August 27, 2008
Message from Julia Smith, Rehabilitation Counseling
program coordinator:
The Rehabilitation Counselor Education Program at Western Oregon University was recognized for accreditation for eight years, from 2008-2009 and continuing through the end of academic year 2015-2016.
The CORE review found that WOU's Rehabilitation Counseling Program is a comprehensive, well-managed, and responsive program that meets the instructional needs of its students. The program has a well-defined mission and is clearly committed to meeting the rehabilitation needs of persons with disabilities.
The program maintains strong partnerships with the Oregon Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services and the Washington Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. It takes part in ongoing evaluation to ensure its continued quality and communicates well with those charged with the College of Education, CORE, and the Rehabilitation Services Administration.
The program's curriculum addresses all of the required CORE competencies and employers and internship supervisors generally believe the program's students are well prepared to undertake rehabilitation counseling practice. Program faculty members are well qualified and committed to ensuring proper preparation of their students to deliver high quality services to persons with disabilities. The program is well recognized and supported by great instructional support to the program's students to ensure their highest potential for academic and career success.
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Link to:
Mission statement and program objectives
Admission
requirements
Course
of study
Financial
aid
Faculty
and staff
Contact
information
FAQ - Frequently
Asked Questions
Program description
The Rehabilitation Counselor Education (RCE) master's
degree program at Western Oregon University is the oldest and largest rehabilitation
counselor preparation program in the Northwest. The primary focus of this program
is to train rehabilitation counselors to assist people who are deaf or who
have physical, emotional, or mental disabilities to become independent and
self-sufficient. Rehabilitation counselors can make a very real difference
in the lives of individuals with disabilities. For more information about the
nature of careers in rehabilitation counseling, please go to www.rehabjobs.com.
Two options in the RCE program at Western Oregon University:
- Rehabilitation Counselor for the Deaf (RCD)
- Rehabilitation Counselor (RC)
The Rehabilitation Counselor for the Deaf (RCD)
option was established in
1974, and is one of three deafness specialty programs in the United States.
Students in this program plan to seek employment as counselors or consultants
for culturally Deaf people, deafened individuals, and to persons
who are hard-of-hearing. To be accepted to this program applicants must demonstrate
conversational sign language skills. In most cases entering students can
demonstrate conversational skill by successfully completing the equivalent
of two years of formal training in American Sign Language. Applicants must
be able to document two to three years of work experience and/or volunteer
experiences with deaf or hard-of-hearing persons. Link to instructions for
the required videotape interview.
The Rehabilitation Counselor (RC) option was authorized by the Oregon University
System in 1991. Graduates of this option provide counseling and consultative
services to the general population of persons who have disabilities. Entering
students must be able to document two to three years of work experience and/or
volunteer experiences with persons who have disabilities.
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Admission requirements
Each applicant must submit application materials to both the Graduate
office and the RCE program and receive acceptance from each. This two step
process is defined below:
1) WOU Graduate School – Applicants must submit the following:
- Completed WOU Application for Graduate Admission form. Submit this form to the Graduate Office, Education building, room 202P. Students must be admitted to the WOU Graduate School before being considered for admission to the Special Educator program. Submit all WOU Graduate School application materials to the Graduate Office at least one week prior to the program admission deadline.
- Sealed official transcripts from the university that granted your bachelor’s degree and from all other institutions of higher education where you completed coursework. A GPA of 3.0 in the last 90 quarter hours (60 semester hours) of undergraduate or graduate coursework is required. Those with less than a 3.0 GPA can be admitted with MAT or GRE scores (see below for requirement).
- Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score. If the applicant’s GPA is 3.0 or higher, the test requirement is waived. If the GPA is less than 3.0, minimum required score for the (a) MAT: 395 or higher; (b) average score of 450 or higher on the Verbal and Quantitative and a 3.5 or higher on Analytical Writing.
- $50 nonrefundable application fee
2) Rehabilitation Counselor Education program application
A Rehabilitation Counselor Education program application must be submitted
to the Rehabilitation Counselor Admission Committee. Click
here for a printable application packet (requires Adobe
Reader) or request a packet from the Rehabilitation Counselor Education
program at 503-838-8444 (V/TTY) or rrcd@wou.edu.
Follow the printed instructions to return the completed program application
to the Rehabilitation Counselor Education Program.
Program applications are accepted February 15 through March 15 (or until filled),
and interviews are arranged in April. Early application is recommended. RCE
program staff generally interview 25 to 35 prospective students each spring,
accepting 15 to 18 new students each year.
Notice of acceptance to the program is usually sent by June. Please
note: Acceptance by the Rehabilitation Counselor Education Program does
not guarantee acceptance by Western Oregon University. You must
be accepted by both the university and the RCE program before you can
begin your graduate studies in Rehabilitation Counselor Education.
3) Screening and admission process for special educator program
We are now accepting applications for 2009-2011. Application deadline: January 31, 2009. Successful candidates begin the program in Fall 2009 Term. Please submit all WOU Graduate School application materials to the Graduate Office (ED 202P) at least one week prior to the program admission deadline.
