Disability and Rehabilitation Services Major

What You'll Learn

Want a career where you can empower lives, champion independence, and create meaningful change? In our Disability & Rehabilitation Services program, you build the knowledge, mindset, and hands-on skills to support people with disabilities in living full and self-directed lives. You will explore disability policy and rights-based approaches, learn counseling and interpersonal techniques, and develop a strong foundation in employment supports, health perspectives, and business practices that shape inclusive Organizations.

About the Disability and Rehabilitation Services Major

Students complete coursework in five foundational areas that define the field of disability and rehabilitation: 

• Advocacy and Policy: Students disability policy, ADA regulations, righs-based approaches to support. Courses in this area include Disability Policy & ADA, Rhetoric & Politics, and Restorative Justice.
• Employment and Career Support: Students develop skills in career counseling and job placement strategies. Courses in this area include HR Fieldwork, Organizational Psychology, and Professional Communications.
• Understanding Disability: Students gain medical, psychological, and social perspectives on disability. Courses in this area include Medical Aspects, Abnormal Psychology, and Medical Terminology.
• Business and Organizational Learning: Students master HR practices and organizational approaches to disability inclusion. Courses in this area include HR Fieldwork, Organizational Psychology, and Professional Communications.
• Working with People: Students build interpersonal skills and counseling techniques for direct service. Courses in this area include Intro to Psychology, Child & Adolescent Psychology, and a Rehabilitation Internship.

Further Customize Your Degree

Select and area of emphasis that aligns with your career goals.

• Advocacy: Focuses on disability rights, social justice, and policy change.
• Counseling: Prepares students for direct service or graduate counseling programs.
• Deaf Culture: Builds American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency and understanding of deaf culture.
• Human Resources: Prepares students to lead organizational approaches to disability inclusion.
• Working with Youth: Emphasizes disability support in school and community settings.
• Leadership Minor: Strengthens organizational, supervisory, and administrative skills.

Additionally, students interested in substance abuse counseling may take additional courses aligned with Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) preparation.

Program Facts

• On-Campus
• Full-time
• 120 total credits; 49 credits for the major
• College or School: School of Education

The contents of this web page were developed under grant H129L250011 from the U.S. Department of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration. The Department does not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described or discussed in this document. The contents of this web page may contain examples of, adaptations of, and links to resources created and maintained by another public or private organization. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. The content of this web page does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department. This publication is not intended to represent the views or policy of or be an endorsement of any views expressed, or materials provided by any Federal agency (EDGAR 75.620).