Master's Degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling
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At Salve Regina University, our online master's degrees in rehabilitation counseling lead students to uplifting careers as rehabilitation counselors or clinical rehabilitation and mental health counselors. A unique specialization of the counseling field, rehabilitation counseling uses a social justice, whole-person perspective to empower people with disabilities to lead more productive and enriching lives through wellness and recovery.
We offer two graduate programs: A 60-credit master's degree in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling that prepares students to become licensed mental health counselors, and an accredited 48-credit master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling. Both online graduate programs offer pathways to certification and licensure, which qualifies graduates to practice in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut and nationwide.
In addition to the master's degrees, Salve Regina offers a graduate certificate in rehabilitation counseling with a mental health concentration for practitioners returning to complete their clinical training for licensure. Through our popular accelerated program, qualified undergraduates can earn their bachelor's and master's degrees in six years or less.
Prepare for a Rehabilitation Counseling Career
After earning their master's degree, our graduates are trained to provide services for a diverse group of individuals who experience mental illness, substance use disorders and other disabilities or chronic illness across the lifespan. These inclusive services range from disability case management to career and mental health counseling. In line with Salve Regina's mission, our rehabilitation counseling graduates are equipped to advocate for social justice and the equitable treatment of individuals who are marginalized by society because of their disabilities; racial, ethnic and gender differences; or living circumstances.
Our graduate program in rehabilitation counseling is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and our graduate program in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling is taught to CACREP standards.
Our Counseling Faculty
Our rehabilitation counseling faculty are full-time scholars and community-based professionals who share their seasoned expertise alongside their passion for holistically addressing the needs of people with disabilities. Embracing their role as career-focused mentors, instructors work one-on-one with students to launch their careers as rehabilitation counselors in a field that is expected to grow exponentially in the next 10 years.
Discover the Difference at Salve Regina
Elevate Your Career
Salve Regina’s rehabilitation counseling graduates have the education and experience necessary to make an immediate impact in the lives of people with disabilities. Additionally, students who complete the 60-credit clinical program are eligible to sit for the mental health counseling licensure exam.
Purpose-Driven Education
Using a whole-person approach, we focus on the psychological, medical, physical, educational, vocational, cultural, social and spiritual needs of people with disabilities. Students integrate interactive coursework with evidence-based practices to motivate individuals toward well-being and life satisfaction.
Dedicated Faculty
Salve Regina’s rehabilitation counseling students are mentored by passionate, energetic faculty who are all current or former practitioners in a variety of disciplines. Our counselor educators are excellent resources who provide connections for employment and clinical practicum sites.
Rehabilitation Counseling Curriculum
At Salve Regina, our online rehabilitation counseling graduate programs can fulfill your aspirations to become a counselor supporting people with disabilities.
The 60-credit master's degree in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling provides the additional training needed to become a licensed mental health counselor in most states. Graduates of the clinical program can sit for the national certified counselor exam in addition to the certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) exam, offering flexibility in their future career path.
Offering a shorter time to completion, the 48-credit master’s in rehabilitation counseling leads to national certification through the CRC exam. Upon completion of this degree, graduates who wish to sit for the licensing exam may apply to our mental health certificate program.
Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling
Required courses:
- RHB500: Research Methods
- RHB506: Professional Orientation and Ethics
- RHB508: Human Growth and Development
- RHB509: Counseling and Personality Theory
- RHB510: Cross-Cultural Issues in Counseling
- RHB513: Couples and Family Counseling
- RHB515: Assessment and Treatment Planning
- RHB516: Group Counseling and Group Work
- RHB517: Career Counseling
- RHB518: Appraisal
- RHB520: Practicum and Seminar I: Motivational Interviewing
- RHB527: Substance Abuse Counseling and Treatment
- RHB540: Medical and Psychological Aspects of Disability
- RHB550: Vocational Rehabilitation, Case Management and Employment
- RHB603: Psychopharmacology for Mental Health Professionals
Clinical requirements:
- RHB521: Practicum and Seminar II
- RHB570: Rehabilitation Counseling Internship and Seminar
- RHB608: Advanced Internship II and Seminar in Mental Health: CBT
- RHB609: Advanced Internship II and Seminar in Mental Health: Trauma-Informed Care
Through these experiences, students acquire and develop clinical counseling skills while also meeting state licensure requirements. Upon completion of the four courses, students will have received a total of 1,300 hours of clinical experience in rehabilitation and mental health settings. In addition, they will have received 60 hours of clinical supervision at the sites and 120 hours in the classroom.
State Licensing Exam Requirements
After completing the coursework and clinical requirements, students must complete 2,000 hours of a clinical internship under the supervision of an on-site clinical supervisor who meets the standards of the board of licensure for the state in which they intend to practice.
Rehabilitation Counseling
Required courses:
- RHB500: Research Methods
- RHB506: Professional Orientation and Ethics
- RHB508: Human Growth and Development
- RHB509: Counseling and Personality Theory
- RHB510: Cross-Cultural Issues in Counseling
- RHB513: Couples and Family Counseling
- RHB516: Group Counseling and Group Work
- RHB517: Career Counseling
- RHB518: Appraisal
- RHB520: Practicum and Seminar I: Motivational Interviewing
- RHB527: Substance Abuse Counseling and Treatment
- RHB540: Medical and Psychological Aspects of Disability
- RHB550: Vocational Rehabilitation, Case Management and Employment
Clinical requirements:
- RHB521: Practicum and Seminar II
- RHB570: Rehabilitation Counseling Internship and Seminar
Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling (M.A. Degree)
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Time to complete: 2.5 years
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Program format: Online (synchronous)
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Application deadline: March 1, July 1 or Nov. 1
Rehabilitation Counseling (M.A. Degree)
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Time to complete: 2 years
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Program format: Online (synchronous)
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Application deadline: March 1, July 1 or Nov. 1
Learn More About Salve Regina’s Master’s Degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling
Our online master's degree programs in rehabilitation counseling provide students with holistic training to empower people with disabilities. Graduates are prepared for careers in a wide spectrum of settings, including mental health facilities, hospitals, prisons, court diversion and parole programs, addiction programs, high schools, college and university counseling centers and nonprofits.
Embrace a rewarding career as a rehabilitation counselor – connect with Salve Regina about pursuing an online graduate program in rehabilitation counseling.
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Program Spotlight: Jan Jackson
Growing up, Jan Jackson '14, '17 (M) dreamed of being a police officer and protecting the most vulnerable in society. But as she took undergraduate courses in psychology and social work at Salve Regina, she realized that maybe another path was opening up – the path of a counselor that works directly with victims.
Jackson started her master's degree in rehabilitation counseling after completing her bachelor's degree in administration of justice. She also jumped into the mental health field quickly after program director Dr. Judith Drew helped Jackson find a job at Newport Mental Health as a case manager and vocational specialist.
She was nothing but supportive about everything and anything that you would come to her with. Right from the get-go, she was like, 'What do you want to do? You need to be in the field, you need to be experiencing real-life situations.'
