20 Best Online Bachelor’s in Addiction & Recovery

Its slogan, “Dedicated to one goal. Yours,” just about sums up Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s excellent program. How could we not pick it as our #1 best online school to get a bachelor’s degree in addiction & recovery? With roots tracing back to 1884, NSU has been providing quality education for more than a century.

Louisiana has some of the harshest drug laws in the country, making it imperative for individuals suffering from the disease of addiction to get help before the law gets involved. 

NSU offers a Bachelor of Science in Addiction Studies to its students. You’ll receive a top-notch education at an affordable price. The school is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), so if you decide you want to pursue something like one of the top counseling graduate programs (after your bachelor’s) at another educational institution, there will be no issues with acceptance of your completed degree. 

The BS in Addiction Studies from this university consists of 120 credit hours. Of the 120 credit hours, 12 are focused on addiction counseling. ACT or SAT scores are required for students coming into this program. If you have completed courses at another college or university, this requirement may be waived upon review by NSU.

Eastern Kentucky University’s primary location is in Richmond, KY, but the school also has four branch campuses and offers a degree that can be earned entirely online. If you decide to enroll at this university and visit its main campus, take part in one of the university’s long-held traditions of rubbing the left foot of the Daniel Boone statue for good luck. 

Eastern Kentucky University offers a 120 credit hour bachelor’s degree in psychology with a substance abuse specialization. If you’re already enrolled in another bachelor’s degree program at another university and are looking to make a switch, this university allows up to 90 credit hours of transfer into this degree.

To receive the addiction specialization, you must take 12 credit hours of addiction-specific courses. Courses begin six times per year and follow an accelerated 8-week term. When enrolling in the substance abuse specialization, you can expect to take classes like:

• Physiological Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

You must submit your high school transcripts along with your SAT or ACT scores if you have less than 24 credit hours of college completed. Potential students who have at least 24 credit hours of college education must submit official transcripts from previous educational institutions they have attended. 

The University of Central Arkansas is dedicated to providing education at an affordable flat rate, whether or not you’re an out-of-state student. This is one of the oldest universities in Arkansas, and it has a reputation for academic excellence. Gray and purple are the colors of UCA, and the mascot is a bear. 

UCA is the only university in Arkansas that offers a bachelor of science degree in addiction studies, which you can complete on campus in Conway, AK or entirely online. This degree has both prevention and addiction treatment tracks. Both tracks require the same core addiction classes consisting of nine credit hours.

The prevention track takes more of a public health perspective. It includes courses such as epidemiological research and community health problems courses, while the addiction treatment track focuses more on the practical treatment of addiction concerns in people. 

If you decide you want to major in another area in the health, behavioral, or social science field at this university, you have the option to minor in addiction studies. If you decide to minor in addiction studies, you are required to take at least 18 credit hours of addiction coursework.

You can expect unconditional admission with a high school cumulative GPA of 2.75 or greater, at least a 21 on the ACT or 1080 on the SAT, and completion of the high school Smart Core Curriculum. If you don’t have these stats, it doesn’t mean you won’t get in – it just means that the university will have to review your application. 

The University of South Dakota offers a big university education with the one-on-one attention you get at a small college. When thinking of South Dakota, you would be remiss to skip over USD, as it’s the state’s oldest university and a point of pride. The university has had regional accreditation since the early part of the 20th century.

The USD online bachelor’s degree in addiction studies combines the theoretical framework to understand the complex subject of addiction with the practical experiences to implement this knowledge in real life.

The curriculum is designed to meet the criteria for state and national certification, but you should check your state’s licensing requirements to ensure licensing upon graduation.  

This bachelor’s degree is composed of 30 credit hours of core addiction courses, with the ability to choose a treatment or prevention specialization. Each specialization is composed of two additional courses.

To be admitted into this program, the university requires that you send official high school transcripts and your ACT or SAT scores if you’re younger than 21. If you’re older than 21 and have never taken the ACT or SAT, the school waives this requirement.

If you’re looking to attend a university with a strong Christian foundation, then our #5 pick for the best online bachelor’s in addiction & recovery may be just what you’ve been searching for. Liberty University has been offering online education since the 1980s and is continuing to perfect this learning medium for its students. Bestcolleges.com ranked Liberty University online programs in the top 1% of more than 2,000 online educational institutes in affordability, quality, and accessibility. 

