SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Addiction counseling professionals will have smooth pathways to bachelor’s degrees from the Springfield College School of Human Services (SHS), with a regional campus in Houston, Texas, thanks to a new agreement with the Institute of Chemical Dependency Studies (ICDS), with classroom locations in Houston, Austin, Dallas and San Antonio, Texas and Los Angeles CA. ICDS also offers these courses on-line at www.cdstudies.com.

Springfield College will award undergraduate credits for successfully completed ICDS courses to students enrolled in its SHS undergraduate program. Up to 24 credits will be eligible for transfer toward the 120-credit bachelor’s degree. All SHS campuses will accept ICDS credit.

The Institute of Chemical Dependency Studies, a NAADAC approved education provider, has set the standard of excellence in initial, ongoing, and advanced clinical and professional training and development in the field of addiction counseling since 1992.

“This agreement attests to the college-level quality of ICDS education, which is accepted for certifications and licensures across the country. Springfield College has an international reputation for education in the human helping fields. Through this partnership, we can equip dedicated professionals with the latest knowledge and skills to be excellent addictions counselors.”

Robert J. Willey, dean of the Springfield College School of Human Services, said “Graduates of the ICDS courses have consistently demonstrated solid academic preparation in addictions counseling. We welcome the experience that they will bring to our learning environment and look forward to advancing their preparation to become leaders in their field.”

The new agreement will enable graduates of ICDS courses to complete their bachelor’s degrees in as little as two years at the SHS. The school, with its base at the main campus of the 125 year-old college in Springfield, Mass., offers degree programs in human services at 11 campuses throughout the United States.

SHS programs are designed for working adults with classes two weekends a month for bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates. Many students enter the program with years of experience in human services work. The SHS offers a process for undergraduates to claim up to 72 credits for courses successfully completed at other accredited colleges and universities, various professional certifications and trainings, and knowledge gained through experiential level learning. The school follows standards of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning in awarding such credit.

SHS undergraduate programs are accredited by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education, and Springfield College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

ICDS offers counselor training, continuing education, and additional certification courses at its classroom locations and on-line. It specializes in four elements of counselor education: substance abuse, continuing education, three specialized certifications, and preparation for the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC) examinations. The ICDS is an approved education provider of the NAADC, the association for addiction professionals, which sets the standard of excellence in clinical and professional training and development in the addiction counseling field.

All aspects of Springfield College’s academics and student life are characterized by the humanics philosophy, which emphasizes educating the whole person, consisting of spirit, mind, and body, for leadership in service to other people. There are more than 4,800 students at its main and regional campuses, and 41,000 alumni in 60 nations.

Greg Lovelidge, President of the Institute of Chemical Dependency Studies, welcomes the opportunity of adding Springfield College to our family of Universities and colleges who accept credits earned by the national and international students who attend ICDS.