ALL PROGRAMS

Addiction Counseling Degree Online

ONLINE
per credit
Bachelor's in Addictions Counseling
ALL PROGRAMS

Addiction Counseling Degree Online

ONLINE
per credit
Addiction Counseling Degree Online

Substance Abuse Counselor – Online Counseling Degree

Do you want to pursue a career helping others overcome their addictions through effective counseling? If so, the Bachelor of Science in Addictions Counseling at Indiana Wesleyan University could be the next logical step toward your goal. This Bachelor’s Degree in Addiction Counseling program was designed to be completed online, allowing students to continue their education without slowing down their current career or family responsibilities. This evidence-based program produces practitioners who want to apply their Christian faith to their careers, helping individuals defeat their addictions. This B.S. in Addictions Counseling can be completed in as little as two years, with students focusing on just one course at a time.

Why Pursue My Bachelor’s in Addictions Counseling Online at IWU?

At IWU, students with Christian beliefs can find the support and mentorship to be successful in this substance abuse counselor degree online program while focusing on self-development and lifelong learning grounded in IWU’s Christian faith. From tech support to tutoring, we provide online students the same quality of education they would expect from a campus-based program. While you study in this program, we will lock your tuition rates so they stay the same throughout your time of study. We offer students a path toward an accredited degree in addiction counseling with the convenience of online courses and the benefit of practicum hours spent with faculty who are experienced professionals.  Our Christian faculty teach from the same biblical worldview valued on our campus, so that students can implement these principles in a fulfilling career in counseling.

What Will I Learn in this B.S. in Addictions Counseling Online Degree Program?

The curriculum of this behavioral health degree online is designed to teach students evidence-based addiction treatment skills, the theory and practice of group counseling techniques, ethics and professional practice, the psychology of abnormal behavior, cultural humility in counseling, and other critical topics. Plus, we lock in the rate of your tuition once you start this drug and alcohol counseling online degree program. This ensures you do not have to worry about cost increases once you begin your education.

Learn more about the Bachelor's in Addictions Counseling Online Program

What Makes IWU Different?

Education Pioneer

IWU has provided education for more than 100 years.

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Christ-centered support, resources, and services to online students, staff and faculty.

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Tuition & Aid

45 Credit Hours

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$405/ Credit Hour

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Financial aid is available in the form of grants, loans, scholarships, veterans’ benefits, and employer reimbursement.

Financial Aid Tuition & Fees Info

Applicable fees for resources and services will be assessed throughout the program. Tuition and fees for prerequisites and required elective courses are in addition to the charges shown on the program cost sheet. Your tuition rate will remain the same as long as you remain continuously enrolled in the same program. The estimated cost of attendance is available on the financial aid webpage. Cost sheets may be requested from an enrollment counselor by calling 866.498.4968 or emailing iwuenroll@indwes.edu.

What You'll Study

Coursework for your bachelor’s in addictions counseling program covers how to:

  • Demonstrate the ability to communicate treatment plans and techniques for rehabilitation effectively with clients and their families
  • Apply current techniques in assessment, treatment planning, and client/system change processes
  • Understand and treat individuals, through trauma-informed care, based on the context of their individual addictions as well as family systems and addiction
  • Integrate Christian principles into a career helping others overcome their addiction

View Courses

Indiana Wesleyan University

Courses in this Program

These courses contain the program-specific knowledge. Upon completion, you should have the tools to conquer your new career with confidence. For a full list of courses and prerequisites required to complete your degree, please visit the course catalog. Click on a course below to view the description.

PSY-150,ADC-202, ADC-210,SOC-210,PSY-250,ADC-310, ADC-320,PSY-370,PSY-366,ADC-458,ADC-212,PSY-322,ADC-330,ADC-458,ADC-471,ADC-472,ADC-473,ADC-474

After Graduation

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Potential Careers

  • Community Health Worker
  • Licensed Addictions Counselor
  • Social Services Manager

Work in Various Industries

  • Industries

FAQs

A Bachelor of Science in Addictions Counseling is an undergraduate degree designed to prepare students for professional roles supporting individuals affected by substance use and addiction-related challenges. At Indiana Wesleyan University, the program is offered online and helps students build the academic, ethical, and practicum-based foundation needed for addictions counseling work and related licensure pathways.

Yes. The Bachelor of Science in Addictions Counseling is offered online, making it a flexible option for students who need to balance school with work, family, or other responsibilities.

The program supports licensure pathways that may help students pursue the Licensed Addiction Counselor-Associate (LAC-A) and Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC) credentials in the state of Indiana. It may also support licensure consideration in other states, depending on each state’s requirements and criteria.

