FAQs

FAQs

Q.   Who is the certificate for?
A.   Anyone who is interested in advanced knowledge regarding opioid abuse and treatment.

Q.  Do you need to be a counselor or therapist to enroll?
A.  No, anyone can enroll.  We do expect that addictions counselors and treatment specialists will be most interested in enrolling, but other professionals (e.g., nurses, teachers, caseworkers, criminal justice personnel and clergy), students and even lay people who have an interest in this topic would benefit.

Q.  How long does it take to earn the certificate?
A.  It is designed to be earned in two consecutive semesters.

Q.  Would the material be overwhelming for someone who already has a family and job?
A.  No, the courses are designed to be taken one at a time: one course in the first seven weeks of the semester and another course in the second seven weeks of the semester.  That way, students can focus on one course at a time.

Q.  Are all four courses online?
A.  Yes

Q.  Will the courses be offered in a traditional face-to-face classroom format?
A.  Initially the program is entirely online.  We will be listening to feedback from students, and, if there is demand for face-to-face, we will consider offering this certificate program that way.

Q.  Do I have to “attend” class at a certain time each week?
A.  No, these courses are designed to be asynchronous, so while you are required to complete the course work each week, you can do it at a time that is convenient for you.

Q.  Do I get college credits?
A.  Yes.  The four courses are college courses approved for credit.  Upon completion of the certificate the student will have 12 undergraduate credit hours from Clarion University.

Q. How do I apply and register for courses?
A.  To apply, simply visit www.clarion.edu/opioidspecialist and click Apply Today.  After you have been notified of your acceptance, you will be registered for the first two courses by the department.  They will send an email to your university email address once you have been registered for the course. You will receive an email when it is time to register for your last two classes, along with instructions on how to register.

Q.  As a current student at Clarion, can I apply for this program?
A.  Yes.  If you are a currently enrolled undergraduate student, you will fill out and submit a change of major form, which is used to add the certificate to their existing program. All other students, including graduate students, would click ‘apply now’ and fill out the short online application. 

Q.  Will I be charged undergraduate tuition if I am currently a graduate student?
A.  Yes.  You will be charged undergraduate tuition for the Opioid Treatment Specialist courses.

Q.  I have never taken an online course before.  How will I know what to do?
A.  As part of the registration process, you will be enrolled in a free, non-credit online orientation via D2L (Desire 2 Learn), the learning management system used for our online courses.   You will be sent a reminder of the orientation via your Clarion Eagle email address.

Q.  Even though the class is online, will I still be able to talk to the professor?
A.  Yes, students are encouraged to interact with their professor by D2L discussion board, Skype, email, or even directly on the phone.

Q.  Do the four courses have to be taken in exact sequence?
A.  The preferred sequence is REHB 406, NURS 475, REHB 410 and REHB 421.  However, it is not imperative to take them in that exact order.

Q.  I noticed that there is one nursing course (NURS 475) in the certificate program.  Do I need to be a nurse to take it?
A.  No.  The certificate is designed for anyone.  You do not have to be a nurse or rehabilitation professional to take the required courses.

Q.  Is financial aid available for the certificate?
A.  As a certificate program, financial aid is not available.  Your employer may provide funding for you to participate. 

Q.  What can I do with the Opioid Treatment Specialist Certificate?
A.  You will be better informed about the depth and breadth of the opioid crisis, as well as prevention and treatment.  This could be useful in your occupation, or just for general knowledge.  Given the spread of the opioid crisis, anyone with this training would be better able to deal with affected individuals, families and communities.

Q.  Can a student just take one class per semester instead of two classes?
A.  Yes. 

(Revised 08/1/2017)

Last Updated 8/10/20