The department is no longer accepting applications for the rehabilitation counseling program.

Mission
Program Objectives
Curriculum
Accreditation, Certification and Licensing
Admission Requirements
Professional Associations
Library Resources
Career Opportunities

A student who selects this track has a primary interest in working in a rehabilitation agency, helping persons with disabilities gain the skills necessary to secure employment. The curriculum of this track is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), and many of the students receive a federally-funded stipend to assist them with their expenses. Specialized coursework beyond the general requirements of the counseling psychology program focus on the foundations of rehabilitation, medical and psychological aspects of disability and a supervised internship in a rehabilitation agency.

Mission
The mission of the MU Rehabilitation Counseling Master's degree program is to prepare counselors to perform a vital role in the vocational, educational and personal adjustment of persons with disabilities.

People with disabilities often experience vocational, social, psychological difficulties. They face barriers related to the physical, cognitive and/or emotional aspects of their conditions and other barriers related to the interaction of their disabling condition and the environment. The MU Rehabilitation Counseling Program trains prospective counselors to assist people with disabilities in maximizing their vocational, personal, and social independence.

The curriculum of the MU Rehabilitation Counseling Program provides both classroom and field experiences to help students advance their skills and practical knowledge about:

psychosocial and medical aspects of disability
individual and group counseling
disability public policy
assessment procedures
career issues
legal and ethical concerns
coordination of services
job development/placement
knowledge of community resources

Program Objectives
To provide a solid understanding of the principles, philosophies, history, policies, laws, practices, and ethics related to rehabilitation counseling.
To present knowledge of a range of disabilities including physical, psychiatric, substance abuse, developmental, behavioral and cognitive with particular attention to psychosocial aspects and functional capacities.
To develop in the student sound knowledge of the dynamics of personality development and theories of counseling as well as practical counseling skills.
To challenge the student to examine personal and societal attitudes toward disability and appreciate the role of advocacy.
To develop an understanding and skills to achieve a multicultural perspective to counseling.
To provide education for effective case management and disability management.
To achieve a working knowledge of family dynamics and effective family intervention.
To achieve within the student an appreciation and knowledge of vocational and career development theory.
To obtain an understanding of the methods and tests available for evaluation and the relation of such to a comprehensive assessment of the individual.
To develop skills in job analysis, marketing, job development, job placement and supported employment options.
To acquaint the student with research methodology and research in rehabilitation for the purpose of applying research to practice.
To develop sound professional counselors committed to life long learning.

The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), the national accrediting body for programs in rehabilitation counseling, has identified the following major areas of study for rehabilitation counseling:

Foundations of Rehabilitation Counseling
Counseling
Case Management
Vocational and Career Development
Assessment
Job Development
Job Placement
Research
Courses, practicum and internships provide major education in all of the above areas. The program has been designed to achieve the necessary knowledge and skills to function fully as a competent professional in the field.

Students in the MU Rehabilitation Counseling Program will earn either a Masters of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Rehabilitation Counseling. The curriculum involves both academic work (see required courses below) and field experiences. Currently there are 48 required academic credit hours and a 600-hour internship; however, beginning fall semester 2003, there's likely to be 57 required academic credit hours and a 600-hour internship. The courses of the curriculum train students in a variety of specific techniques and modalities used in the rehabilitation counseling process, including assessment and appraisal; career counseling; individual, group and multicultural counseling; case management and service coordination; job analysis, job development and placement services; and the provision of consultation about and access to, rehabilitation technology. The intent of the program is to prepare students for entrance into the profession of rehabilitation counseling. The following is a list of selected required (R) and elective (E) courses.

Curriculum
The suggested course sequence for the completion of the M.Ed. degree can be found here. The sequence can be adjusted; however, prior approval from the student's advisor is required.

Accreditation, Certification and Licensing
The MU Rehabilitation Counseling Master's Degree Program is fully accredited by the national Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE). As a CORE approved program, the M.A./M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling prepares the graduate, after appropriate supervised experience, to be eligible to sit for examination and with successful completion of the exam to become nationally certified as a rehabilitation counselor (CRC). The program also meets the educational requirements in Missouri to become a state licensed as a professional counselor (LPC).

