Program: Drugs, Health, and Society MA - University at Buffalo - Modern Campus Catalog™

Apr 09, 2025

WORKING 2025-2026 Graduate Catalog

The Drugs, Health, and Society M.A. is a multidisciplinary program that will educate students in all aspects of addiction, including scientific, health, social, and political. It will have two overlapping concentrations. The Science and Health Concentration prepares students for careers in addiction treatment or addiction research. The Society and Politics Concentration prepares students to join a national drug policy workforce through a range of careers in the public sector as well as in fields such as journalism, human resources, or criminal justice.

Program Requirements

This inter-disciplinary program requires 27 credits of coursework and 3 credits of MA project supervision for a total of 30 graduate credits, taken across 3 or 4 semesters. This program offers specific requirements based on the concentration chosen - Science and Health or Society and Politics, as detailed below.

Science and Health Concentration

Sciences and Health Sciences Core (18 credits)

2 courses in Public Health
CHB 500LEC - Special Topics Credits: 3 Topic: Harm Reduction from a Public Health Perspective or
CHB 530LEC - Pblc Hth Perspect on Addiction Credits: 3 or
CHB 532LEC - Harm Reduction from a Public Health Perspective Credits: 3
CHB 501LEC - Study of Health Behavior Credits: 3 or
CHB 502LEC - Health Behavior Change Credits: 3
1 course in Nursing
NPM 553LEC - Primary Care of Individuals and Families Experiencing Addictions Credits: 3
NPM 569LEC - Neurobiological Basis of Mental Health and Addictive Disorders Credits: 3
1 course in Pharmacology & Toxicology
CHB 529SEM - Cannabis: A Review of its Pharmacology, Mythology, and Implications for Public Health Credits: 3
PHM 516LLB - Self-Care Therapeutics Credits: 2
1 course in Psychology
PSY 830SEM - Psychology of Drug Addiction: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment Credits: 3
1 course in Social Work
SW 560LEC - Nature & Treatment of Alcohol/Drug Problems Credits: 3

Humanities and Social Sciences Core (6 credits)

1 course in History
HIS 563SEM - The Politics of Drugs in the United States Credits: 3
1 course in Sociology
SOC 526LEC - Race, Crime and Punishment Credits: 3
SOC 529SEM - Sociology of Punishment Credits: 3
SOC 530SEM - Crime and Public Policy Credits: 3
SOC 541SEM - Soc of Health & Illness Credits: 3
SOC 569SEM - Social Inequalities and Health Credits: 3

Electives (3 credits)

Select from the following:

CEP 504LEC - Introduction to Addiction and Substance Abuse Credits: 3
CHB 525LEC - Health Disparities Credits: 3
CHB 528LEC - Tobacco Control Credits: 3
CHB 529SEM - Cannabis: A Review of its Pharmacology, Mythology, and Implications for Public Health Credits: 3
HIS 566SEM - A History of Madness Credits: 3
HIS 576SEM - Introduction to Disability Studies Credits: 3
HIS 577SEM - Disability History I: An Introduction to Disability History Credits: 3
SOC 526LEC - Race, Crime and Punishment Credits: 3
SOC 530SEM - Crime and Public Policy Credits: 3
SOC 541SEM - Soc of Health & Illness Credits: 3
SOC 569SEM - Social Inequalities and Health Credits: 3
SW 561LEC - Dual Disorders Credits: 3

Society and Politics Concentration

Sciences and Health Sciences Core (12 credits)

1 course in Public Health
CHB 500LEC - Special Topics Credits: 3 Topic: Harm Reduction from a Public Health Perspective
CHB 530LEC - Pblc Hth Perspect on Addiction Credits: 3
CHB 532LEC - Harm Reduction from a Public Health Perspective Credits: 3
1 course in Pharmacology & Toxicology
CHB 529SEM - Cannabis: A Review of its Pharmacology, Mythology, and Implications for Public Health Credits: 3
PHM 516LLB - Self-Care Therapeutics Credits: 2
1 course in Psychology
PSY 830SEM - Psychology of Drug Addiction: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment Credits: 3
1 course in Social Work
SW 560LEC - Nature & Treatment of Alcohol/Drug Problems Credits: 3

Humanities and Social Sciences Core (12 credits)

2 courses in History
HIS 563SEM - The Politics of Drugs in the United States Credits: 3 and one of the following:
CHB 525LEC - Health Disparities Credits: 3
HIS 566SEM - A History of Madness Credits: 3
HIS 576SEM - Introduction to Disability Studies Credits: 3
HIS 577SEM - Disability History I: An Introduction to Disability History Credits: 3
2 courses in Sociology
SOC 526LEC - Race, Crime and Punishment Credits: 3 or
SOC 529SEM - Sociology of Punishment Credits: 3 or
SOC 530SEM - Crime and Public Policy Credits: 3
SOC 541SEM - Soc of Health & Illness Credits: 3 or
SOC 569SEM - Social Inequalities and Health Credits: 3

Electives (3 credits)

Select from the following:

CEP 504LEC - Introduction to Addiction and Substance Abuse Credits: 3
CHB 501LEC - Study of Health Behavior Credits: 3
CHB 502LEC - Health Behavior Change Credits: 3
CHB 525LEC - Health Disparities Credits: 3
CHB 528LEC - Tobacco Control Credits: 3
CHB 529SEM - Cannabis: A Review of its Pharmacology, Mythology, and Implications for Public Health Credits: 3
HIS 566SEM - A History of Madness Credits: 3
HIS 577SEM - Disability History I: An Introduction to Disability History Credits: 3
NPM 553LEC - Primary Care of Individuals and Families Experiencing Addictions Credits: 3
NPM 569LEC - Neurobiological Basis of Mental Health and Addictive Disorders Credits: 3
SOC 526LEC - Race, Crime and Punishment Credits: 3
SW 560LEC - Nature & Treatment of Alcohol/Drug Problems Credits: 3
SW 561LEC - Dual Disorders Credits: 3

MA Project

Students reserve the final 3 credits of the program for their final culminating project, chosen between the following variable credit courses

HIS 598TUT - Project for MA Students Credits: 1 - 6
PSY 600TUT - Graduate Work Credits: 1 - 6
SOC 600TUT - Project Guidance Credits: 1 - 6
PMY 517TUT - Project Guidance Credits: 1 - 5

Total Credit Hours: 30

3.0 Degree GPA required

SED Statement

This program is officially registered with the New York State Education Department (SED).