Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling

The master's program in Rehabilitation Counseling provides a clinical foundation for serving persons with disabilities facing physical, mental, emotional, or social challenges. Rehabilitation counselors facilitate research-based services fostering hope and empowerment in addressing employment and independent living. For individuals and their families, the rehabilitation counselor serves as a source of expertise, personal support and guidance thus enhancing their quality of life. Graduates of our program are eligible to sit for the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential exam, the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential exam, and are eligible to pursue the Licensed Professional Counselor credential (LPC).

Highlights

Scholar-Practitioner Faculty: Learn from faculty members who are active in the field and can provide their own real-world experiences and uncommon insights.

Convenient Schedule: Courses are scheduled once a week in late afternoons and evenings (Monday-Thursday) to accommodate the schedules of working professionals, and for internship experiences.

Nationally Ranked and Accredited: The GSEHD Counseling program combines rigorous course content with supervised, clinical experience working with a diverse population from the metropolitan area. This program is accredited by Middle States.

Mission

The Rehabilitation Counseling program philosophy is to help prepare professionals to empower persons with disabilities to help themselves. The Rehabilitation Counseling program emphasizes the philosophical foundations of rehabilitation; organizational structure of public, not-for-profit and private vocational settings; individual, group and family counseling theories; behavior and personality theory; human development; multicultural counseling; attitudinal and environmental barriers for the people with disabilities; rehabilitation services; case management; medical and psychosocial aspects of disability; job development, development and placement; and ethical standards for rehabilitation counselors.

Curriculum (48 credit hours)

GW’s Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling is a 48 credit master’s program.

CNSL 6151 Professional and Ethical Orientation to Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6153 Counseling Interview Skills (3 credits)
CNSL 6154 Theories and Techniques of Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6155 Career Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6157 Individual Assessment in Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6161 Group Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6163 Social and Cultural Dimensions of Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6185 Internship in Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6186 Advanced Internship in Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6269 Practicum I in Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6376 Foundations in Rehabilitation Counseling (3 credits)
CNSL 6378 Disability Management and Psychosocial Rehabilitation (3 credits)
CNSL 6380 Job Placement and Supported Employment (3 credits)
CNSL 6381 Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Disabilities (3 credits)
CNSL 6114 Introduction to Research and Evaluation in Counselor Education (3 credits)
HDEV 6108 Life Span Human Development (3 credits)

Faculty

Beveridge, Scott	Associate Professor, Counseling
Froehlich, Robert J.	Associate Professor, Counseling and Human Development
Hergenrather, Kenneth	Professor, Counseling
McGuire-Kuletz, Maureen	Associate Professor, Counseling

Career Outlook

The Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling from the George Washington University (GW) prepares you for a career in a variety of career settings that include rehabilitation agencies, hospitals, living centers, substance abuse agencies and education systems.

The U.S. Bureau Labor Services reports that roles for rehabilitation counselors will grow 20% by 2022¹, faster than the average occupation. As the nation’s elderly population grows, more adults will need rehabilitation counselors to help them adapt to disabilities and injuries and learn strategies for independent living. Rehabilitation counselors will also be needed to serve the ongoing rehabilitation needs of other groups such as veterans and people with disabilities, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and substance abuse problems.

Rehabilitation Counseling Career Opportunities

Advocates and client assistance program managers
Assistive technology specialists
Case managers
Community, state and private agency managers
Independent living program coordinators
Parole officers
Rehabilitation counselors
Supported employment specialists

Potential Employment Settings

Colleges
Community-based rehabilitation programs
Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
Hospitals
Independent living centers
Insurance companies
Job training centers
Private rehabilitation companies
Public schools
State vocational rehabilitation agencies
Substance abuse agencies

¹Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/rehabilitation-counselors.htm

Program Data

2019-2020*

Retention rate: 98%

Average time to complete the program: 2.5 years (7-8 semesters)

2019-20 Cost: On-campus $1,765 per credit; Online $875 per credit

Scholarships: Federal long term rehabilitation counseling training scholarships and merit based scholarships

Employment rate (at 6 months post graduation): 100%

Employment settings: state VR agencies; community-based rehabilitation programs; private rehabilitation companies; insurance companies; public schools; hospitals; colleges; independent living centers; employee assistance programs (EAP); job training centers

Licensure eligibility: Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) for 60 credit program; Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) requirements vary by state

CRC passing rates: 100%

Accreditation status: Accredited through 2022 by CACREP.

Annual Fall Enrollment: 37

*Retention and Enrollment data reflects combined MA in Rehabilitation Counseling and MA in Rehabilitation Counseling with Licensure Eligibility

Survey Data

2017-2019

Admissions

On-Campus Program Entry: Fall

Online Program Entry: Spring, Summer, Fall

Prerequisites: Bachelors Degree

Campus: Online

Application Requirements

Online Application
Resume
Statement of Purpose
2 Letters of Recommendation
GRE or MAT
Transcripts (unofficial)
Application Fee

*Additional application requirements may exist for international applicants. For more information on any of these requirements, please visit our Admissions FAQ page. The next deadline to apply is December 15, 2021. We encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.

Student Resources

Transformation Begins Here

Learn more about the MA in Rehabilitation Counseling program online. Please note: applicants within a 50 mile radius of GW's main campus are only eligible for the main campus program. If you have questions about this, please contact us.