Master of Science Rehabilitation Counseling
The Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program offers a M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling degree with a mental health counseling concentration. Graduates of this option provide counseling and consultative services to the general population of persons who have disabilities. Graduates of this track are also eligible to seek Oregon licensure as a licensed professional counselor in mental health settings. This program provides the freedom to complete the program in as little as 2 years while attending full-time, or 2.5-3 years for students who need additional flexibility due to work demands or distance. The flexible format combines fully online classes with hybrid courses that only require students to meet on our WOU:Salem campus 1-2 Saturdays per month during the term. This makes the RMHC program a great option for students who may live outside of the Salem area.
Applications for Fall 2024 open October 1st!
credits required
Program Details
Overview
Designed for:
The program emphasizes five major components:
- Individual and group counseling theory and technique;
- Influence of career acquisition and personal independence on the daily lives of persons with disabilities;
- Social and psychological impact of disability on an individual and family;
- Federal, state, and private service delivery systems for persons with disabilities; and
- Self-awareness on the part of counselors-in-training.
Where this degree can take you:
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
- Mental health counselor in a community or higher education setting
- Case Manager with a vendor who serves vocational rehabilitation setting
- Youth Transition Specialist
- Community services coordinator for adults with disabilities
- Disabled student services
- Client Advocate
- Group or supported living coordinator
To start, you need:
- A bachelor’s degree
- 2 years of working experience is preferred
Finishing will take:
- 2-3 years
- 90 credits
- Internship
- Comprehensive Case Presentation
Begin your MS in Rehabilitation Counseling program:
- Fall term
Where you will take classes:
- Online/distance fall, winter, spring, and summer
- On-campus weekend courses (1-2 times per month) at the WOU Salem Campus
Technology you will need:
- Computer with internet connection
What you will learn:
You will receive training to provide individuals who are Deaf and/or have disabilities an opportunity to live fulfilling, productive, and independent lives. FAQs
Learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the rehabilitation counseling related theories and policies.
- Demonstrate competency in facilitating employment, independent living, community integration and personal adjustment for individuals who are deaf or have disabilities and come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Show commitment to professional excellence and leadership through the practice of ethical behavior and integrity.
Accreditation
The program is certified by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling & Related Education Programs (CACREP) through July 31, 2025.
Application Requirements
Deadlines and key dates:
-
Priority Application Deadline January 15th
- Completed applications received by the priority application deadline will be notified by February 1st of their interview date.
- Completed applications received after the priority deadline will be considered until the cohort is full.
Detailed application requirements:
Application materials required for WOU Graduate admission:
- Application Fee $60
- Transcripts
- You can upload an unofficial copy of your transcript to complete your application for admission. Save as a PDF with your first and last name in time from all previous colleges. We will require an official transcript from the Colleges or Universities you have attended for formal admission.
- Transcripts are used as Evidence of completion of a four-year baccalaureate degree (or international equivalent) from a regionally accredited institution as defined by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars, with a cumulative B average (equivalent 3.00 on a U.S. 4.00 grading scale) on the most recent baccalaureate degree. Applicants who hold a master’s degree will have the 3.0 GPA requirement waived. Students with less than 3.0 can also provide passing MAT/GRE scores to be fully admitted.
- Current Resume
- Save as a PDF with your first and last name in the title.
- Writing Sample
- Your ability to express ideas in an appropriate manner is an important factor in successful graduate study. This sample will be used to assess your writing skills. Therefore, please take care in preparing your response. Writing samples must be typed, double-spaced, and a minimum of 1 page but not more than 2 pages in length.
- Prepare a candid letter of self-recommendation to the Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program. Describe personal qualities and professionally related experiences you have had that you believe make graduate study in counseling appropriate for you. What are your highest hopes and greatest concerns about yourself as a student and as a rehabilitation counselor? Tell us about your career plans. Write the letter in your own form and style.
- Recommendations
- Provide at least two recommendations from employers and/or colleagues that address your competence as a counselor, your potential to teach/lead/mentor, and your ability to navigate meaning transfer between parties who do not use the same language. Our online recommendation system will solicit their responses via email.
- Background Information
- You will be prompted to complete a background form within your online application
Process: Applications will be reviewed once all application materials have been submitted. Please refer to the Application Checklist in your Graduate Application Portal to confirm the status of your submitted materials. The Graduate Application Portal will also provide additional details about the checklist items for further clarification. You will be notified via email regarding changes in the status of your application or if you are missing any application components.
Curriculum
MS Rehabilitation Counseling curriculum overview:
Program core course requirements for the RC/MHC track begin the fall term each year and require a minimum of seven sequential terms, including one summer term.
