Advanced Behavioral Sciences
The Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Advanced Behavioral Sciences prepares students to assist, as part of a clinical team, in the care of individuals and families dealing with mental illness, addictions and substance use, trauma, developmental disabilities, comorbid medical conditions, and challenging behaviors. The program includes courses designed to provide students with the skills necessary to deliver behavioral health and social services through supervised field experience. This program prepares students for industry certification and is embedded in the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Behavioral Sciences, and the Bachelor’s of Science (BS) in Behavioral Sciences available at MCCCD.
Details
None
Students must earn a grade of C or better in each course in the program.
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- Apply the principles of trauma-informed care with diverse client populations.
- Demonstrate ethical interpersonal and communication skills important in establishing and maintaining relationships.
- Practice evidence-based behavioral health interventions using assessment and outcome measures.
- Assist clients with substance use and co-occurring disorders in their recovery.
- Determine the role, function, and responsibilities of various mental health professions.
- Examine the comprehensive bio-psycho-social needs of diverse client populations in behavioral health and social service settings.
- Identify methods to resolve current symptoms and prevent future effects of burnout, traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue.
- Manage crisis/trauma situations while engaging in appropriate self care to promote professional resilience and personal safety.
- Manage individual cases as part of a multidisciplinary team in a fashion that best serves the patient and simultaneously protects the practitioner.
- Document treatment plans in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team.
Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.
Community Health Workers
$44,250 Show expanded career information for Community Health Workers
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
$54,280 Show expanded career information for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
Healthcare Social Workers
$60,790 Show expanded career information for Healthcare Social Workers
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
$112,690 Show expanded career information for Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
Marriage and Family Therapists
$58,360 Show expanded career information for Marriage and Family Therapists
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
$43,720 Show expanded career information for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Mental Health Counselors
$50,460 Show expanded career information for Mental Health Counselors
Physician Assistants
$121,490 Show expanded career information for Physician Assistants
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
$56,120 Show expanded career information for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Psychiatric Aides
$33,300 Show expanded career information for Psychiatric Aides
Psychiatric Technicians
$35,370 Show expanded career information for Psychiatric Technicians
Psychiatrists
$293,810 Show expanded career information for Psychiatrists
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
$77,770 Show expanded career information for Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
School Psychologists
$76,870 Show expanded career information for School Psychologists
Social and Human Service Assistants
$39,460 Show expanded career information for Social and Human Service Assistants
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
$50,460 Show expanded career information for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
- Counseling Psychologists
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other
- Counselors, All Other
- Psychologists, All Other
- Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Pathway Planner tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
Term 1
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BHS150 | Introduction to Behavioral Health and Social Services | Critical course Gateway course | H, SB | 3 | |
BHS155 | Professional Resiliency and Well-Being | Critical course Gateway course | SB | 3 | |
BHS160 | Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling Services | Critical course | 3 | ||
BHS165 | Applied Therapeutic Communication Skills | Critical course | 3 | ||
BHS170 | Case Management and Clinical Documentation | 3 |
Term 2
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BHS175 | Trauma-Informed Care and Recovery Treatment | SB | 3 | ||
BHS180 | Child, Family, and Adult Advocacy | 3 | |||
BHS185 | Cultural Competence in Behavioral Health | C | 3 | ||
RE | Restricted Elective | 3 |
Term 3
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BHS190 | Supervised Practice in Behavioral Health and Human Services | 1 | |||
BHS205 | Introduction to Individual Counseling Theories | 3 | |||
BHS210 | Addictions, Substance Use Disorders, and Recovery | SB | 3 | ||
BHS215 | Introduction to Group Therapy | 3 | |||
RE | Restricted Elective | 3 |
Part-time Sequence
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
Term 1
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BHS150 | Introduction to Behavioral Health and Social Services | Critical course Gateway course | H, SB | 3 | |
BHS155 | Professional Resiliency and Well-Being | SB | 3 | ||
BHS160 | Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling Services | 3 |
Term 2
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BHS165 | Applied Therapeutic Communication Skills | 3 | |||
BHS170 | Case Management and Clinical Documentation | 3 | |||
BHS180 | Child, Family, and Adult Advocacy | 3 |
Term 3
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BHS175 | Trauma-Informed Care and Recovery Treatment | SB | 3 | ||
BHS185 | Cultural Competence in Behavioral Health | C | 3 | ||
RE | Restricted Elective | 3 |
Term 4
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BHS205 | Introduction to Individual Counseling Theories | 3 | |||
BHS210 | Addictions, Substance Use Disorders, and Recovery | SB | 3 | ||
BHS215 | Introduction to Group Therapy | 3 |
Term 5
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RE | Restricted Elective | 3 | |||
BHS190 | Supervised Practice in Behavioral Health and Human Services | 1 |
Restricted Electives
Student must choose six (6) credits from one (1) of the following specializations:
Note: Students choosing Developmental Disabilities, Criminal Justice and Forensic Science, or Mental Health may also need to complete PSY101 as it is a requisite to courses in these emphases.
PSY101 can be counted towards General Education requirement in most Associate degrees.
Specialization 1: Trauma and Crisis Stabilization
BHS230 Crisis and Trauma Stabilization 3
BHS235 Emergency Mental Health Crisis Response and Recovery 3
Specialization 2: Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
BHS275 Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (3) OR
CFS177 Parent-Child Interaction (3) 3
BHS272 Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Interventions 3
CFS235 Developing Child: Theory into Practice, Prenatal to Age Eight 3
+ EED210 Creative and Cognitive Play 3
(If EED210 is selected, CFS235 will need to be selected (unless another requisite option has been met.)
Specialization 3: Addiction and Substance Use Disorders
ASD110 Pharmacology of Substances of Abuse and Dependency 3
ASD245 Co-Occurring Disorders (2) AND
ASD120 Professional Ethics in Addictions and Substance Use Disorders (1) OR
ASD145 AIDS and Addiction (1) 3
BHS251 Harm Reduction in Addiction, Substance Use, and Social Services 3
Specialization 4: Developmental Disabilities
BHS271 Developmental Disabilities Assistance Training 3
+ PSY241 Understanding and Changing Behavior 3
+ PSY243 The Psychology of Developmental Disabilities 3
Specialization 5: Criminal Justice and Forensic Science
+ PSY267 Introduction to Forensic Psychology 3
AJS101 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3) OR
AJS200 Current Issues In Criminal Justice (3) OR
AJS225 Criminology (3) 3
Specialization 6: Mental Health
BHS230 Crisis and Trauma Stabilization (3) OR
BHS235 Emergency Mental Health Crisis Response and Recovery (3) 3
BHS251 Harm Reduction in Addiction, Substance Use, and Social Services 3
BHS255 Health and Wellness Coaching in Professional Resiliency 3
BHS262 Behavioral Health Service Techniques for the Elderly 3
BHS266 Violence and Abuse Services 3
BHS269 Grief Support Techniques 3
BHS271 Developmental Disabilities Assistance Training 3
BHS272 Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Interventions 3
BHS275 Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health 3
CPD180 Human Resilience: Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Applications 3
+ PSY266 Psychological Disorders 3
Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.
Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.
- C = Cultural Diversity in the US
- H = Historical Awareness
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.
Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.
View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm11?id=178768).
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.