling, marriage and family therapy, or related mental health fields. After a completion of a degree in Community, Family, and Addiction Services you should take the Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor examination and register as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern.

The CFAS major is unique in its focus on both the organizational and service delivery aspects essential for bachelor’s level employees in human service agencies. It’s very important to underline that this degree prepares students to excel in careers related to human services administration and service delivery, including substance abuse prevention and counseling, management of community service and outreach organizations, non-profit administration, or case management.

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