CAUTION: Due to the intensity of full-time graduate coursework and assignments, students are asked NOT to work more than 20 hours per week during their first year of study. The internship (winter and spring terms of year 2) requires 32-35 hours a week to successfully complete 600 clock hours including 240 direct client contact hours. Clinical Handbook
Your plan of study:
Once admitted to M.S. Rehabilitation Counseling program, you will work with an advisor to plan the courses you will take and how you will complete the academic requirements of the program. By filing this Program Plan (PDF form), you have a road map for completing your degree and clarity on what to expect.
Core Courses
Exit Evaluation RequirementStudents must complete the following exit evaluation in order to receive their degree:
Total Credits: 90Note:All RC 609 and RC 610 sections will be P/NC grading only. A “P” grade represents work of at least “B” level. |
Prospects after graduation
Over the past five years, 96-100 percent of our graduates were employed in appropriate professional fields within six months of graduation. Retention in the field of rehabilitation remains at 94 percent up to five years after graduation.
Faculty
CHIEN-CHUN LIN
Associate Professor, Deaf Studies & Professional Studies
503-838-9305 | linc@wou.edu | RWEC 141
CHUNG-FAN NI
Associate Professor, Deaf Studies & Professional Studies
503-838-8038 | nic@wou.edu | RWEC 135
DENISE THEW
Chair, Associate Professor, Deaf Studies & Professional Studies
503-838-9341 | thewd@wou.edu | RWEC 134
The people behind the MS RC program:
The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP). The RCD track has been selected by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) as an exemplary program in the 15 cooperating states that are part of this commission. Our faculty prides itself in being a National leader in Rehabilitation Counseling Education. Please let us know if we can help answer questions about this program, your career, or application requirements.
RSA Information
Rehabilitation Services Administration:
WOU’s RCE program is currently receiving funding from Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), U.S. Department of Education to assist students with their tuition expenses. RSA scholarships cover a portion of the tuition and may be awarded for one or two years, depending upon continued funding. Not all admitted students are funded through RSA scholarships. To receive support through RSA, the recipient must commit to work for a state Vocational Rehabilitation Division (VRD) or a related agency through which the individual has a service arrangement with the State/Federal vocational rehabilitation agency to provide needed services to vocational rehabilitation consumers. For every academic year of scholarship support, RSA requires the recipient to work two years as a professional in the rehabilitation counseling field.
- Scholarship Information
- Forms
- Qualify Employee Verification
- RSA Payback-Agreement Letter
- Acknowledgement of Accepting RSA Grant Terms
- Certificate of Eligibility
- Work Reporting Form
- All forms require Adobe Reader ™ to read the PDF forms.
Designed for:
The program emphasizes five major components:
- Individual and group counseling theory and technique;
- Influence of career acquisition and personal independence on the daily lives of persons with disabilities;
- Social and psychological impact of disability on an individual and family;
- Federal, state, and private service delivery systems for persons with disabilities; and
- Self-awareness on the part of counselors-in-training.
Where this degree can take you:
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
- Mental health counselor in a community or higher education setting
- Case Manager with a vendor who serves vocational rehabilitation setting
- Youth Transition Specialist
- Community services coordinator for adults with disabilities
- Disabled student services
- Client Advocate
- Group or supported living coordinator
To start, you need:
- A bachelor’s degree
- 2 years of working experience is preferred
Finishing will take:
- 2-3 years
- 90 credits
- Internship
- Comprehensive Case Presentation
Begin your MS in Rehabilitation Counseling program:
- Fall term
Where you will take classes:
- Online/distance fall, winter, spring, and summer
- On-campus weekend courses (1-2 times per month) at the WOU Salem Campus
Technology you will need:
- Computer with internet connection
What you will learn:
You will receive training to provide individuals who are Deaf and/or have disabilities an opportunity to live fulfilling, productive, and independent lives. FAQs
Learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the rehabilitation counseling related theories and policies.
- Demonstrate competency in facilitating employment, independent living, community integration and personal adjustment for individuals who are deaf or have disabilities and come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Show commitment to professional excellence and leadership through the practice of ethical behavior and integrity.
Accreditation
The program is certified by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling & Related Education Programs (CACREP) through July 31, 2025.
Deadlines and key dates:
-
Priority Application Deadline January 15th
- Completed applications received by the priority application deadline will be notified by February 1st of their interview date.
- Completed applications received after the priority deadline will be considered until the cohort is full.
Detailed application requirements:
Application materials required for WOU Graduate admission:
- Application Fee $60
- Transcripts
- You can upload an unofficial copy of your transcript to complete your application for admission. Save as a PDF with your first and last name in time from all previous colleges. We will require an official transcript from the Colleges or Universities you have attended for formal admission.
- Transcripts are used as Evidence of completion of a four-year baccalaureate degree (or international equivalent) from a regionally accredited institution as defined by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars, with a cumulative B average (equivalent 3.00 on a U.S. 4.00 grading scale) on the most recent baccalaureate degree. Applicants who hold a master’s degree will have the 3.0 GPA requirement waived. Students with less than 3.0 can also provide passing MAT/GRE scores to be fully admitted.
