Graduate School: Online Master’s Degree

Online Master’s in Addiction Counseling

If you're considering an addiction counseling degree or you’re passionate about becoming an addiction counselor or developing your career in the field of addiction studies, you should consider our CACREP-accredited online Master's in Counseling, Specialty: Addiction Counseling. 

With an online addiction counseling degree from the accredited Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School, you'll be better prepared to make significant and immediate impacts in the field of addiction studies where mental health counseling is becoming more and more important, and where proficient addiction counselors are always desperately needed. Read on to learn about our 60-credit hour online master's degree and all of its advantages.

Integrated Treatment for Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Today, working in addiction counseling requires a proficiency in the management and coordination of a patient's mental health treatment. Our Master's in Counseling, Specialty: Addiction Counseling online program is the best possible preparation for the current best practices in treating substance abuse.

With a dual focus on substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders, students will be well prepared for the mental health work that often intersects with addiction counseling.

Your coursework will include evidence-based addiction treatment approaches and clinical training that you might expect to see in a mental health counseling program, such as: 

• Differential diagnosis 

• Trauma-informed treatment

• Complicating medical issues

• Psychopharmacology

• Recovery management 

The focus in mental health counseling will prepare you to treat the whole person, increasing the likelihood of sustained and happy recovery.

Dynamic Coursework and Student Body

For new and experienced substance abuse counselors, the benefits are the same: you can do your coursework wherever, whenever and however you please. Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School online courses are considered asynchronous learning experiences. Asynchronous learning means that the instructor and the students in the course all engage with the course content at different times (and from different locations). Students complete our online courses on their own schedules, but nearly all coursework needs to be completed on a weekly basis.

Our on-campus classes and our group supervision classes are considered synchronous. In synchronized learning, everyone is "live" and present at the same time. This could be listening to a lecture in an on-campus class or participating in a virtual meeting. In online courses, faculty may offer Q & A sessions that are live (or synchronous) via Zoom. Generally, these pieces are optional in online courses and happen very rarely. As a result, students have more flexibility about how and when work is completed in our Online Program.

Most courses are divided into weeklong lessons. These lessons are laid out in our Learning Management System (Populi) so that everything students need for the lesson is contained right there. Students will work independently to read and watch course material. After students absorb the course content, they will typically participate in a variety of "learning activities" that help them engage the content and peers. Some courses require research for papers. Students have full access to the online library. Some courses require students to work on group projects together. In almost all cases, course material is designed to help students engage in active learning.  Students are introduced to classmates, taught to use Populi, the online library, and more in an in-depth Online Orientation they complete before starting their first semester. 

Roadmap to Degree Completion: Part-Time and Full-Time Enrollment

If you enroll in our online addiction counseling degree on a full-time basis, you will take up to four classes each semester across six semesters, with practicum hours starting in the third semester. As a part-time student, you will likely complete the 60-credit hour requirement by taking up to two courses per semester over a 10-semester time period, with practicum hours starting in the sixth semester. 

View our full-time and part-time online program course and elective options (pdf). 

Overview: Online Master’s Program

• 60-credit hour accredited graduate degree program
• Flexibility to complete coursework according to your schedule
• Full-time 24-month degree program with part-time options available 
• Develop and hone your skills and knowledge in the addiction counseling field with direct patient clinical interaction
• Three convenient start dates each year: January, May and September
• Financial aid, scholarships and veterans' benefits available to those who qualify
• Online orientation course introduces various learning activities and prepares new students for success as online learners 
• Two on-campus residencies combine classroom instruction and interactive learning
• Online master's program designed to meet a broad array of state standards for licensure. The curriculum meets academic licensure requirements for Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) credentials in Minnesota.
• Our Master of Arts in Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).  Graduating from a CACREP-accredited program does not guarantee licensure. However, CACREP standards typically meet minimum educational and experiential requirements for state licensure, and some states require graduation from a CACREP-accredited program in order to be eligible for licensure. Learn more about CACREP Accreditation.
• Some students who do not hold bachelor degrees may be eligible to enter the program through an Alternative Admissions Pathway. We recommend that you review our admission requirements before submitting your application. 

Student Outcomes for the Master's in Counseling, Specialty: Addiction Counseling Online Program

• 2024 graduates: 35
• 2019-2023 pass rates on credentialing examinations (6 month post-graduation): n=36/36 = 100%* 
• completion rates** 
• 2019-2023 job placement rates: n=63/71 = 88.7%*** 

*Among the student respondents who have taken the exam, what % passed the first time? 

