Human Services and Substance Abuse - Home

Notice
The Human Services and Substance Abuse program is not accepting new students. This site is available for archival purposes only.

The Social Services Mental Health program is still available and accepting students.

Tens of thousands of Americans struggle each day with alcoholism and chemical dependency, and caring professionals are needed to help them and their families recover. Pierce College's Human Services and Substance Abuse program trains individuals to understand the physical and psychological effects of these addictions and how they can be treated effectively. Pierce prepares its students to work across age and cultural barriers and in a variety of treatment settings, including hospitals and medical facilities, state and court-mandated programs, corrections, and early intervention programs in school settings.

Pierce's Human Services and Substance Abuse program incorporates strong academic and classroom training with specialized coursework and supervised experience in the field, giving students the practical knowledge, values, and skills they'll need in the workforce.

Register today
Enrollment is open throughout the year. Start in the fall, winter, spring, or summer quarters.

Prerequisites
Students must have a GED or high school diploma, and are advised to take a skills assessment test through the Pierce College testing center.

Program length
Certificates can be earned in about a year (64 to 66 credits). The associate's degree options take about two years (93 to 95 credits for the general associate's degree and 111 credits for the DTA with a certificate).

Transfer possibilities
The DTA option transfers to most public or private four-year collegesand universities.The associate's degree in Human Services and Substance Abuse transfers directly to The Evergreen State College. Students intending to transfer into a four-year program are asked to work closely with their academic advisor.

Special features
All classes are held at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood. Online classes are available for some courses.

Employment possibilities
The Occupational Outlook Handbook predicts careers in alcoholism and chemical dependency treatment to grow at a very high rate of 30 percent. Trained professionals are needed to help meet this growing demand.

Sandra Croswaite
Instructor and Advisor
(253) 964-6774