- Current Resume
- Save as a PDF with your first and last name in the title.
- Writing Sample
- Your ability to express ideas in an appropriate manner is an important factor in successful graduate study. This sample will be used to assess your writing skills. Therefore, please take care in preparing your response. Writing samples must be typed, double-spaced, and a minimum of 1 page but not more than 2 pages in length.
- Prepare a candid letter of self-recommendation to the Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program. Describe personal qualities and professionally related experiences you have had that you believe make graduate study in counseling appropriate for you. What are your highest hopes and greatest concerns about yourself as a student and as a rehabilitation counselor? Tell us about your career plans. Write the letter in your own form and style.
- Recommendations
- Provide at least two recommendations from employers and/or colleagues that address your competence as a counselor, your potential to teach/lead/mentor, and your ability to navigate meaning transfer between parties who do not use the same language. Our online recommendation system will solicit their responses via email.
- Background Information
- You will be prompted to complete a background form within your online application
Process: Applications will be reviewed once all application materials have been submitted. Please refer to the Application Checklist in your Graduate Application Portal to confirm the status of your submitted materials. The Graduate Application Portal will also provide additional details about the checklist items for further clarification. You will be notified via email regarding changes in the status of your application or if you are missing any application components.
MS Rehabilitation Counseling curriculum overview:
Program core course requirements for the RC/MHC track begin the fall term each year and require a minimum of seven sequential terms, including one summer term.
CAUTION: Due to the intensity of full-time graduate coursework and assignments, students are asked NOT to work more than 20 hours per week during their first year of study. The internship (winter and spring terms of year 2) requires 32-35 hours a week to successfully complete 600 clock hours including 240 direct client contact hours. Clinical Handbook
Your plan of study:
Once admitted to M.S. Rehabilitation Counseling program, you will work with an advisor to plan the courses you will take and how you will complete the academic requirements of the program. By filing this Program Plan (PDF form), you have a road map for completing your degree and clarity on what to expect.
Core Courses
Exit Evaluation RequirementStudents must complete the following exit evaluation in order to receive their degree:
Total Credits: 90Note:All RC 609 and RC 610 sections will be P/NC grading only. A “P” grade represents work of at least “B” level. |
Prospects after graduation
Over the past five years, 96-100 percent of our graduates were employed in appropriate professional fields within six months of graduation. Retention in the field of rehabilitation remains at 94 percent up to five years after graduation.
CHIEN-CHUN LIN
Associate Professor, Deaf Studies & Professional Studies
503-838-9305 | linc@wou.edu | RWEC 141
CHUNG-FAN NI
Associate Professor, Deaf Studies & Professional Studies
503-838-8038 | nic@wou.edu | RWEC 135
DENISE THEW
Chair, Associate Professor, Deaf Studies & Professional Studies
503-838-9341 | thewd@wou.edu | RWEC 134
The people behind the MS RC program:
The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP). The RCD track has been selected by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) as an exemplary program in the 15 cooperating states that are part of this commission. Our faculty prides itself in being a National leader in Rehabilitation Counseling Education. Please let us know if we can help answer questions about this program, your career, or application requirements.
Rehabilitation Services Administration:
WOU’s RCE program is currently receiving funding from Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), U.S. Department of Education to assist students with their tuition expenses. RSA scholarships cover a portion of the tuition and may be awarded for one or two years, depending upon continued funding. Not all admitted students are funded through RSA scholarships. To receive support through RSA, the recipient must commit to work for a state Vocational Rehabilitation Division (VRD) or a related agency through which the individual has a service arrangement with the State/Federal vocational rehabilitation agency to provide needed services to vocational rehabilitation consumers. For every academic year of scholarship support, RSA requires the recipient to work two years as a professional in the rehabilitation counseling field.
- Scholarship Information
- Forms
- Qualify Employee Verification
- RSA Payback-Agreement Letter
- Acknowledgement of Accepting RSA Grant Terms
- Certificate of Eligibility
- Work Reporting Form
- All forms require Adobe Reader ™ to read the PDF forms.
Program Highlights
Over the past five years, 96-100 percent of our graduate were employed in appropriate professional fields within six months of graduation. Retention in the field of rehabilitation remains at 94 percent up to five years after graduation. Our graduates are currently working as state vocational rehabilitation counselors all over the United States. In addition we have graduates working at the Commission for the Blind, Department of Labor, Social Security Administration, and the Veterans’ Administration. We also have graduates working in mental health fields as addictions counselors, community mental health, criminal justice counselors, and independent living counselors. The variety of opportunities for careers with this education are endless.
Why choose WOU?
- Graduates are eligible to seek Oregon licensure as a licensed professional counselor in mental health settings.
- RSA grant opportunities to assist with tuition expenses.
- Long standing success in areas of placement and employment for RC graduates.
