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.