Mississippi State University has announced a new online Master of Science in Counselor Education with a concentration in rehabilitation counseling.
The accredited, 60-hour online program addition will provide students a new option to work towards a master’s degree, which is among the requirements to obtain the Licensed Professional Counselor credential.
Rehabilitation counselors possess a distinctive knowledge, awareness, and skill set to work with the challenges people with disabilities face on a day-to-day basis across multiple facets of life.
“I am extremely excited about the launch of our fully online Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling program, which trains counselors to work with individuals with physical, mental, sensory, emotional and cognitive disabilities to overcome barriers to access and inclusion in integrated-competitive employment and community participation,” Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator Zaccheus Ahonle said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for rehabilitation counselors are expected to increase by a factor of 11 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
The demand for rehabilitation counselors has grown exponentially due to the increased need for services among growing elderly populations, wounded military veterans, people with emerging disabilities, and people with certain autoimmune diseases.
Graduates of the program are anticipated to obtain employment in a wide variety of settings, including state and federal vocational rehabilitation agencies, mental health and substance abuse treatment programs, public school districts, hospitals, the Veterans Administration and in community-based rehabilitation programs.
Applications are now open for the fall 2023 term and can be found here.
