2019-2020 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services
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Main Office
Chilton Hall, Room 218
Mailing address:
1155 Union Circle #311456
Denton, TX 76203-5017
940-565-2488
Web site: rhs.hps.unt.edu/
Chandra Donnell Carey, Interim Chair and Program Coordinator
Faculty
Master of Science with a major in rehabilitation counseling
The primary goal of the rehabilitation counseling graduate program is to prepare a diverse group of students for the profession of rehabilitation counseling who can assist and advocate for individuals with disabilities to live and work as independently as possible. The graduate program curriculum provides students with the opportunity to obtain the essential knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to function effectively as ethical and competent practitioners in the field of rehabilitation counseling. Graduates from this program are eligible for national certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) as well as licensure as a professional counselor in the state of Texas (LPC). A graduate certificate in rehabilitation counseling is also available for professionals with a master’s degree in related human service fields interested in obtaining national certification as a Rehabilitation Counselor and who meet the eligibility requirements.
Career opportunities
Rehabilitation counselors typically work with adults or adolescents who are 16 years of age or older and who have a physical, developmental, cognitive, emotional, sensory, psychiatric and/or substance use impairment or disorder and require assistance with attaining or maintaining employment, or independent living needs. Rehabilitation counselors find employment with state and federal agencies that provide rehabilitation counseling services to individuals with disabilities (e.g., Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Department of Veteran Affairs), private rehabilitation agencies, independent living centers, employee assistance programs, hospitals and clinics, mental health organizations, public school programs, employer-based disability prevention and management programs, substance and alcohol abuse treatment centers, and college and university disability accommodation offices.
Description of program
The Master of Science (MS) degree with a major in rehabilitation counseling requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of academic preparation, including a 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship during the last year of the student’s course work. The curriculum combines academic theory and technique courses with hands-on practicum and field-site internship experiences. Opportunities for hands-on experiences are also available through the department’s Wellness and Employment Lab (UNTWELL). A very high value is placed on the exposure of students to a broad spectrum of rehabilitation services, professional organizations, interdisciplinary professional activities, as well as advocacy and consumer groups in the field of rehabilitation. The program is nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and consists of a core curriculum that includes advanced preparatory studies in disability, educational and occupational information, counseling, case management, and the vocational rehabilitation process. All graduate students are required to have an approved degree plan developed in consultation with their academic advisor and pass a comprehensive examination or national certification exam (CRC) administered during the last semester of their course work in order to be approved for graduation.
Effective September 1, 2017, HB 1508 created new laws that require entities that provide educational programs leading to an occupational license to notify all applicants and enrollees of the implications of a felony conviction which may make you ineligible for a license upon program completion. The law requires that this information be provided to all persons who are enrolled or apply in a counseling program without regard to whether the person has been convicted of a criminal offense.
You may review current guidelines used by the Texas Education Agency to determine the eligibility of the person to be licensed on the TEA’s website at https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/National_Criminal_History_Checks-FAQs/. You also have a right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from TEA and the process and form available online at https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/Preliminary_Criminal_History_Evaluation-FAQs/.
Admission requirements
Admission to the master’s degree program with a major in rehabilitation counseling is contingent upon admission to the Toulouse Graduate School. Criteria for admission are detailed in the Admission section of this catalog. Applications to the graduate program in rehabilitation counseling are reviewed throughout the year; however, students are encouraged to enter the program in the fall term/semester. Acceptance to the program is a competitive process with successful applicants having a satisfactory GPA in addition to satisfactory letters of recommendation, self-statement, work experience and an interview with program faculty. Applicants may choose to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (exam must have been taken within the last 5 years) however GRE scores are not required.
All applications should include the following:
- Rehabilitation counseling graduate program application (available at rhs.hps.unt.edu);
- self-statement regarding interest in field and program and career goals;
- two letters of recommendation, one from a former instructor and one from a previous employer. Letters must be on letterhead and signed by the author of the letter;
- current resume; and
- evidence of a work history with the equivalent of one year of full-time employment.
Upon admission by the Toulouse Graduate School and receipt of the above documents, applicants will be scheduled for an interview with members of the rehabilitation counseling faculty. All applications are reviewed by the rehabilitation counseling graduate faculty, who make recommendations for acceptance of applicants to the program. Acceptance or denial of applications is determined by composite rather than a single criterion. Students are notified by letter of the faculty’s recommendation on their application.
ProgramsMaster’s DegreeDoctorateGraduate Academic CertificateCoursesApplied GerontologyHealth Services AdministrationHealth Services ResearchRehabilitation
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