Prepare for the CRC Certification and Transform Lives
Equip yourself for a rewarding career helping persons with physical, sensory, mental, developmental, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. The Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling at Western Washington University empowers competent counselors who are attentive to the dynamic and holistic needs of their clients. This degree prepares you to obtain Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credentials and work in a variety of private and public sector settings.
Program Features
Top 20 Best Rehabilitation Counseling Programs (U.S. News & World Report)
Convenient hybrid learning blends online courses with in-person classes
No GRE required for admission
Internship and practicum built into the curriculum
CACREP Accredited
What Will You Learn?
Western’s master’s in rehabilitation counseling prepares you to partner with individuals with disabilities as a dedicated and qualified rehabilitation counselor. Engage in courses, practicum experience, and internships that cover theory, techniques, case management, professional issues, multicultural practice, career development, and more. This robust training will enable you to enhance your clients’ lives by working with them toward self-determination, independence, meaningful employment, and full community participation.
Why WWU’s Rehabilitation Counseling Master’s Degree?
Top-Ranked Accredited Rehabilitation Counseling Program
Commit to a top-ranked, high-quality program to enhance your career prospects and assemble a powerful professional toolbox as you prepare for CRC certification. WWU’s rehabilitation counseling master’s degree program is ranked #19 in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report. The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP).
Online and On-Campus Hybrid Learning
The master’s in rehabilitation counseling program is designed to work alongside your professional and personal commitments. On-campus courses are scheduled to meet one evening per week at the Everett University Center. Some courses are hybrid, meaning you’ll attend campus 5 times a quarter and complete the other weeks asynchronously online. We also offer fully asynchronous online course options.
However you study, you’ll have the option to study full-time or part-time on a 2-, 3-, or 4-year completion track.
Gain Counseling Experience through Internships
To prepare for your professional practice, you’ll complete 16 credit hours of internships in rehabilitation counseling. You’ll find roles with local and partner rehabilitation agencies through networking opportunities, faculty recommendations, and Western’s Career Services Center.
Program Curriculum and Courses
Establish skills, competencies, and experience necessary to achieve Certified Rehabilitation Counselor status. The MA in rehabilitation counseling program involves 70 credits of rigorous core theory, including aspects like addictions and rehabilitation counseling, group counseling techniques, medical aspects of disability, and psychiatric disabilities in rehabilitation. You’ll also complete 20 credits of hands-on practicum and internship placements—opportunities that build your comfort and confidence in clinical settings.
Review program curriculum
Rehabilitation Counseling Career Outlook
A master’s in rehabilitation counseling prepares you for Certified Rehabilitation Counselor recognition. As a rehabilitation counselor, you will provide assessments of abilities and functional limitations, develop plans consistent with individual clients’ needs, and partner with clients in achieving their goals. Together, you and your clients will explore a variety of paths toward success, including individual and group counseling, vocational training and education, and job development and placement.
Rehabilitation counseling is a dynamic, rewarding, and growing field: the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 11% growth in demand for rehabilitation counselors over the next decade, a rate much higher than the average across all occupations.
You will encounter employment opportunities in both public and private sectors, including state and federal rehabilitation agencies, nonprofit agencies, veterans’ programs, workers’ compensation agencies, hospitals, and universities. Our graduates are working at places like the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Department of Services for the Blind, VA hospitals, and more.
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