Rehabilitation Counseling, MS
Our master's program in rehabilitation counseling focuses on preparing you to become a competent and skillful rehabilitation counselor. Our program is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and may lead to you becoming a nationally-certified rehabilitation counselor. As a rehabilitation counselor, you may provide a broad range of counseling and rehabilitation services to individuals with physical, mental/psychiatric, cognitive or sensory disabilities at various stages in their lives.
Why Rehabilitation Counseling at UB?
The features of our program include:
- accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational programs (CACREP), the premier counseling accreditation in the U.S.
- most affordable CACREP-accredited program in Western New York
- opportunities for research engagement with faculty
- quality education through a program that is consistently ranked among the best in the nation (U.S. News & World Report, degreequery.com)
- three semesters of field placement training providing a rich clinical experience
- competitive scholarships available for tuition and fees for eligible students
Program Points of Pride
- 32 students graduated with master’s degrees in the 2022–23 academic year
- program completion percentage was 66% based on our 2023 rehabilitation counseling study that uses a 5-year average
- Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) exam pass rates were 75% for 2020–21, 70% for 2021–22, and 56% for 2022–23
- 2023–24 study of program graduates found that 100% of respondents were employed (96% working in the rehabilitation field; 7% of respondents did not answer this question)
- 2023–24 survey of employers and supervisors showed that 100% stated our counselor training was “excellent” or “good” compared to other rehabilitation counseling programs
Program Overview
| Academic credential granted | Master of Science (MS) |
|---|---|
| Credits required for completion | 60 |
| Time to completion | 4 to 6 full-time semesters |
| Course delivery | On campus or online |
| Experiential contact hours | 750 hours |
| Application deadline | Fall: April 1, then rolling until June 30 |
Rehabilitation counseling settings include:
- Alcohol and drug abuse recovery programs
- College/university accessibility resources offices
- Corporate human resources or employee relations offices
- Employment services and vocational rehabilitation programs
- Government agencies and their affiliated service programs
- Health insurance or private rehabilitation companies
- Medical, psychiatric and vocational clinics or centers
- Penal and correctional institutions
- Private practice
- Veterans Administration and its hospitals
Program Mission
The mission of the University at Buffalo master of science program in rehabilitation counseling is to provide high quality instruction and practical experiences, in order to develop competent and professional rehabilitation counselors who are committed to facilitating autonomy, inclusion and well-being of individuals with disabilities in employment and the community.
Program Objectives
The program faculty will continuously assess the program and student progress to ensure our mission to develop competent and professional rehabilitation counselors. We will promote pluralism and ideals which are consistent with the rehabilitation counseling philosophy.
Program faculty have identified the following objectives:
- Ensuring graduate competence in the latest knowledge skills and dispositional standards
- To attract and retain diverse faculty and students
- Excellence through program evaluation and self-study
- Critical evaluation of current syllabi for equity, diversity, social justice and inclusion-related content that reflects current knowledge and projected needs concerning counseling practice in a multicultural and pluralistic society
- Maintain the number of students who are participating in professional organizations
Overview
Our rehabilitation counseling master’s degree program (60 credit hours) is offered in two course delivery formats:
- On campus: completed on a full-time basis (12 credits or more per semester) or a part-time basis (6 credits) if desired.
- Online: completed on a part-time and completed in less than three years. Students take two courses per semester (fall, spring and summer).
Syllabi for coursework may be obtained by contacting the program director.
You must have a bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) in a related field.
Submit your completed online application, which includes:
- Application fee: A $50 non-refundable application fee, submitted electronically through UB's ePayment system.
- Contact information for at least two individuals who will each be asked to provide an electronic recommendation letter.
- Unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended. (UB transcripts are automatically submitted for current UB students and alumni.)
- Statement of intent regarding the relevance of your career goals to rehabilitation counseling, a description of your abilities that help you be successful in graduate school, your interpersonal skills that will help you in forming therapeutic relationships with clients, and a description of your respect for cultural diversity.
Admission Interview: An interview is required to be considered for admission to this program.
Former/Maiden Name: Please provide us with your former/maiden name if you have one. When requesting transcripts, please ask the sending institution to indicate your current name and former/maiden name.
Admission Decision: The admission decision will be communicated to you as soon as review is complete. The decision is based on a number of factors and is the result of a thorough and deliberate process. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
In-State Residency Tuition
In order to qualify for the in-state residency tuition rate, you must provide residency documentation indicating you have lived in New York State (NYS) 12 months before your semester start date.
If accepted, you will need to upload three documents to qualify for the in-state tuition rate. See Required Documents for Residency Application for more information.
International Applicant Additional Requirements
- Official original proof of your degree
- A copy of your passport biographical page
- Official test scores—dated within two years of submitting your application—for either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic Test, the PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic, or DET (Duolingo English Test).
- TOEFL minimum score is 250 for computer-based test, 600 for paper-based test and 79 for internet-based test
- IELTS Academic Test minimum score is 6.5 overall
- PTE minimum score is 55 overall
- DET minimum score is 120 overall
- Financial documentation: International graduate applicants must document their ability to pay for all costs incurred while studying in the U.S.
- An official bank statement
All financial forms and supporting documentation with required signatures must be uploaded with your application and dated within one year of your intended enrollment date.
The rehabilitation counseling program is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP). The program was accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Counselor Education (CORE) until that organization merged with CACREP in July 2017. As a result, the rehabilitation counseling program at the University at Buffalo is accredited by CACREP. This accreditation is separate from CACREP accreditation for the 60-hour Licensed Mental Health Counselor programs.
Students of CACREP-accredited programs are eligible to take the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) examination in their final year of the program. Seventy-five percent of coursework needs to be completed at least one to two months prior to taking the exam. Students who pass the CRC exam are eligible to submit their transcript after degree conferral to the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) under Category One. This will allow students to immediately hold the credential as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) without the need for prior supervised employment in the field, as required for other certification categories.
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Questions about the program?
Frequently Asked Questions
We have a collection of frequently asked questions that may help you. If your questions are still unanswered, we are glad to help! Contact our admission office.
Questions About the Admission Process?
Office of Graduate Admission
Graduate School of Education
366 Baldy Hall, North Campus
716-645-2110
gseinfo@buffalo.edu