You can also pursue a concentration in addictions and substance use, childhood development, or criminal justice. With this degree, you can pursue various addiction and recovery careers, including becoming a correctional treatment specialist or social and community service manager. While these careers come with challenges, these roles help individuals and families in crisis.
What program are you interested in?
- Oklahoma-based East Central University offers an online bachelor of arts in human services counseling.
- Certified alcohol and drug counselor (CADC) certification must be maintained throughout your career.
- For example, you may be a good fit for a career as a health education specialist, a social or community service manager, or a health services manager.
- If you’re ready to pursue addiction counseling as a career, it’s time to start making a plan.
- To make pursuing a career easier, the university accepts up to 90% transfer of credits.
It can be taxing to sit in the hard places all day, but Belton has seen that the hard places are where Jesus is. After completing undergrad, Belton began researching options for her masters degree in counseling. She also knew that she wanted a degree that would intertwine her faith with her work. All of her boxes were checked when she found Grace College’s online Masters of Clinical and Mental Health Counseling degree. Belton finally landed on a Bible degree at Cedarville University because she knew that regardless of what she chose to do next, she wanted to have a Biblical foundation. It wasn’t until later, as Belton reflected on her past, that she decided to continue her education and pursue a masters degree in counseling.
- Many addiction counseling positions are open to people with a bachelor’s degree, which can usually be earned in about four years.
- Misericordia University (MU) is a small, nonprofit university offering a post-bachelor’s certificate in counseling.
- To work in private practice, addiction counselors must receive licensure from their state.
- This takes at least a bachelor’s degree in counseling to earn, and some states require a master’s in counseling.
- ASU Online is dedicated to providing innovative, high-quality online education to students from across the country and around the world.
- This list features some of the best online substance abuse counseling degree programs at top colleges nationwide.
Courses & Curriculum
The opioid crisis is predicted to fuel much of the demand for addictions and substance use counselors. All students should apply for federal financial aid by submitting the FAFSA. Your financial information determines your eligibility for loans and grants. Scholarships and grants can make college more affordable and require no repayment. If you have your sights set on a career in counseling, academics, or social work, a bachelor’s in psychology serves as a stepping stone to a graduate degree in psychology.
Licensure and Certification Disclosures
These health professionals teach communities about health and safety practices, such as personal hygiene or proper child car seat installation. They may work for government health agencies, nonprofits, or healthcare facilities. The COVID-19 pandemic has likely accelerated the demand for professionals who can teach communities to practice good health and hygiene. Addiction counselors need to understand the physiological substance abuse counseling effects of drugs and alcohol on the body, which is the subject of this class. At Eastern Washington University, the online Bachelor of Arts in Addiction Studies is designed for students who want to influence individuals’ lives by guiding them toward healthier lifestyles. Liberty University (LU) students have the opportunity to pursue an online Bachelor of Science in Psychology – Addiction & Recovery.
How to Become an Addiction Counselor
What does the career potential look like for this field?
Psychology (MS)
Start Your Online College Search:
- You should also think about the true program cost, which factors in your working income.
- You can land an entry-level job as a childcare worker, social or human service assistant, or preschool teacher.
- With a master’s degree in addiction counseling, you can pursue state licensure, which allows you to provide clinical one-to-one counseling services to your clients.
- Such practical experience can go a long way toward fulfilling your career aspirations to become an addiction counselor.
- Their career-focused programs emphasize in-demand knowledge and skills, taught by teachers who are practitioners in their fields.