MS in Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling
In Drake University’s flexible Rehabilitation Counseling specialization, you’ll build the skills essential for working with individuals with disabilities to achieve personal, social, and vocational goals by fostering independence and self-sufficiency.
School of Education | On-Campus
Program Options
Build on the MS in Counseling’s core courses to customize your training to your interests and career goals.
Rehabilitation Counseling Specialization
Build skills. Make meaningful connections. You’ll gain a strong foundation in counseling methods, assessment, research, and cultural understanding—so you’re ready to connect with clients and support their growth by completing the 33-credit-hour counseling core. Then, focus on rehabilitation, with specialized coursework in disability policy and the ADA, human resources, medical aspects of disability, and advanced placement. Follow this with extensive fieldwork in the workplace and other settings to hone your practical skills.
Earn Multiple Specializations
All three specializations for the MS in Counseling program share a common core, so you can easily add additional expertise in clinical mental health or school counseling to your studies.
Meet the Faculty
Learn the craft of rehabilitation counseling from faculty with deep clinical experience in a range of settings, who are active contributors to the field through both research and leadership in professional organizations.
Matt Bruinekool, Ed.D.
Associate Professor, Counseling Education; Director of the National Rehabilitation Institute
Outside the Classroom
Drake’s holistic program provides a comprehensive foundation for your career, emphasizing an ethical mindset, cultural sensitivity, and client advocacy. Hands-on practice, research, unique learning opportunities, and financial support ready you for certification and everything beyond.
Professional Experiences
Prepare to thrive as a rehabilitation counselor through extensive applied training, including a 100-hour practicum and 600 hours of supervised clinical practice in a setting aligned with your career goals.
Scholarships and Grants
Access resources to help you fund your training, including a scholarship administered by Drake’s National Rehabilitation Institute. Recipients of the award receive up to 100 percent of tuition plus a modest stipend. See our graduate financial aid page for more information.
Fulfill Licensure Requirements in Iowa
Completing the Rehabilitation Counselor specialization qualifies you to sit for the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Certification Exam to become nationally certified as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. Students are also able to pursue certification as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with an additional internship in clinical mental health counseling.
Careers & Skills
With a solid theoretical base and diverse experiences working with individuals with disabilities in clinical and workplace settings, you’ll graduate ready to conduct intakes, determine client eligibility for programs, conduct vocational assessments, develop individualized plans for employment, manage cases, and assist individuals in obtaining and maintaining integrative, competitive employment in the community.
As a graduate, you’ll qualify for rehabilitation counselor positions with state and federal rehabilitation programs, healthcare providers, community organizations, insurance companies, and human resource offices in private business and industry. You’ll also find that, across the counseling profession, rehabilitation specialists attract the highest salaries and most competitive benefits packages.
Opportunities
- State and federal agencies
- Veterans Administration
- Consultant
- Hospitals
- Private practice
- Rehabilitation centers
- Human Resource department in private industry
Skills
- Assessment and appraisal
- Diagnosis and treatment planning
- Career (vocational) counseling
- Individual and group counseling treatment interventions focused on facilitating adjustments to the medical and psychosocial impact of disability
- Case management, referral, and service coordination
- Program evaluation and research
- Interventions to remove environmental, employment, and attitudinal barriers
- Consultation services among multiple parties and regulatory systems
- Job analysis, development, and placement services, including assistance with employment and job accommodations
- Provision of consultation about and access to rehabilitation technology
- (Source - https://crccertification.com/scope-of-practice/)
Salary & Growth Outlook
The average salary for a certified rehabilitation counselor as of 2021. (CRCC)
More Information
The Rehabilitation Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). To earn CACREP accreditation, Drake’s program must meet rigorous standards, ensuring a quality education that translates into outstanding preparation for professional practice.
Why Should I Choose an Accredited Program?
Why Should My Program Seek Accreditation?
The Value of Accreditation
Take the Next Step
Gain the tools to empower others to overcome barriers and reach independent living goals in Drake’s flexible master’s in rehabilitation counseling program.
Contact
Dr. Matt Bruinekool
Associate Professor,
Director of Rehabilitation Counseling
matt.bruinekool@drake.edu
515-271-4507