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Course of study
Accreditation
The
Rehabilitation Counselor Education program is accredited by the Council
on Rehabilitation Education (CORE). The curricula also meet the
educational requirements for the Oregon
Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (LPC) and
certification for both Certified
Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and National
Certified Counselor (NCC).
Length of the program
This is a two year, seven term, 81-quarter credit hours master's degree program.
RCD students are admitted in the summer while RC (general) students are admitted
only in the fall term of each year and only for full-time graduate status
(part-time is not available).
Nature and scope of the coursework
Coursework in the program can be grouped into three academic areas: general
counseling theory, clinical practice, and rehabilitation content. Those students
in the RCD option have a fourth academic area in their coursework which is
the deafness specialization. The RCE program is accredited by the Council
on Rehabiliation Education (CORE) which attests that the program meets standards
required of all certified rehabilitation programs throughout the United States.
Balance in the curriculum
In each term, students enroll in a combination of 1) theory/lecture courses
and 2) practicum or internship experiences. The total number of credits of
classroom study is 54; practicum or internship requirements total 27 credit
hours. However, the balance between theoretical and practical elements of
the overall course of study is best reflected in the sample of the program's
educational requirements. These are described below in the way they develop
over the two year program.
Courses normally taken during the first fall term are:
RC 532 Psychosocial and Environment Aspects of Disability, 3 credits
RC 575 Seminar: Assistive Technology for D/HOH, 1 credit (taught every
other year)
RC 620 Professional
Orientation to Rehabilitation Services & Resources, 3 credits
RC 620 Research in Rehabilitation, 3 credits
RC 633 Social and Cultural Diversity Issues in Rehabilitation Counseling, 3 credits
Courses normally taken during the first winter term are:
RC 609 Practicum,
3 credits
RC 611 Introduction to the Helping Profession, 3 credits
RC 612 Counseling
Theories & Techniques, 3 credits
RC 621 Job
Development, Placement & Retention, 3 credits
Courses normally taken during the first spring term are:
RC 522 Medical & Functional
Aspects of Disability in Rehabilitation, 3 credits
RC 532 Psychosocial & Environmental
Aspects of Disability, 3 credits
RC 609 Practicum,
3 credits, 3 credits
RC 613 Lifestyle & Career
Development, 3 credits
RC 634 Diagnosis/Treatment
of Mental Illness in Rehabilitation Settings, 3 credits
Courses normally
taken during the summer term are four mornings per week:
RC 662 Measurement
in Deafness and Rehabilitation, 3 credits
RC 630 Group Work, 3 credits
RC 631 Family,
Disability, and Lifespan Development, 3 credits
Courses normally taken during the second fall term are:
RC 607 Seminar:
Portfolio, 3 credits
RC 609 Practicum,
3 credits
RC 650 Ethics & Issues
in Rehabilitation Counseling, 3 credits
RC 660 Case
Management in Rehabilitation Counseling, 3 credits
SpEd 672 Vocational
Transition, 3 credits
Course normally taken during the second winter and spring terms:
RC 610 Internship,
9 credits each term
At the end of the second winter and spring quarters, the student applies
all of the knowledge and skills within the context of a full-time internship
(RC 610) in a rehabilitation setting with clients who represent a variety of
disability groups. This allows generalization of skills learned during
the first five terms to an agency setting.
Note: Students in the RCD-Deafness option must take the following course
during summer term before the RCE program begins fall term of each year:
RC 690 Issues/Deafness, 3 credits
Educationally focused practicum
Approximately one-third of the RCE program is comprised of practica/internship
designed to give the student experience with rehabilitation and independent
living services designed for clients who are Deaf and/or who have severe disabilities.
An excellent relationship exists through the program's advisory structure with
the Oregon State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Washington State Division
of Vocational Rehabilitation, Oregon Disabilities Commission, consumer groups,
and Council on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accredited
programs in Oregon. Practicum and internship supervisors adhere to CORE practicum
standards and actively maintain contact with a variety of programs such as:
-
state offices of vocational rehabilitation
-
vocationally oriented facilities
-
state training schools and rehabilitation centers
-
mental hospitals and medical rehabilitation facilities
-
Commission for the Blind
-
community mental health clinics
-
correctional institutions
-
culturally (economically) disadvantaged
-
consumer organizations
-
independent living centers
-
university and college offices that provide services to
students who are Deaf and/or have mental or physical disabilities
Prospects after graduation
Over the past five years, 96-100 percent of our graduates were employed
in appropriate professional fields within six months of graduation. Retention
in the field of rehabilitation remains at 94 percent up to five years after
graduation.
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Financial aid specific to the program
Student funding
Scholarships from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), U.S.
Department of Education have been awarded to most students in the Rehabilitation
Counselor Education program. Notice of funding is usually sent to
all admitted students in July of each year . Pending continued support,
partial tuition scholarship funding is offered for both years of training.
Not all admitted students are funded; generally 15 to 18 new
students each year receive some type of RSA scholarship support.