**Graduate Rates: This gives the percentage of first-time, full- and part-time students enrolled (day 8) in a given fall semester who graduate from the graduate school within specific time periods. 

***Employed at six month post-graduation. What is the % of student respondents seeking employment were gainfully employed at the time of survey?

Start your application today or contact us to speak with an admissions specialist.

Are You Ready for Online Learning?

This self-assessment is designed to provide you, as a prospective graduate student, with a general idea of your readiness to succeed in an online learning program. The questionnaire focuses on four areas of readiness: technical experience, study habits, learning style and communication skills.

While consistent high scores do not assure success in an online learning program, consistent low scores are likewise not meant to discourage you.

Instead, your results in this self-assessment serve as a benchmark of your current readiness to succeed in an online program and identify skills that can help maximize that success.

The self-assessment should not be the sole determinant of your decision to pursue online education.

Point Scale

Award yourself the following points when answering individual questions in each of the four sections of the questionnaire below, and then compare that section’s total points to the rubric:

Your Answer                    Points

Always/Often                  2 points

Sometimes                        1 point

Rarely/Not at all             0 points

Technical Abilities

1. I am comfortable using a computer and working with various applications.
2. I have regular access to the Internet.
3. I am able to use web browsers to research information.
4. I can confidently write and format documents using a word processing program.
5. I use technology (e.g., email) to communicate.
6. I have used Internet chat programs.
7. I can download and install programs onto my computer.

Technical Abilities Scoring – Total Score

Point Total       Outcome

10-14 points     You appear technically proficient for online learning

7-9 points        You know quite a bit about technology but could sharpen your abilities for online learning

0-6 points        Your technical abilities appear below the norm for a first-time online learner

Study Habits

1. I am comfortable working and learning independently.
2. I strive to do well in my coursework.
3. I do not procrastinate about beginning my coursework.
4. I turn in assignments on time without reminders.
5. I take notes on my text readings or from viewing audio or video clips.
6. I persevere when confronted with challenges.
7. I enjoy interacting with fellow classmates either individually or in group projects.

Study Habits Scoring – Total Score

Point Total          Outcome

10-14 points        You appear to have good study habits for success in online learning

7-9 points           You have basic study habits but could sharpen them for successful online learning

0-6 points           Your study habits appear below the norm of successful online learners

Communication Skills

1. I am comfortable communicating with others in writing.
2. I am confident with my writing skills.
3. I have used email to contact an instructor.
4. I have used electronic methods to communicate with other students for a group project.
5. I have participated in threaded, asynchronous discussions.
6. I am very comfortable with online communications and am comfortable in an online environment.
7. Reading and writing college-level English is easy for me.

Communication Skills Scoring – Total Score

Point Total       Outcome

10-14 points      Your communication skills appear well suited for success with online learning

7-9 points         Your communication skills could be sharpened for success in online learning

0-6 points        Your communication skills appear below the norm of successful online learners

Learning Styles

1. I prefer to see visual aids after reading written information.
2. I prefer working in a group environment.
3. I prefer learning about an interesting topic by having it explained rather than reading about it.
4. I do best in a class when I am able to listen to lectures and/or tapes.
5. I am better following oral instructions than written instructions.
6. I enjoy raising my hand in class to answer questions or respond to discussions.

Learning Styles Scoring (note the inverse scale) – Total Score

Point Total       Outcome

0-5 points        Your learning style appears highly conducive to online learning

6-9 points        Your learning style appears adequately aligned with what can be expected from the experience of online learning

10-12 points     Your learning style may be better aligned for styles of learning other than online learning

A note about learning style: Your score pertaining to learning styles is indicative of your preferred method of learning (visual, auditory, interpersonal, etc.). While there is no right or wrong way to learn, some styles are more conducive to what can be expected from online learning experiences.

*This survey was developed by Lesley University and is used with their permission (July 2014).

What if my Readiness Scores Are Consistently Low?

Low scores in the readiness survey may not indicate that you are not suited for online learning. Rather, low scores may suggest that you are not yet prepared for online learning.

What Can I Do if I Scored Low in One or More Area?

Contact our Admissions Office or call 1-866-752-0458 to discuss your results and your educational objectives. Keep in mind that the questionnaire is intended to merely benchmark your present technical abilities and readiness skills.