Choosing a Master’s in Counseling Program

An accredited master’s degree is enough qualification for most substance use counseling jobs. But some roles might call for an even more advanced or specialized credential. Keep reading to learn about professional certificates and doctorates in this field. Most substance abuse master’s degrees have a general curriculum, but others feature concentrations in specialties such as group therapy, child and adolescent counseling, or mental health law. For our 2024 rankings, we utilize data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to identify schools offering eligible online programs.

Professors to Know in Online Master’s Degrees in Addiction Counseling

These records provide schools with details on the applicant’s previous education, prerequisites, and grades. According to our transfer guide, transcripts are also essential to the transfer credit process. While consistent high scores do not assure success in an online learning program, consistent low scores are likewise not meant to discourage you. Each unit will have learning activities and assignments to be completed and submitted for feedback.

What qualities are essential for aspiring addiction counselors?

CACREP accreditation is important because it asserts that the program meets a broad range of requirements designed to give the students the highest-quality educational experience. It evaluates a school on its overall learning environment, the level of education of core faculty, and the resources available to the students. CACREP-approved practicum experiences must total a minimum of 100 clock hours over a full academic term that is a minimum of 10 weeks. Practicum students complete at least 40 hours of direct service with actual clients, contributing to developing counseling skills. Internships must be at least 600 supervised clock hours in a setting relevant to addiction. According to the BLS, the field features a growing workforce and a higher median annual wage than the median salary for all occupations.

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ASU Online is dedicated to providing innovative, high-quality online education to students from across the country and around the world. College applications may require a resume and a minimum amount of work experience for admission. Along substance abuse counseling with highlighting relevant experience, college application resumes provide information about the candidate’s skills and strengths. At BestColleges, we believe a college education is one of the most important investments you can make.

• The course addresses theories of individual and family development, both typical and atypical, across the entire lifespan.
• Rehabilitation counselors work with people who have experienced personal setbacks, injuries, disabilities, or medical issues, which can sometimes be related to drug and alcohol abuse.
• There is also a long tradition of people who overcame addiction going on to help their fellow addicts break the chains of addiction.
• Additionally, this online master’s degree in addiction studies meets the educational requirements for national certification, qualifying you for licensure in almost every state.
• You will experience a cutting-edge curriculum that addresses the biological, social, and psychological factors of addiction.
• For example, MA programs often focus on theoretical research and interdisciplinary applications.

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Touro University Worldwide (TUW) provides a specialized Addiction Counseling program as part of their online Master of Arts in Counseling degree. Preparing graduates to become substance abuse counselors, this two-year graduate program explores the treatment of addiction and related disorders from a clinical counseling perspective. The online and hybrid format allows distance learners to take courses based on their schedule while exploring topics, such as chemical dependency and treatment; recovery and relapse; and multicultural and diversity issues. The required one-semester supervised field experience practicum and two-semester internship provide comprehensive work experience in professional counseling settings. There are many substance use counseling degrees online with completely remote coursework.

• The curriculum covers foundational addiction courses in theories and research, treatment, case management and assessment, and elective opportunities in topics like Native Americans and substance use and addiction and gambling and process addiction.
• Along with lectures from the trio of universities, students gain access to the libraries and resources from each of the collaborating schools.
• Addiction counselors may work in individual or group counseling settings or even within prisons, in-patient clinics, hospitals, or outpatient substance abuse centers.
• The asynchronous online format of our addiction science courses enables you to earn your post-baccalaureate certificate on a schedule that works best for you—and without the need to travel to campus.
• According to the BLS, addiction counselors make a median annual wage of $47,660.

Find the best online master’s in addiction and recovery programs.

Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may also impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the BLS. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers from across the country with varying levels of education and experience and does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors.

What can I do with a master’s in addiction counseling?

Application systems can streamline the process, specifically when applying to many schools. While these degree types may lead to similar outcomes in many cases, they can differ as well. For example, MA programs often focus on theoretical research and interdisciplinary applications.

Many careers in counseling are governed by professional titles and state licensure requirements, which vary from state to state. All program-specific admission requirements and recommended experiences are listed in the counseling degree courses section of this page. Choosing the right counseling graduate program is not easy, but these questions should help you make the right decision.

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But all accredited programs require in-person clinical internships under the supervision of a licensed counselor. As an online student, you can arrange to work your clinical hours at a facility close to your home if the school is far away. Earning a master’s degree in addiction counseling can prove challenging, as these programs typically require two years of study, extensive research, and significant clinical components.