Rehabilitation Counseling Emphasis

The Rehabilitation Counseling emphasis in the Counselor Education (M.Ed.) Master's Program is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) and ranked 4th in the nation with faculty who have won national awards for their teaching, research and service to the profession. Through federal Rehabilitation Services Administration grants, we are able to provide some funding (tuition and stipend for one year of study) to eligible students.

Penn State also has a doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision. Please review that webpage for more information about our doctoral program where students can complete a minor in rehabilitation counseling or other areas of interest (school counseling, mental health, multicultural counseling). 

The purpose of this emphasis is to:

• Provide didactic and clinical experiences that prepare students to implement a wide range of interventions to improve the functional, psychological, social and vocational outcomes for people with chronic illness, mental health and/or other disabling conditions (sensory disability, traumatic brain injury, amputation, substance abuse, developmental disability, physical disability).
• Prepare students to be eligible to become Certified Rehabilitation Counselors, Licensed Professional Counselors, Certified Addictions Counselors and/or National Certified Counselors.
• Provide students with the opportunity to specialize in a range of counseling settings (mental health, non-profit rehabilitation, state-federal vocational rehabilitation, veterans rehabilitation, private-for-profit rehabilitation, substance abuse/addictions, hospital, private practice, nursing homes/gerontology units, university disability services, and correctional rehabilitation). 
• Prepare counselors to develop effective advocacy skills and provide preventative and developmental strategies to address barriers in the physical and social environment that can limit the civil and human rights of their clients.
• Provide two credit hour options (51 credits or 60 credits) for completing the program so that students can tailor the program to their professional goals and needs.

A well-rounded program is attained through emphasis on:

• the holistic development of individuals with chronic illness, mental health and/or other disabling conditions with a primary focus on empowering individuals to select and implement life goals that are congruent with individual values, beliefs, and lifestyles.

• understand the medical aspects of living with a range of chronic illness and disability, and the inter-relationship between physical and mental health that can influence case conceptualization, counseling goals, and selected interventions.

• client assessment, planning, and service delivery that includes synthesis of all major areas of client information; rehabilitation plan development; knowledge of service delivery; identification of community resources; and vocational assessment.

• exploration of the psychological, social, and cultural factors that can impact client outcomes and development of the multicultural clinical and advocacy skills needed to realize improved outcomes.

• incorporating counseling theory, skills and techniques into experiential learning modes including role-playing and genuine counseling situations through practicum at the CEDAR Clinic and supervised internship in a counseling setting related to the student's primary interest area.
   

  

   

Other Counselor Education M.Ed. emphasis areas at Penn State University:

Potential students who may be interested in Career Counseling, Elementary School Counseling, Secondary School Counseling, or Mental Health Counseling in Schools and Communities are encouraged to review their websites as well.

Frequently Asked Questions


Psychiatric Rehabilitation Option:

The psychiatric rehabilitation option is designed for students who would like to focus primarily on working with individuals with mental illness in community mental health settings, psychiatric rehabilitation programs, and within the state vocational rehabilitation program. This option requires the regular program content and two additional courses, RHS 401 (Community Mental Health Practice and Services) and PSYCH 470 (Abnormal Psychology) as part of the elective coursework.

Students who elect this option will also be required to do an internship serving clients with mental illness/psychiatric disability, as well as complete a related master's paper. 
Students who complete the 60 credit option are eligible to become licensed professional counselors in addition to their certified rehabilitation counselor credential. This option is ideal for students who anticipate working with individuals who may have a combination of mental health and physical disability (e.g., veterans, adults with significant mental illness, others with long-term disability or chonic illness).

Students who took the elective courses as an undergraduate and achieved a grade of "B" or better may have this course requirement waived.

Coordinator: 
Liza Conyers, Ph.D., 
119 Ritenour Building, 
University Park, PA 16802 
(814) 863-6115

Addictions Rehabilitation Option:

The addictions rehabilitation option is designed for students who would like to focus primarily on working with individuals with addiction disorders or as drug and alcohol specialists within the state vocational rehabilitation program. This option requires the regular program curriculum with two addictions courses included as part of the electives: Foundations of Addictions Counseling and an additional course related to addictions/substance abuse (CnEd 840, CnEd 420). Students who complete the 60 credit option are eligible to become licensed professional counselors in addition to their certified rehabilitation counselor credential. This option is ideal for students who anticipate working with individuals who may have a combination of addictions and other health concerns (e.g., veterans, adults with significant mental illness, others with long-term disability or chronic illness).

Students who elect this option will also be required to do an internship working with clients with substance abuse disorders, as well as complete a related master's paper.

Students who took the Foundations to Addictions Counseling course as an undergraduate and achieved a grade of “B” or better may have this course requirement waived. PSU students may also be able to combine their undergraduate addictions coursework with their MA level addictions coursework to graduate with an addictions counseling certificate.

Coordinator: Deirdre O’Sullivan, Ph.D., 124 Ritenour Building, 
University Park, PA 16802
 (814) 863-4594


Rehabilitation Counseling Emphasis Coordinator
Liza Conyers, Ph.D.
119 Ritenour Building
Univeristy Park, PA 16802
(814) 863-6115