Please see the requirements for national certification as a rehabilitation counselor by visiting here, or by contacting: Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, 1835 Rohlwing Road, Suite E, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008 U.S.A., 847.394.2104.

Please see the requirements for the Missouri state licensure requirements for licensed professional counselors or contact: Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors, 3605 Missouri Boulevard, P.O. Box 1335, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102, 573.751.0018.

Admission Requirements

The MU Educational and Counseling Psychology Department (E&CP) requires that all applicants submit the following materials: (1) the MU Graduate School Application, (2) the E&CP Departmental Application, (3) three letters of recommendation, 4) an official copy of results of Graduate Record Examination (scores must be no more than five years old), and (5) an official transcript of all previous course work, both graduate and undergraduate.

Other admission policies include: A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0; a combined GRE Verbal and Quantitative score of 1000 or higher (preferred); for international students, TOEFL score of at least 580 for the paper test or 237 for the computer version (preferred); and a bachelor's degree in a discipline related to psychology (or equivalent background coursework) (preferred). Department faculty may decide to admit a student without a related bachelor's degree or equivalent coursework, but the student will have to complete specified prerequisite courses (as specified by the faculty) before beginning the degree curriculum.

The goal of the master's program is to prepare competent master's level counseling psychologists for work in a wide variety of professional, primarily public, counseling settings. The Department seeks qualified applicants from a diversity of backgrounds in race, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and disability status.

Professional Associations
Students are encouraged to join and become actively involved in the associations of the profession.

The American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA) - A division of the American Counseling Association
Journal Publication: Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin
The National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA) - A division of the National Rehabilitation Association
Journal Publication: Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling
The National Rehabilitation Association, as the oldest and strongest advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities, NRA's mission is to provide advocacy, awareness and career advancement for professionals in the fields of rehabilitation.
The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) sets the standard for quality rehabilitation counseling services in the U.S. and Canada. As an independent, not-for-profit organization, CRCC has certified more than 30,000 counselors since its incorporation in 1974.
Committee on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) Accredits Rehabilitation programs
Both organizations will allow the student updated information regarding rehabilitation counseling along with a subscription to some major journals and newsletters. Association involvement also provides opportunity for networking for the student's own interests as well as career plans.

National Rehabilitation Association
Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification
American Rehabilitation Counseling Association
National Rehabilitation Counseling Association
Council on Rehabilitation Education

Each of these sites also has related links to important resources in rehabilitation.

Library Resources
The hours of operation for the library are published in the University of Missouri Graduate Catalog, page 21. The University library system consists of the MU Libraries and the MU Law Library. Included in the MU Libraries are Ellis Library (the main library), the University Archives, and the following six branch libraries: engineering, geology, health sciences, journalism, mathematics and veterinary medicine. The collection of the University libraries includes 2.85 million volumes, 6.46 million microfilms, and 23, 522 journal subscriptions. The University library system carries all of the major Rehabilitation Counseling Journals including, but not limited to, the following:

Journal of Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin
Applied Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Education
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

Career Opportunities
Rehabilitation counselors practice in both the public and private sectors. Examples of settings in which rehabilitation counselors are currently employed include:
Public Rehabilitation Programs
Mental Health Centers
Private, Non-Profit, Community-Based Organizations
Public School Systems
Private Rehabilitation Companies
Insurance Companies
Independent Living Centers
Employee Assistance Programs
Business and Industry
Colleges and Universities
Worker's Compensation Agencies
Correctional Facilities
Medical Centers/Hospitals
Private Practice
Job Training Centers
Substance Abuse Facilities

In addition to serving people with physical disabilities, rehabilitation counselors work with a variety of other populations including clients with developmental, cognitive, emotional, and addiction disabilities, as well as persons preparing for future careers.

(from Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, Rehabilitation Counseling: The profession and standards of practice. The Foundation for Rehabilitation Education and Research, Rolling Meadows, IL)