Like most counselors, a rehabilitation counselor needs a master’s degree and must obtain professional counseling licensure to work independently. The master’s curriculum covers methodological and research perspectives of substance abuse, and learners can take specialized courses to align with their career goals. Applicants without a background in counseling may need to complete prerequisite courses before enrolling in the master’s program. Online enrollees work with the program to find internship opportunities in their local area, while on-campus students can access facilities, such as the library or gym. The master’s curriculum examines theoretical and practical perspectives of counseling and mental health.
The total cost of your degree will depend on academic performance, transfer credits, scholarships and other factors. A team of dedicated enrollment counselors is standing by, ready to answer your questions and help you get started. TheBestSchools.org is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers. Anyone is prone to addiction, and as such, you could potentially work with any type of people from all backgrounds and age ranges. You can even specialize in adolescent addiction if you prefer to work with younger people.
Master’s in Addiction Counseling Online
Valparaiso University was founded in 1859 and has a strong tradition of excellence in both academics and sports. The clinical mental health and school counseling degrees offer a pathway to clinical addictions counselor licensure. As part of the program, students will have access to internships and supervised work experience to meet licensure and certificate requirements. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that jobs for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors will increase by 18% between 2022 and 2032. This increase means that about 42,000 new potential career opportunities may become available to individuals holding a master’s degree in substance abuse counseling.
The goal of Indiana Wesleyan University’s online master of arts in clinical addictions counseling is to provide the world with highly qualified counselors who can help the world from a foundation of Christian values in character, scholarship, and leadership. Graduates from this program will be prepared to work with patients with substance abuse issues and addictive behaviors such as eating, sexual, and gambling disorders. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredits master’s and doctoral degree programs in counseling and its specialties in the United States and worldwide. CACREP certifies all counseling specialties, including rehabilitation counseling, school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family counseling, and addiction counseling.
Why earn a master’s in addiction psychology from ASU Online?
That’s why you’ll have access to expert support at every step along the road to your degree. Accreditation and recognitions provide evidence that we meet standards for quality of faculty, curriculum, learner services, and fiscal stability. You may be able to save time and money on your Capella degree by transferring credits from an accredited university.
By earning your degree from a Christian university, you will complete coursework that integrates a biblical worldview into all aspects of your degree. Liberty University’s 100% online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling – Addictions and Recovery degree program is designed for human services professionals who need additional graduate-level training for career advancement. Social workers need strong interpersonal skills and an interest in working with low-income populations. A master’s in substance abuse counseling might lead you toward working as a clinical social worker who provides individual and group therapy to people with addiction challenges.
Eastern Washington University
She has worked in community and private mental health, as well as as the clinical director for a private residential facility. In practice, her specialties included addictions, severe mental health, adolescents, assessments, crisis/trauma, and anxiety. Notably, Waynesburg University also offers a 12-credit certificate in addiction counseling. All credits earned in this certificate can be transferred to the master of arts in counseling program upon completion. 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.
Students will acquire skills for identifying and addressing common issues in working with clients’ spiritual/religious issues to promote optimal functioning to increase meaning and purpose in life. Strength and character assessment and feedback will be employed to promote counselor dispositions in performing the counseling process. The foundation of counseling knowledge is the in-depth understanding of established theories of counseling. The study of the theories includes personality theories, theories of motivation, theories of change, and ways to analyze case studies to make high quality clinical decisions for treatment. Students will experience a special focus on theoretical reasoning in both explaining the theories and fully elucidating case examples in order to develop an integrated foundation upon which the more detailed study of the counseling field will build.
This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the health sciences. All classes are taught by knowledgeable instructors who guide you through a curriculum designed to teach foundational skills in the counseling field. GCU seeks to graduate students who are skilled communicators and effective servant leaders, capable of thinking critically about ethical issues and dilemmas.
Therapists or counselors may be met with challenges of stigma, denial, or even anger if older clients are not met with person-centered language and strategic intervention including thoughtful and discerning assessment. The certificate program courses and internships are designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills to pursue employment or career advancement as an addiction professional. The minimum requirements for our CACREP-accredited Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling master’s degree are 60 graduate credits, including 48 credits of required didactic course work, 9 credits of internship, and 3 credits of electives. Distance learning students as well as in-state students may be interested in eventually becoming licensed in other states besides Virginia.
Understanding professional licensure
It will be designed to provide an educational opportunity alongside recovery support to ensure that students do not have to sacrifice one for the other. Each state sets its own requirements for the degrees, course content and internship hours required to become an substance abuse counseling addiction counselor. Before enrolling in any particular program, make sure it satisfies the educational requirements for licensure in the state where you plan to practice. Since its founding in 1971, Liberty University has graduated more than 285,000 students.