Rehabilitation Counseling

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Consistent with Maryville’s mission, the Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling program, accredited by the Council  on Rehabilitation Education, provides a quality professional education that serves the community. This 48 credit hour CORE accredited program is designed to educate an individual to become a professional counselor with sound knowledge and skills to work with persons with disabilities, such as physical, psychological, substance abuse, developmental, behavioral and cognitive. The rehabilitation counselor is committed to assist the individual with special needs and talents to achieve equal access, inclusion in society, meaningful work and independent living with quality of life. The rehabilitation counselor believes that individuals with disability represent a major resource for the betterment of society.

Mission

This program is designed to educate an individual to become a professional counselor with sound knowledge and skills to work with persons with disabilities, such as physical, psychological, substance abuse, developmental, behavioral and cognitive. The rehabilitation counselor is committed to assist the individual with special needs and talents to achieve equal access, inclusion in society, meaningful work and independent living with quality of life. The rehabilitation counselor believes that individuals with disability represent a major resource for the betterment of society.

The program objectives are as follows

1. To provide a solid understanding of the principles, philosophies, history, policies, laws, practices and ethics related to rehabilitation counseling.
2. 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.
3. To develop, in the student, sound knowledge of the dynamics of personality development and theories of counseling as well as practical counseling skills.
4. To challenge the student to examine personal values and to appreciate a multicultural perspective to counseling.
5. To provide education for effective case management and disability management.
6. To achieve within the student an appreciation and knowledge of vocational and career development theory.
7. To obtain an understanding of the methods and tests available for evaluation and the relation of such to a comprehensive assessment of the individual.
8. To develop, in the student, skills in job analysis, marketing, job development, job placement and supported employment options.
9. To acquaint the student with research methodology and research in rehabilitation for the purpose of becoming intelligent consumers of research.
10. To develop sound professional counselors committed to lifelong learning.

Through coursework, practicum and internship placements, the graduate student will integrate the critical knowledge and clinical skills necessary for professional practice. The Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling program provides the educational preparation for Missouri licensing as a Professional Counselor (LPC) and national certification as a Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). Additional coursework for concentrations in marriage and family therapy, substance abuse and music therapy are also available. Please contact the Director of Rehabilitation Counseling for eligibility and requirements of this program: 314.529.9443.

Application for admission

• Non-refundable application processing fee of $35
• Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 for full acceptance to program. Conditional acceptance may be given to those individuals who do not meet this standard but have demonstrated exceptional strengths worthy of review.
• Two letters of recommendation, one of which, if applicable, should be from a supervisor of relevant work in the field.
• Successful Interview
• International students must submit a TOEFL score of 550.

Undergraduate TOEFL test takers after September 24, 2005, who take the revised TOEFL will be admitted into the Master of Rehabilitation Counseling program with a speaking sub-score of 23, writing sub-score of 20 and reading and listening scores of 21 or higher and a combined score of 85 or higher.

Individuals can enter the program at the beginning of fall, spring, or summer semesters.   Upon receipt of the application, the program will notify the applicant and schedule interviews.  Letters of acceptance will be sent in April for fall and summer, and in December for spring admittance. 

The interviews will be conducted by program faculty and members of the Rehabilitation Counseling Advisory Committee. At the time of the interview, the applicant will complete a writing sample based on a question from the interview committee. Applicants will be expected to discuss, individually and in group, their professional goals, their knowledge of the field of Rehabilitation Counseling and why the applicant should be accepted into a graduate program of study. Counseling Skills and Practicum must be taken within the first year of coursework. REHB 600 must be completed with a 3.0 or better to continue in the program. Failure to meet the grade point expectation will require meeting with faculty adviser to determine program status. Termination from the program may result from unsuccessful completion of the practicum. Successful completion of REHB 600 is required to register for further Rehabilitation Counseling coursework.

Health and Other Special Requirements

The following requirements must be met prior to participating in required clinicals:

• Physical Examination
• Documentation of Immunization or Titer Immunity
  • Measles/Rubeola, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
  • Tetanus, Diphtheria and acellular Pertusis (Tdap)
  • Polio series completed
  • Varicella titer or Varicella vaccinations
  • Hepatitis B Vaccine Series or Declination
  • Flu Vaccine annual
  • TB-Tuberculin PPD test (documented 2-step initially, then annual)
• Health insurance (copy of card required annually)
• CPR Certification-American Heart Association Basic Life Support for the Health Care Provider required
• Urine Drug Screen (from the Maryville authorized lab)
• Criminal Record Background checks from Maryville University’s authorized agency and signed release to clinical sites (possible checks include: state criminal checks, disqualification lists, sex offender lists, social security number, address and alias)
• Fitting for a respiratory isolation device (i.e. N95 Mask) may be required by some clinical sites
• A few hospitals in Missouri now require nicotine screenings for all new employees.  Therefore it is anticipated that students may be excluded from some clinical sites based upon their use of nicotine

Early Access

Baccalaureate students who meet the requisite grade point average and coursework may be eligible for the bridge/early access program to the M.A. in Rehabilitation Counseling at Maryville.
 

See Major in Psychology with Concentration in Rehabilitation. The major in Psychology with a concentration in Rehabilitation may provide early access to the graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling. Enrollment in the designated REHB courses in the concentration does not constitute formal acceptance into that master’s program. These courses will constitute a waiver of six credits in that program if the student matriculates into that graduate program.  Please see a description of the Psychology major with a concentration in Rehabilitation within the College of Arts and Sciences. This program also offers early access to the graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling.

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