Rehabilitation Counseling

Master's Degree Program

Opportunities for graduate studies

The main priority of our rehabilitation counseling graduate faculty at the University of North Texas is to provide you the best educational experience possible in a strong student-focused environment. Our faculty will work closely with you through advising, supervision and field site placements to help you achieve your academic and personal goals.

The Department of Rehabilitation, Social Work and Addictions offers course work leading to a Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. In recent years, we have expanded the curriculum to include courses in addictions and biofeedback. You will receive intensive supervision and mentoring from the program’s eight faculty members as well as other experts in the field who serve as adjunct instructors. The academic course work is integrated with service learning through an on-campus disability wellness and employment laboratory, UNTWELL. The laboratory uses cutting-edge research to give you research and clinical experience in rehabilitation services.

Our department has approximately 130 graduate students enrolled in its on-campus and online programs.With a 30-year history of providing quality education and training in rehabilitation services, we aim to develop and disseminate innovative and interdisciplinary practices that enhance opportunities for people with disabilities to live and work in their communities.

Our program is nationally accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (1699Woodfield Road, Suite 300, Schaumburg, Ill. 60173; 847-944-1345) and is designed to meet all curriculum requirements for the preparation of qualified rehabilitation counselors as well as licensed professional counselors in the state of Texas. The program ranks in the top 25 in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report.

The rehabilitation counseling program also operates a continuing education program dedicated to disseminating knowledge gained through research to practicing rehabilitation professionals.

Career opportunities

The national commitment to improving the quality of life for individuals with disabilities has led to a growing need for qualified rehabilitation professionals in public and private settings. Qualified professionals are needed to:

• provide counseling and guidance to consumers with cognitive, emotional and physical disabilities including substance abuse
• help individuals with disabilities reach their employment goals
• help individuals with disabilities be independent and self-sufficient

Examples of work settings in which graduates are employed include:

• state and federal vocational rehabilitation programs
• community rehabilitation programs
• alcohol and drug treatment programs
• insurance companies
• supervised employment programs
• community mental health centers
• pre- and post-secondary schools
• medical and psychiatric hospitals
• correctional facilities
• independent living programs
• profit community agencies
• rehabilitation programs in business and industry
• disability management programs within private industry
• private for-profit rehabilitation programs

Admission requirements

You must meet the admission requirements of the Toulouse Graduate School (found at catalog.unt.edu) and our program. The program admission process includes:

• completing a Department of Rehabilitation, SocialWork and Addictions graduate program application including a personal statement
• submitting a resume showing evidence of work history with the equivalent of one year of full-time employment/li>
• providing two letters of reference (one from a former instructor,
• providing scores on the GRE’s verbal and quantitative portions (International students whose native language is not English may substitute UNT’s Graduate Preparation Course for their GRE
• completing a personal interview with designated departmental graduate faculty members

Degree requirements

The master of science degree program is a 48-semester-hour program that combines academic course work and practical experience. You will complete course work taken from the following offerings. Further details are at www.unt.edu/rswa.

• RHAB 5250 Topics in Rehabilitation
• RHAB 5700 Introduction to Rehabilitation
• RHAB 5710 Rehabilitation in a Multicultural Society
• RHAB 5715 Disability Issues in Human Development
• RHAB 5720 Rehabilitation Counseling Theories
• RHAB 5721 Rehabilitation Counseling Applications
• RHAB 5723 Group Work and the Rehabilitation Process
• RHAB 5730 Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Disability I
• RHAB 5731 Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Disability II
• RHAB 5740 Rehabilitation Assessment
• RHAB 5741 Employment and Career Development
• RHAB 5742 Case Management and Rehabilitation Services
• RHAB 5770 Rehabilitation Research and Program Evaluation
• RHAB 5811 Practicum in Rehabilitation
• RHAB 5812 Internship in Rehabilitation (6 hours)

You may complete a thesis or problem in lieu of thesis as part of your graduate program.

Certification/licensure

During your last semester in the rehabilitation counseling program, you are eligible to take the national certification examination to become a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). In addition, our graduate curriculum provides the academic preparation required for licensure as a professional counselor (LPC) or chemical dependency counselor (LCDC) in Texas and national certification in biofeedback (BCIA).

Financial assistance

We have several stipends available if you are currently working with or are planning to work with the state-federal vocational rehabilitation system after graduation. These stipends are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration and are awarded on a competitive basis. In addition, several graduate assistant positions are available each year if you desire part-time employment assisting department faculty on selected research projects.Half-time assistantships carry medical insurance benefits. Out-of-state and international students who receive half-time assistantships also become eligible to pay in-state tuition rates.

Also, we award two scholarships annually to outstanding students in rehabilitation counseling. The graduate school offers first-year fellowships paying $8,000 to new master’s students. The department nominates students for these fellowships.

New graduate students who have participated in the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate program are eligible for McNair Fellowships that pay $12,667 for the first year plus one semester of graduate study. Contact the graduate school at 888-868-4723, e-mail questions to gradsch@unt.edu or visit www.gradschool.unt.edu.

Additional information on departmental financial assistance is available from the department graduate coordinator. Information regarding other financial assistance may be obtained from Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at 940-565-2302 or 877-881-1014.