University of North Texas 
Rehabilitation Counseling (MS)
Help individuals with disabilities attain employment, well-being and optimum independence.
Program Mission
The mission of the rehabilitation counseling program is to promote the provision of high-quality rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. Departmental faculty and staff accomplish this mission in a variety of ways:
- Through the preparation and education of a diverse group of rehabilitation professionals;
- By providing services and resources to individuals with disabilities as well as public and private rehabilitation agencies, educational facilities, employers, and national, state, and local professional associations; and
- By conducting and disseminating scholarly activities related to improving the quality of life and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
INSIDE THE CLASSROOM
As a student, you will gain communication and goal-setting skills for the counseling process, utilizing self-advocacy, psychological, vocational, social and behavioral interventions. Students are immersed into a curriculum combining academic theory and technique courses with hands-on practicum experience. This core curriculum involves preparatory studies in disability, educational and occupational information, counseling and case management and vocational rehabilitation process. The core curriculum is made up of 36 hours of course work with an additional three hours of electives. While a thesis is optional, it may be beneficial to students looking to pursue their doctorate.
The Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services master’s program offers a traditional on-campus program as well as a distance-learning online program for professionals actively involved in the field. The program is nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); therefore, the curriculum is designed to meet the requirements for national certification as a rehabilitation counselor (CRC), as well as licensure as a professional counselor (LPC) by the state of Texas. So, upon graduation of the program, students are eligible for national certification as well as Texas licensure.
OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
The skills obtained by students cannot be solely achieved through the classroom; this is why the master’s program utilizes on-campus and community-based services into the curriculum.
Beyond the classroom, students participate in field-site internship experiences and emphasize on exposure to a broad spectrum of rehabilitation services, professional organizations, interdisciplinary professional activities and advocacy and consumer groups in the field of rehabilitation. Students are required to achieve three hours of practicum and six hours of an internship.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Students graduate with a Master of Science degree in rehabilitation counseling after completing the 60-credit hour RCE program and passing a comprehensive examination. The program includes 48 credit hours in courses that include:
- Rehabilitation counseling principles and ethics
- Multiculturalism and disability
- Medical and psychosocial aspects of disability
- Counseling theories and techniques
- Research and program evaluation
- Assessment
- Employment models and case management practices
- Nine credit hours in courses in supervised fieldwork (over 700 hours)
- One elective. Elective courses available within the program include Crisis Management, and Transition Counseling.
CAREER OPTIONS
Fall entry into the program is encouraged. However, applicants can be admitted for the spring semester as well.
Rehabilitation counselors are the only professional counselors educated and trained to specifically serve individuals with physical, mental, developmental, cognitive and emotional disabilities reach their personal, career and independent living goals. Graduates of our rehabilitation counseling program are employed in various rehabilitation, behavioral health and health care settings, such as the Texas Workforce Commission, Veterans Affairs as well as hospitals, insurance companies, university and school settings, community programs, non-profit agencies, independent living centers and many other settings serving individuals with disabilities.
Why Pursue A MS in Rehabilitation Counseling
Hear From Former Students
Learn why you pursue a MS in Rehabilitation Counseling at the University of North
Texas! Graduates of UNT’s master’s program of rehabilitation counseling help individuals
with disabilities find jobs, feel empowered to live a productive life and undergo
challenging transitions with guided support. Alumni of our rehabilitation counseling
program may be seen in community rehabilitation centers, Veterans Affairs offices,
schools or in addiction clinics, building a bridge to recovery and a sustainable life.
Rehabilitation Counseling MS Application Process
Application Deadlines
The Rehabilitation Counseling MS program has fall and spring admissions. The application deadline for Fall 2025 is March 20, 2025. The application deadline for Spring 2026 is October 20, 2025. All application materials including 2 professional references must be submitted in the GradCAS applicaiton portal by the application deadline. All transcripts should be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the deadline.
Application Submission in GradCAS
FOR APPLICANTS INTENDING TO START IN FALL 2025 - click here to learn how to use the new streamlined UNT Admissions GradCAS application system. All application materials (including self-statement and letter of recommendation) must be submitted in GradCAS for admissions consideration for Fall 2025.
Applicants typically have a 3.0 GPA or higher on the last 60 undergraduate semester
hours from their bachelor’s degree, or at least a 3.4 on a completed master’s degree.
Applicants with lower GPAs may be considered by individual review.
All transcripts should be sent to the graduate school at least two weeks prior to the
application deadline.
Application Materials
Required application materials submitted in GradCAS:
- Self-Statement
- Current Resume
- Two Professional References
Your Self-Statement should be a two to three-page double-spaced, typed essay that addresses both of the following prompts:
- Oftentimes our life experiences and interactions with various individuals influence our lifelong passions and direction. What specific life experiences and or individual interactions ignited your passion for rehabilitation counseling? Please discuss any attributes, experiences, or interests that would enable you to make a distinctive contribution to the rehabilitation counseling profession.
- As our world has become more complex and intersecting, we have also seen our client issues become much more challenging to address. As a future rehabilitation counseling professional, what do you believe are the responsibilities you would have for the client's well-being, and how would you hope to meet those responsibilities (given your present understanding of the role and responsibilities of a rehabilitation counseling professional)?
Two references are required, one must be a current or past employer, the other should
be a previous instructor. If it has been longer than three years since you were last
in school, both references can be current or recent employers. When you 'submit' your
GradCAS application, it will prompt the system to contact your recommenders directly
via email.
Interview
Once the department has received all of your application materials, qualified applicants will be contacted to set-up an admissions interview after the program deadline.
If you have questions about the application process, please contact Azzama Alia at Azzama.Alia@unt.edu.
All materials for Fall 2025 are due by March 20, 2025. All materials for Spring 2026 are due by October 20, 2025. All application materials including 2 professional references must be turned in by the application deadline. All transcripts should be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the deadline.
Scholarships & More
The Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services in the College of Health and Public Service offers thousands in scholarships to students each year, including:
- Ft. Worth Area Texas Rehabilitation Assocation Scholarship
- Ken Miner Scholarship
- Dan Minahan Memorial Scholarship
Student Organizations
Social Media
- Rehabilitation & Health Services Facebook
- Rehabilitation & Health Services X
- Active Minds Facebook
- Collegiate Recovery Program at the University of North Texas Facebook
- Collegiate Recovery Program at the University of North Texas X
- Eagle Peer Recovery Facebook
- North Texas Rehabilitation Association Facebook
- Office of Substance Misuse and Mental Health Recovery Research Facebook
- Office of Substance Misuse and Mental Health Recovery Research X
- Pathways for Allied Health Success Facebook
- Recovery to Practice Facebook
- UNT WISE Facebook
YOUR ADVISOR
Graduate students are advised by department faculty. Program Coordinator Justin Watts, Ph.D., NCC can help connect you with potential faculty advisors based on your unique interests.
ABOUT US
The Department of Rehabilitation & Health Services mission is to prepare professionals to enhance the lives of diverse populations including the aging population, individuals with disabilities, substance use disorders and/or chronic health concerns through training in advanced research, education and service delivery, or clinical practice.
Our department is comprised of community engaged academics providing an education that reaches beyond the classroom.