Because licensure standards vary by state, students should review the requirements for the state where they plan to practice.

Yes. The Indiana Wesleyan University Bachelor of Addictions Counseling program addresses state-specific licensure considerations. The curriculum was used by the state of Indiana as the academic standard and is now included in Indiana’s addiction licensure law.

Students are required to complete 350 supervised clinical hours as part of the program.

These hours help students apply what they learn in coursework while gaining practical experience in a supervised setting.

Yes. The program includes practicum coursework, and students complete supervised applied experiences as part of their preparation for professional practice.

The final four Addictions Counseling Practicum courses provide opportunities for students to apply counseling knowledge and ethical principles under supervision.

Ethical issues are addressed throughout multiple courses in the program sequence. Students study important areas of professional addiction counseling ethics as they progress through the curriculum.

These ethical concepts are then reinforced in applied practice during the final four practicum courses, where students work under supervision and connect ethical decision-making to real counseling contexts.

The populations students work with during practicum can vary depending on the setting and the services offered by the facility.

This means student experiences may differ based on where they complete their supervised clinical work and the types of clients served in that environment.

The practicum helps students move from academic preparation into supervised applied practice. Through this experience, students build confidence, strengthen counseling-related skills, and gain exposure to real-world addiction treatment settings.

Combined with coursework in ethics and professional practice, the practicum is an important part of preparing students for next-step opportunities in the field.

One distinctive feature of the program is its connection to Indiana licensure standards. Based on the program information provided, the curriculum helped inform the academic standard recognized in Indiana addictions licensure law.

This connection can make the program especially relevant for students seeking a degree aligned with addictions counseling preparation in Indiana.

This program may be a strong fit for students who want to build a foundation in addiction counseling, complete supervised clinical training, and prepare for licensure-related next steps in the field.

It may especially appeal to students looking for an online addictions counseling degree that combines flexible delivery with applied practicum experience.

Program Requirements

  • Proof of standard high school diploma or GED certification.
  • Official transcripts from all previous college or university studies at regionally accredited colleges or universities or at an institution accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education.
  • Prior completion of at least 60 transferable credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university or from an institution accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education is required before starting the core program. A maximum of 40 credit hours may be earned through the assessed learning process toward the required 60.
  • Students in this program are required to complete PSY-150 (General Psychology) or its equivalent before starting the core program.
  • Completion of 120 credit hours.
  • Completion of the required core courses with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • Overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • Completion of 30 credit hours of Liberal Arts, including the following:
    • 3 credit hours in Biblical Studies
    • 3 credit hours in Biblical Studies or Philosophy or Religion
    • 6 credit hours in English Written Communication
    • 3 credit hours in English Oral Communication
    • 6 credit hours in Social or Behavioral Science
    • 3 credit hours in Mathematics
    • 3 credit hours in Natural Science
    • 3 credit hours in Arts and Humanities (Core courses that fall into Liberal Arts categories may not be used to fulfill both the core requirement and the Liberal Arts requirement.)
  • Completion of a total of 350 supervised hours of practicum field experience.
  • Payment of all tuition and fees is required to receive a diploma.
  • Internet Requirement. Students will be required to have access to high-speed Internet for the duration of the program.
  • Audio and Video Equipment. Students will be required to obtain and/or utilize audio and video equipment for classes, group counseling, and practicums.
  • Background Checks. Students may be required to undergo background checks and drug testing in order to participate in the practicum courses.
  • Criminal Convictions. State regulations may prohibit licensure for individuals who have ever been convicted of a crime of violence or of any crime that has a direct bearing on the ability to practice competently. The applicant is responsible to check with the state in which he or she wishes to be licensed prior to beginning the program.

Accreditation

  • Internet Requirement. Students will be required to have access to high-speed Internet for the duration of the program.
  • Audio and Video Equipment. Students will be required to obtain and/or utilize audio and video equipment for classes, group counseling, and practicums.
  • Background Checks. Students may be required to undergo background checks and drug testing in order to participate in the practicum courses.
  • Criminal Convictions. State regulations may prohibit licensure for individuals who have ever been convicted of a crime of violence or of any crime that has a direct bearing on the ability to practice competently. The applicant is responsible to check with the state in which he or she wishes to be licensed prior to beginning the program.

Take the Next Step

Discover the way ahead so you can help others overcome their addictions and move forward in your counseling career. Learn more about the online B.S. in Addictions Counseling at IWU today!

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