Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling

The Master of Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC) program is housed in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling. Rehabilitation Counseling has a dual identity, that of an allied health profession and that of a specialized area of general counseling. This degree prepares students at the master’s degree level to serve people with disabilities and “assist persons with physical, mental, developmental, cognitive, and emotional disabilities to achieve their personal, career, and independent living goals” (CRCC Scope of Practice Statement: www.crccertification.com/crc-crcc-scope-of-practice). The MRC program emphasizes counseling skill development, vocational and mental health assessment, transition services for youth with disability, advocacy, and employment.

The USU MRC program prepares rehabilitation counselors to provide professional counseling services to individuals with a broad range of disabilities in a variety of settings, such as state rehabilitation agencies, independent living centers, Veterans Administration, rehabilitation hospitals, psychiatric and community mental health programs, private rehabilitation facilities and agencies, employment assistance programs, and private industry. The degree is a 61-credit program accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The Rehabilitation Counseling program has a limited number of scholarships funded through the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration. These scholarships require a postgraduate commitment to work for a not-for-profit agency serving the needs of individuals with disabilities for two years for every year of scholarship received.

Mission

The mission of the Master of Rehabilitation Counseling program is to promote quality rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities through the education of rehabilitation professionals, provision of rehabilitation continuing education, emphasizing ethical service delivery, and through research related to rehabilitation.

Objectives

Program objectives include:

1. Preparation of master’s level counselors,
2. Promotion of the code of Professional Ethics, and
3. Advancement of the basic philosophical tenets of rehabilitation, including the value and worth of all individuals, a belief in human dignity, and the right of all persons to fully participate in society.