Founded in 1949 at a lakeside farmhouse in Minnesota, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation grew into a large, respected private non-profit alcohol and drug addiction treatment provider before merging with the Betty Ford Center in 2014. The school provides a number of graduate degrees as well as treatment centers for drug and alcohol abuse and addiction.
Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies Accreditation Details
The Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and degree programs are accredited by the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC).
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Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies Application Requirements
In order to gain admission into the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies, students must first complete an online application, including a 750- to 1,000-word essay, and pay the non-refundable application fee. Interested students must also provide three letters of professional reference from a professor, academic advisor, current supervisor, vendor, client, colleague, former employer or current employer. Students must also participate in a faculty-conducted admissions interview. On-campus students are required to complete a background study, complete a caregiver background check and sign a statement and release of information regarding past sexual exploitation of, or contact with, former patients or patients. All students must submit official transcripts from previously attended academic institutions.
Related resource: The Top 10 Low-Cost Online Master’s Degrees in Addiction Counseling 2017
Tuition and Financial Aid
Students pursuing a master’s degree can expect to pay $731 per credit hour as well as a $70 technology fee per semester. The school is approved by the Minnesota State Approving Agency for several Veterans Affairs education programs such as the post-9/11 GI Bill. Veterans, current military members and their families may be eligible to take advantage of these education benefits. The school participates in several federal student aid programs, and all loans are offered via the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. To qualify for federal student aid, a student must take at least five or six required credits per semester for half-time enrollment, seven or eight credits per semester for three-quarter-time-enrollment and nine or more credits per semester for full-time enrollment.
Graduate Psychology and Counseling Degrees Available
The school offers several on-campus and online degrees to help students achieve their career and education goals in the field of psychology and counseling, including a master’s degree in addiction counseling, an online master’s degree in addiction studies and a master’s degree in addiction counseling with an advanced practice focus. In each degree program, expert clinicians and faculty members provide clinical supervision and individualized academic advising for all students. Coursework can be completed on-campus in Minnesota, but students may also have the option of taking some coursework online as the degree program's curriculum allows.
The master’s degree in addiction counseling provides students with the skills and knowledge to address the complexities of addiction recovery and treatment throughout the duration of the patient’s care. Coursework focuses on evidence-based treatment practices, and studies combine academic learning with clinical placement both outside and within the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. The 44-credit program is offered on-campus with some online coursework, and the full-time 12-month program offers several part-time options. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to earn their Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) credential in the state of Minnesota. Coursework includes diagnostic procedures, biological perspectives, an introduction to theory and practice, ethics, individual approaches, research and clinical practice, group theory and process, case management, multicultural approaches, families and systems, lifespan development and assessment and intervention for co-occurring mental health conditions. Students may also choose from a number of electives, including behavioral healthcare administration, co-occurring disorders in older adults, eating disorders and nutrition, advanced cognitive-behavioral therapy, advanced motivational interviewing, co-occurring disorders in children and adolescents, human sexuality, clinical supervision, behavioral addictions and loss, grief and death.
The school’s online master’s degree in addiction studies with an emphasis on integrated recover for co-occurring disorders prepares students with the skills and knowledge to treat and promote recovery for patients suffering from drug and alcohol addiction as well as co-occurring medical or mental health complications. The curriculum features courses in recovery management, psychopharmacology, medical issues, trauma-informed treatment and differential diagnosis as well as an evidence-based approach that is integrated immediately upon first interaction with a client. The 60-credit program is offered online to provide a convenient, flexible method of obtaining advanced training in the field and includes three residency experiences in Center City, MN. The full-time program lasts 24 months with several part-time options available. Students may customize the degree through elective courses and internships, and the curriculum meets the academic requirements for the Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credentials in Minnesota. Coursework includes evidence-based practice for co-occurring disorders, lifespan development, treatment and recovery planning for co-occurring disorders, culturally-responsive co-occurring disorders counseling, evaluation methodologies for the clinician and treatment administrator, family psychoeducation and counseling for co-occurring disorders, crisis and trauma, lifestyle and vocational development and etiology, screening and assessment of co-occurring disorders.
The 60-credit Master of Arts in Addiction Counseling: Advanced Practice degree provides students with advanced coursework in mental health counseling in addition to a strong foundation as an addiction treatment clinician. Courses address individual differences in support systems, lifespan development, culture, clinical presentation and vocational adjustment in order to address the complexities of common co-occurring mental health conditions as they relate to addiction. The program is offered on-campus with some online coursework required, and the full-time program will take approximately 20 months to complete. The curriculum meets the academic requirements for the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) credentials in Minnesota. Students can expect to take coursework such as individual approaches, diagnostic procedures, introduction to theory and practice, case management, multicultural approaches, group theory and process, biological perspectives, families and systems, research and clinical practice, assessment and intervention for co-occurring mental health conditions, lifespan development and differential diagnosis. Elective courses are not required to earn the Master of Arts in Addiction Counseling: Advanced Practice degree from the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies, but students may choose to take one or more electives such as clinical supervision, behavioral addictions, independent study, advanced motivational interviewing or behavioral healthcare administration.