The bachelor of science in psychology with a specialization in addiction and recovery offered by this university consists of 120 credit hours that take an average of 3.5 years to complete. Each course lasts 8 weeks, allowing you enough time to learn the subject without becoming bored. Featured courses for this specialization include:

• Overview of Theory and Treatment of Substance Abuse
• Social Psychology
• Psychology and the Bible

For admission to Liberty, the school requires that you send in your official college transcripts (if you’ve attended college previously), complete a high school self-certification form, demonstrate English proficiency, and pay an application fee. This school may be an excellent option for those who have not taken the SAT or ACT. 

Drexel University was formed in 1891 around the concept of offering education in a practical manner. The university has never strayed from that concept and still provides an education with an emphasis on hands-on educational experiences. This is a major research institution with classes taught by first-rate educators, which means you will receive a cutting-edge education that you can apply on your first day on the job. 

Drexel University created a bachelor of science in behavioral health counseling degree because they recognize the need for skilled and knowledgeable graduates to help educate and treat mental health concerns.

Each quarter of the academic year lasts 10 weeks, and Drexel University accepts up to 90 semester credit hours (or 135 quarter credit hours) of transfer credits into this program as long as you have completed these courses with a C or better. 

If you are transferring from another university or have attended another college in the past, Drexel University requires the submission of your official high school transcripts and college transcripts. To be competitive in the admission process, you should have at least a 2.5 GPA in previous college credits. 

While Purdue University is known for its engineering and business schools, the university also offers a top-notch online undergraduate psychology degree with an emphasis on addictions. Getting on board with this university is easy – its mascot is a train called the Boilermaker Special. Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, IN and draws students from around the world with its Purdue University Global online degrees. 

The online bachelor’s of science in psychology with an emphasis on addictions is regionally accredited – and accredited by the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC) and NAADAC, addiction counseling, and education certification agencies. After completing the coursework for this degree, you will be able to sit for the NCAC level one and two exams, which are national certification exams for addiction counselors commonly required for state licensure. 

While pursuing your psychology degree through Purdue, you’ll have the opportunity to join clubs and other networking organizations – such as their psychology club. You can also earn college credits toward your degree while engaging in practical learning by completing an internship. Purdue knows that online learning is ideal for some people, and they allow you 3 weeks of tuition-free education to make sure this program is right for you!

If you want a university that will build a team around you to support you and guide you through your educational journey, then the University of Cincinnati is a university you should apply to.

Admission counselors and advisors are there at the beginning to help you navigate everyday struggles and pitfalls you may encounter in the first semester. Thebestschools.org ranks this university’s online bachelor’s on addiction recovery program as the second best. 

Whether you decide to complete this program full-time or part-time, the bachelor of science in substance abuse counseling from the University of Cincinnati will get you competently providing substance abuse services to individuals suffering from addiction concerns. Foundational addiction courses, as well as a capstone course and two counseling internship courses for gaining practical addiction counseling skills, are required for the completion of this degree. 

The application deadline for this program is July 1 for a fall start, and application packages must include high school transcripts with a 2.7 GPA and ACT or SAT score for freshmen. Students transferring from another university must have completed 24 semester hours with at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. 

Students looking to incorporate Christian teachings into their higher education should consider applying to Indiana Wesleyan University, a Christ-centered academic institution. IWU states that their primary value is “Christlikeness,” an excellent guide force for Christians looking to incorporate their faith into every aspect of their lives, including their college education. 

The bachelor of science in addiction counseling degree offered at IWU is designed to be completed in as little as 22 months of full-time study. The program provides a Christian perspective of addiction and treatment of individuals suffering from this disease. All the classes can be taken online, and the mandatory practicums can be completed on a mutually agreed upon location. 

This IWU program requires that the applicant have at least 60 transferable college credit hours – which is why the program can be finished in just 22 months. You must have also taken a general psychology class, and you’ll need to submit all your official transcripts from high school and the colleges you’ve attended.

This degree option is ideal for those who have already completed a bachelor’s degree or who have a significant number of college credits and are looking to go back to school. 

There may indeed be no place like home if we are talking about the birthplace of Ottawa University. While the university originated in Kansas, there is now a second location in Surprise, AZ. With Baptist origins, Ottawa University first opened its doors in 1865, with its second residential campus (in Arizona) opening in 2017. The school also has adult locations in Kansas, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Indiana. 

