CHHS >> Counseling >> Programs of Study >> Rehabilitation Counseling
Welcome to the Rehabilitation Counseling Training Program Website
- Mission
- The Field of Rehabilitation Counseling
- Our Program
- Scholarships
- Students and Graduates
- Program Faculty and Instructors
- Indicators of Quality
- Certification & Licensure
- Application Process
Mission
To train empathic, culturally competent rehabilitation counselors to work in partnership with persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses and their families, in a manner that considers the barriers and assets of each individual and his/her environment, in order to facilitate and empower the individual to achieve optimal access and community integration.
The Field Of Rehabilitation Counseling
What is Rehabilitation Counseling? Rehabilitation Counselors are trained to provide an array of counseling-related services in partnership with persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses to address the social, psychological, environmental, vocational, educational and living needs of the individual and his/her family in order to assist the individual in achieving optimal access and community integration. Rehabilitation counselors perform multiple roles including counselor, advocate, and case manager, and are trained to consider the interaction between the individual and his/her environment in service planning. “Disability” refers to a situation in which significant life activities and community participation are substantially limited due to factors related to a person’s health condition and his/her environment.
Employment Outlook and Salaries: There is a high demand for rehabilitation counselors. Nationally, approximately 50 million people have disabilities or chronic illness, and our health and mental health care system is ill-equipped to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of persons with disabilities and chronic illness. In addition, many of our returning war veterans have severe disabilities such as traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress, which demand the services of trained rehabilitation counselors. Our public rehabilitation system is facing a substantial workforce need with 25% of counselors needing to be replaced due to normal attrition rates and retirement. Finally, rehabilitation counselors bring an expertise regarding disability to any health or mental health agency.
Employment Options & Salary: Rehabilitation counselors practice in many settings including public rehabilitation programs, non-profit organizations, independent living centers, community colleges and 4-year universities, disability resource departments in educational settings, substance abuse agencies, medical centers and hospitals, k-12 public schools, job training centers, and insurance companies. Salaries vary widely and range from $39,000 to $65,000 depending on the place of employment. The California Department of Rehabilitation ranges in pay from approximately $43,000 to $60,000.
Our Program
Situated within the broader Department of Counseling which offers training in six counseling specializations, rehabilitation counseling students have the opportunity to obtain an MS degree in Rehabilitation Counseling with rehabilitation counseling as their only specialization, or by graduating with a dual focus with rehabilitation counseling as either the primary specialization or the secondary emphasis. For example, Rehabilitation Counseling may be combined with specializations in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling (MFCC), Gerontological, Career, College, or School Counseling.
To obtain a master’s degree, SFSU requires a minimum of two years (60 units) of academic coursework including two academic years of 12 and 16 (minimum) hours of supervised clinical fieldwork. Rehabilitation Counseling Graduates are trained in the core counseling curriculum which covers such areas as individual and group counseling theory, skills and techniques; developmental, psychological, social and cultural foundations of counseling; and research and assessment. In addition, students take five rehabilitation courses in the areas of professional issues, medical and psychosocial aspects of disability; career development and occupational information, and assistive technology. Students are required to do fieldwork in a rehabilitation counseling placement, preferably under the supervision of a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.
To obtain a master’s degree, SFSU requires a minimum of two years (60 units) of academic coursework including two academic years of 12 and 16 (minimum) hours of supervised clinical fieldwork. Rehabilitation Counseling Graduates are trained in the core counseling curriculum which covers such areas as individual and group counseling theory, skills and techniques; developmental, psychological, social and cultural foundations of counseling; and research and assessment. In addition, students take five rehabilitation courses in the areas of professional issues, medical and psychosocial aspects of disability; career development and occupational information, and assistive technology. Students are required to do fieldwork in a rehabilitation counseling placement, preferably under the supervision of a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.
Curriculum
| Course | Title | Units |
| COUN 700 | Theories of Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 702 | Developmental Foundations for Counselors | 3 |
| COUN 703 | Psychological Foundations for Counselors | 3 |
| COUN 704 | Psychological Aspects of Disability | 3 |
| COUN 705 | Practicum and Internship | 2 |
| COUN 706 | Counseling Process | 3 |
| COUN 715 | Assessment in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 735 | Counseling Practicum and Fieldwork | 2 |
| COUN 736 | Advanced Counseling Process | 3 |
| COUN 738 | Alcohol and Substance Abuse | 2 |
| COUN 748 | Rehabilitation Engineering Technology | 3 |
| COUN 762 | Seminar on Field of Rehabilitation Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 766 | Medical-Social Aspects of Rehabilitation Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 778 | Occupational Info, Dynamics & Placement in Rehab Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 794 | Seminar in Research | 3 |
| COUN 811 | Group Counseling Process | 3 |
| COUN 833 | Social and Cultural Foundations in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 890 | Integrative Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 891 | Case Studies and Internship | 3 |
| COUN 892 | Internship | 4 |
| Elective | 1 | |
| Minimum Total | 60 |
For students interested in pursuing a career in rehabilitation counseling research, teaching or as a rehabilitation psychologist, this program prepares students to competitively apply for Rehabilitation Counseling Education/Rehabilitation Psychology doctoral programs.
Students who specialize in providing rehabilitation services to those who are Deaf or hard of hearing take additional coursework that covers information and techniques specific to working with these populations. Competence in sign language is required for the certificate in deafness but not for the certificate in deafened and hard of hearing (contact Dr. Zwillinger for more information about this program).
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for students enrolled in the rehabilitation counselor training program who have a specialization or emphasis in rehabilitation counseling. Scholarships are approximately $5800 annually but may vary. Awardees have a payback requirement upon graduation that requires two years employment in the public vocational rehabilitation system or at a non-profit rehabilitation agency for every year of receipt of the award. Contact Dr. Julie Chronister for additional information @ 
jchronis@sfsu.edu. Scholarships are also available for rehabilitation students specializing in working with persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Please contact Dr. Lesley Zwillinger for additional information @ lzwill@sfsu.edu.
Students & Graduates
Coming soon!
Program Faculty & Instructors
- Julie Chronister, PHD – Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty and Program Coordinator
- Mya Vaughn, PHD – Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty
- Lesley Zwillinger, PHD – Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty and Field Placement Coordinator, Field Placement Website
Indicators of Quality
Our program is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), certifying that it meets national training standards. In addition, our faculty and instructors are comprised of full-time faculty as well as working rehabilitation counselors and rehabilitation psychologists. We work closely with professionals in the field to insure we are providing our students with up-to-date, hands-on training that prepares them to work with contemporary rehabilitation populations in a vast array of settings. For example, all students take coursework in substance abuse, and we facilitate regular workshops/topical presentations from working rehabilitation counselors. In addition, nearly 100% of our graduates are immediately employed upon graduation.
Certification & Licensure
Students who graduate from our program are able to become Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRC) by passing a national examination. Today, there are more than 35,000 Certified Rehabilitation Counselors practicing in the US, and employers look for this certification to insure a quality rehabilitation counseling workforce.
See Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) for additional information on the certification process. TBA.
Application Process
Our program is part of the Department of Counseling and applicants are required to follow the department and graduate school’s application process. Below are some general instructions, however, please click on the Deppartment of Counseling FAQ for detailed information.
- The Department of Counseling is a fall-admit program. You must submit a completed application by January 14th of each year for admission for the following fall. If January 14th falls on a holiday or weekend, applications are due the following business day.
- A Bachelor's Degree is required for admission to the program.
- Related work experience is taken into account in the admission process.
- Applications are available on-line and available in accessible formats.
- Students with disabilities and others from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
