Concentration Coordinator Steve Zanskas, Ph.D., CRC Patterson, Room 123D 901.678.4021

Rehabilitation Counseling Concentration Requirements
(39 hours + Internship hours)

Mission Statement

The mission of the rehabilitation counseling master's degree program at The University of Memphis is to prepare professional rehabilitation counselors to provide a full range of rehabilitation counseling services to facilitate the personal, educational, and vocational development of individuals with emotional, cognitive, physical, and neurological impairments. The program prepares individuals to work in a wide variety of rehabilitation, counseling, and human service settings that include community based rehabilitation and mental health center, drug and alcohol treatment facilities, state and federal vocational rehabilitation agencies, colleges and universities, and a wide variety of social service agencies.

Program Overview

The University of Memphis Rehabilitation Counseling Program is a nationally recognized training program that offers a 48-semester hour, CORE (Council on Rehabilitation Educations) accredited curriculum. The program is situated in an urban research university that offers flexibility to both full-time and part-time students, offering many currently working in the field an opportunity to upgrade their skills as well as academic and professional standing. The primary goal of the Rehabilitation Counseling Program is to provide a comprehensive curriculum that focuses on preparing graduates to fill a wide variety of counseling, rehabilitation and human service positions. Students have the option of pursuing 12 additional credit hours which would provide students with the necessary graduate credit hours to become a licensed professional counselor in the state of Tennessee (Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselor). Students are also able to site for the certified rehabilitation counselor certification exam during the last semester of course work. Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) federal traineeships providing full tuition and a monthly stipend, are available to students. The Memphis metro area also provides a wide variety of practicum and internship settings.

The Profession of Rehabilitation Counseling

The rehabilitation counselor utilizes knowledge from psychology, medicine, sociology, organizational behavior, management, business, and social work to assist individuals with physical and mental disabilities to become or remain self-sufficient and productive members of society. To assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining self-sufficiency rehabilitation counselors provide comprehensive counseling services which include but are not limited to individual assessment; individual, group, and family counseling; case management; career and vocational counseling; and job placement. With rehabilitation counselors being able to provide broad-cased services there is a high demand for rehabilitation counselors. Rehabilitation counselors are able to find employment in the following settings:

• State-federal rehabilitation agencies
• Private rehabilitation companies
• Private mental health counseling practices
• Community based mental health agencies
• Substance abuse programs
• Geriatric counseling and rehabilitation programs
• Hospital-based treatment programs
• Developmental disability agencies
• Head injury programs
• Group homes
• Community-based correction programs
• Veteran's administration medical centers
• Educational settings (high school and college/university)
• Employee assistance programs.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must apply to the Graduate School and the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research. Please refer to the Graduate Bulletin for details.

All applicants to the program must:

• attain an acceptable score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
• furnish three letters of reference
• submit a 500-1000 word typed written essay stating your reasons for seeking admission to the program and professional goals and objectives.

Applicants to the program should be willing to have a personal interview with the admission committee.

Program Deadlines

Fall Semester Application Deadline: March 1st
Spring Semester Application Deadline: October 1st.