The addiction counseling program at this university is led by the current president of NAADAC, the national association for addiction professionals. The program is designed to provide a theoretical addiction foundation as well as 300 hours of clinical addiction counseling work before graduation. This meets many states’ addiction counseling requirements for licensure. 

Ottawa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and NASAC. If you’re interested in attending this university, you can fill out an application online through their website or call them directly. 

The University of Michigan is considered one of the leading research institutes in the United States and can count some of the most prominent thinkers of past and present as part of their alumni. The university traces its origins back to 1817 and is now located in Ann Arbor, MI, where the Wolverines dominate in sports. 

When you complete a bachelor of science in substance use treatment and intervention from the University of Michigan, you’ll be eligible for a certified alcohol and drug counseling (CADC) certificate. The program is 124 credit hours in duration and is composed of 40 general education credits, 20 elective credits, and 64 substance use (addiction) credits.

You can choose to minor in substance use treatment while pursuing another major. If you decide to minor in substance use treatment, you will have to complete five courses on the subject. 

The University of Michigan requires both your high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores during the admission process. The standard admission criteria are listed as at least a 2.7 high school GPA with a 920 SAT or a 17 ACT score. 

Southern New Hampshire University is one of the fastest-growing universities in the United States – due in large part to the school offering affordable quality online education. While you may have just recently heard about this university through television advertisements, the school was founded in the early 1930s.

The school’s motto is translated from Latin as “The Greatest and the Best,” which is exactly what you should want from your undergraduate education. 

SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) and offers a bachelor of arts in human services with a substance abuse specialization. For substance use specialization, you will be required to take five courses for a total of 15 credit hours. The five courses include:

• Foundations of Addiction
• Substance Use: From Screening to Consultation
• Substance Use: From Prevention to Treatment
• Substance Use: Counseling Theory and Practice
• Pharmacological Factors in Substance Use Treatment 

Admission to SNHU is easy, as the process only entails transcripts from schools you have attended in the past and a completed form attesting that you have completed high school or your GED. Depending on the program you apply to there may be other admission requirements. 

Veterans and active military service members looking to go back to school should check out Ohio Christian University, as the school is a purple heart university and military family-friendly. You’ll get the individualized attention you need with the university’s low 11:1 student to faculty ratio. The university is dedicated to developing well-rounded graduates who are ready to tackle any challenges they may face in the future. 

Upon successful completion of the bachelor of arts in substance abuse counseling degree through Ohio Christian University, the graduate will be able to apply for certification to work in the addiction field. The degree requires 39 graduate hours of addiction courses, 36 credit hours of general electives, and 45 credit hours of general education. There is an application you fill out for credit for prior learning, which may decrease the number of credits needed for this degree. 

The admission requirements are not listed directly on their website, but you can go to their website to complete a form to get more information. 

Four core values define the essence of Union College: service to others, Appalachian culture, Methodism, and a liberal arts education. If you take these four forces into account, you will understand what makes Union College different from other educational institutes. This college also has a low student to faculty ratio of 12:1 with fewer than 1,000 undergraduate students, which makes for a tight-knit community where you know your fellow students. 

The bachelor of science in psychology with an emphasis in substance abuse counseling from Union College consists of 39 credit hours of substance abuse classes that are composed of a core of classes including:

• Foundations of Chemical Dependency 1 & 2
• Psychology of Addiction
• Recovery and Relapse
• Biological Systems of Chemical Dependency
• Ethical Issues in Chemical Dependency

The rest of the 15 credit hours required for the specialization are composed of addiction electives in which you can learn about areas of addiction that may be of particular interest, such as adolescent psychology. The admission process only requires submission of the admissions packet and your high school transcripts; a lack of SAT or ACT scores won’t keep you from entering this program. 

The University of Maine at Augusta is an extension of the University of Maine in Orono, ME. While the original University of Maine was established in 1865 as a land grant college, the Augusta campus opened its doors in 1967. UMA is an excellent university that offers associate and bachelor’s degrees at an affordable price. 

UMA offers its students a 121 credit hours bachelor of science in mental health & human services. The degree includes an intensive writing course aimed at honing skills sometimes lacking in the medical and health professions. UMA expects its students to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA throughout this program. If you choose the addiction counseling concentration, you will take these courses:

• Models of Addiction
• Crisis Intervention
• Adolescence, Substance Abuse & Criminality
• Counseling for Substance Use Disorder
• Addiction: Diversity and Rehabilitations
• Addiction and the Family
• Trauma and Addiction

UMA’s admission process is made simple by only requiring an admission application, which can be completed online, as well as submission of high school or GED transcripts and transcripts from any colleges you have attended. 