To receive federal support through RSA, the recipient must commit
to work for a state VRD agency or an agency (post-graduation) that provides
services to persons who have disabilities and is a vendor to VRD. This
means that for every year of scholarship support, RSA requires the recipient
to work two years as a professional in the rehabilitation counseling field.
This time must be completed within six years after graduation and within
the United States. Click here
for the complete federal policy governing the scholarship program.
Under a special program called WICHE (Western Interstate Commission for
Higher Education), students from the following states who are accepted
into the Rehabilitation Counseling with the Deaf (RCD) option are allowed
to waive out-of-state costs and pay in-state tuition: Alaska, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah,
Washington and Wyoming.
For further financial assistance information, contact the University
Financial Aid Office.
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Faculty/Staff
Julia Smith, Ph.D.,
CRC, LPC |
Associate Professor/Program
Coordinator |
Rebecca Graber |
Administrative Assistant |
| Linda Keller, Ph.D. LPC, CRC |
Associate Professor/Chair, Division
of Special Education |
| B.J. Rosenblad ,
M.S., CRC, LPC |
Instructor/Internship
Coordinator |
| Chung-Fan Ni, Ph.D. |
Assistant Professor |
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Contacts
For information or an application packet
Julia Smith , Ph.D., CRC, LPC
Rehabilitation Counselor Education
Division of Special Education
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, Oregon U.S.A. 97361
Message phone 503-838-8744
503-838-8444 V/TTY
E-mail smithj@wou.edu
For an APPLICATION PACKET
Rehabilitation
Counselor Education
Education Building, Room 220
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, OR 97361
503-838-8444 V/TTY
FAX 503-838-8228
E-mail rrcd@wou.edu
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FAQ - Frequently Asked
Questions
Note: The following is full-time student
information.
Here are answers to typical questions asked by prospective students
interested in either Rehabilitation Counseling (RC) or Rehabilitation Counseling:
Deafness (RCD).
What
undergraduate degree do I
need?
No specific degree is necessary.
Your bachelor’s degree must be awarded
by an accredited college or university. Special courses in developmental
psychology, cultural anthropology, special education and research have been
identified by past students as good background for graduate study. Perspective
students interested in our Rehabilitation Deafness option must be skilled
in American Sign Language.
When can I begin my coursework?
Because classes are taught in sequence, beginning studies for RC students start fall term and for RCD students in the summer.
Can
I attend as a part-time student?
We do not have part-time
students in the program since
our classes are during the
day and are sequenced over
7 consecutive quarters.
(full-time)
Can
I work full-time while a
full-time student?
Students are asked not to work full-time since they are committed to attending
graduate school full-time. The maximum a student should work in a job outside
of his/her graduate studies is 15-20 hours per week. RCE graduate studies
is a full time commitment and equivalent to a full time job.
How
long is the program?
The absolute minimum number of quarter hour credits is 81. RC (general) students
begin with the fall term and continue through summer, completing their studies
by June of the following year (7 quarters). RCD (defness option) students
begin with summer term, completing 8 consecutive quarters by June of the
second year.
I am not an Oregon resident. Do I have to pay out-of-state
fees?
Only students in the Rehabilitation Counseling: Deafness (RCD) option are
members of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE);
residents of the following states are assessed at an in-state tuition level:
Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
North Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
What is the employment outlook after I graduate?
Employment outlook is excellent for Rehabilitation Counseling graduates.
In the past few years we have had 96% to 100% successful employment within
6 months of graduation. It should be noted that the more states a graduate
is willing to consider, the quicker they find employment. Most of
our graduates find employment in Vocational Rehabilitation, community-based
service programs for persons with disabilities, counseling agencies serving
persons with disabilities, and post-secondary settings.
If I am accepted to begin graduate study by the WOU
office of Admissions, am I automatically accepted by the program?
You are not accepted into the Rehabilitation program until all of the following
have been completed, and found acceptable:
a) applied to Western Oregon University through
the Graduate School and been accepted.
b) graduate students must
complete either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) before admission if GPA is below the required level.
c) completed the application to the Rehabilitation
Program (enclosed). Application deadline is March 15 or until all slots are filled.
d) have been interviewed
by the program admissions committee (interviews are generally scheduled beginning
in late April/early May).
Is there financial support for students?
We are pleased to have a long history of receiving training grants from the
Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), U.S. Department of Education.
Contingent on continued federal scholarship support, beginning in the fall
the program will offer traineeships that provide tuition credit. Federally-funded
tuition support is only available to U.S. citizens or those who are in
the process of becoming U.S. citizens. The exact tuition support varies
each year, and is dependent on continued funding from RSA. Generally,
we are able to offer approximately $2000 credit toward tuition per term.
Other
financial assistance that is sometimes available is in the form of a graduate
assistantship, which provides additional support in return for performing
research activities. Assistantships are usually awarded in late August
and are selected on a competitive basis. All students admitted to the program
by July will receive information on availability of assistantships in late
July or early August.
How quickly does the program fill?
We usually have 15 to 18 of our openings for new
students filled by early June.
How do I locate housing in the area?
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