Located on what was once the ground of a military outpost, Fort Hays State University is now a thriving education institute located in Hays, KS. With a student body of almost 16,000 students and five colleges within the university, you are sure to find something you love about FHSU. Victor E. Tiger is the university’s mascot who incites the crowds at basketball and football games each season. 

The sociology department at FHSU offers a bachelor of arts in sociology with an addiction counseling track. The addiction counseling track, when completed, allows its graduates to become licensed in Kansas as an addiction counselor. Ten classes make up the addiction counseling track, which ends up being 30 credit hours of the total 120 credit hours that compose the degree. 

If you want to become a Fort Hays State University Tiger, your application will have to include official transcripts from high school and any colleges you have attended, and if you’re younger than 21, you’ll also need to include your ACT or SAT scores. If you have more than 24 credit hours of college education, you are exempt from submitting ACT/SAT scores. 

An unconventional option, City Vision University is an entirely online university that was created to provide a Christian education online. The university does not have regional accreditation, but its addiction curriculum is accredited by NAADAC. They claim to be the “most affordable accredited online Christian Bachelor’s degree in Addiction Counseling.”

The bachelor’s degree in addiction counseling from this university allows you to complete all the addiction classes within the first two years of your degree, which provides you with the opportunity to become credentialed while still in school earning your bachelor’s degree. Nearly all the instructors at this university have at least a master’s degree, and many also work at ministries. 

The admission criteria at City Vision University is the least stringent of any reviewed thus far. The school only requires proof that you completed high school or your GED. You can also transfer up to 75% of the credits for this degree, leaving you to complete only 25%. The credits do not have to be in any specific field of study. 

This is another wholly online university offering bachelor’s degrees that are not regionally accredited, but NAADAC accredits them. The university has gone through several name changes since its inception in the 1960s but has moved its operations to Colorado, where it became accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). 

Aspen University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Addiction Counseling that can get you an addiction counseling career in under three years. They caveat this program with the statement that this program alone does not prepare their students to become licensed counselors or fulfill some state licensing requirements, so you may want to check with your state licensing board before enrolling. 

Courses start every two weeks, and the entire bachelor’s degree only costs $20,000. The university also offers $250 monthly payment plans that last 80 months. This option may be great for someone on a tight budget who cannot afford the rates of some other universities. 

Crown College is a school located near Minneapolis, MN that offers both traditional brick-and-mortar degrees and online degrees. The school has 18 NCAA Division III sports teams, and the school is also a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). While the main campus is located in a rural town called St. Bonifacius, MN, you can take advantage of their education anywhere by joining their online cohorts. 

The bachelor of science in alcohol and drug counseling will prepare you to become a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) through the state of Minnesota. This is a Christian university, and the school does require you to take 15 to 21 credits of a Christian core curriculum. You’ll only spend 31 credit hours on your general education core curriculum before moving onto the psychology and addiction classes, which compose around 48 credit hours. 

Students are required to set up their own internships in addiction counseling, which is a requirement for most states’ addiction counselor licensing boards. If you’re in recovery from addiction, the school requires that you be at least two years sober before applying for this program. 

If you’re part of a minority population, you know how hard it can be to find someone who can relate to your unique struggles in life. At Western New Mexico University, around 50% of the undergraduates are Hispanic. Each class has only 18 students, which allows you to have the extra time and attention you may need for your schoolwork. The school traces its origins back to 1893, but it has gone through four name revisions since that time. 

Western New Mexico University offers a bachelor’s of art or science in chemical dependency counseling. The courses can be taken face-to-face or online and rotate throughout the year. You can also choose to minor in chemical dependency counseling if you want to focus the majority of your degree in another field or subject. The school offers a variety of chemical dependency classes. Example of courses you may take include but are not limited to:

• The Addictive Process
• Professional Principles
• Substance Abuse and Crime
• Dual Diagnosis

The school offers a variety of scholarships you can apply for each year. High school transcripts and ACT/SAT scores are required for incoming first-year students, and some individuals may need to take a placement test to assess academic weaknesses. Transferring from another bachelor’s degree program from another institution is much easier, as the university only requires a completed application packet and the official transcripts from colleges you have attended.