Graduate Degree

The mission of the Rehabilitation Counselor Education Doctor of Philosophy degree program is to prepare graduates to work as rehabilitation counselor educators, supervisors, researchers, and practitioners in academic and clinical settings.  The program is designed to extend the knowledge base of the rehabilitation counseling profession in a climate of scholarly inquiry, and to prepare students to inform professional practice by generating new knowledge for the profession. It also supports faculty and students in publishing and presenting the results of scholarly inquiry, while equipping students to assume positions of leadership in the rehabilitation counseling profession.

The Rehabilitation Counselor Education Doctor of Philosophy degree program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).  CACREP accreditation denotes a commitment to program excellence and indicates to the public at large that our program is fulfilling its commitment to educational quality.  Students enrolled in the program are expected to abide by the ethical principles of the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) and American Counseling Association (ACA).

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Education, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

To be admitted to the doctoral program in Rehabilitation Counselor Education, applicants must submit both the university application forms and applicable application fee.  Persons are admitted to the program once a year with enrollment starting fall semester. The deadline for submitting applications for admission is December 1st for the following fall semester.
Applicants are evaluated by program faculty based on:

1. A grade-point average of 3.3 or higher in master’s degree course work in rehabilitation counseling or a related field.
2. Academic aptitude for doctoral-level study.
3. Letters of personal and professional recommendation regarding the applicant’s academic capability and professional and personal qualifications.
4. Relevant post-master’s professional work experience in rehabilitation counseling.
5. Fitness for the profession, including self-awareness and emotional stability.
6. Professional goals and interests that are compatible with the mission and objectives of the program.
7. Oral and written communication skills.
8. Cultural sensitivity and awareness.
9. Potential for scholarship, professional leadership, and advocacy.
10. Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination

During the doctoral program admissions process, applicant curricular experiences are evaluated to verify completion of course work including (a) CACREP entry-level core curricular standards, (b) CACREP entry-level professional practice standards, and (c) CACREP entry-level curricular requirements of a specialty area so that any missing content can be completed before or concurrently with initial doctoral-level counselor education course work.

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Rehabilitation Counselor Education

The student must meet the requirements specified below.

1.	Educational Inquiry and Research.  All of the following courses (20 credits):
	CEP	930	Educational Inquiry				3
	CEP	932	Quantitative Methods in Educational Research I				3
	CEP	933	Quantitative Methods in Educational Research II				3
	CEP	934	Multivariate Data Analysis I				4
	CEP	968	Research Methods in Counseling and School Psychology				3
	CEP	995	Practicum in Research Design and Data Analysis				1
	TE	931	Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Educational Research				3
2.	Ethics and Professional Practice of Counseling.  All of the following courses (9 credits):
	CEP	963	Ethics in Counseling and School Psychology				3
	CEP	969	Clinical Supervision in Counseling and School Psychology				3
	EAD	965	Diversity and Equity in Postsecondary Education				3
3.	Rehabilitation Counseling Proseminars.  All of the following courses (9 credits):
	CEP	960	Theoretical Foundations of Counseling				3
	CEP	964	Practice and Profession of Rehabilitation Counseling				3
	CEP	965	Psychosocial Bases of Rehabilitation and Disability				3
4.	Professional Preparation Core.  All of the following courses (12 credits):
	CEP	944A	Rehabilitation Counselor Pedagogy				3
	CEP	944B	Teaching Internship in Rehabilitation Counselor Education				3
	CEP	944C	Clinical Practice Practicum in Rehabilitation Counseling				3
	CEP	944D	Clinical Supervision Internship in Rehabilitation Counselor Education				3
5.	Successful completion and defense of the dissertation. Students may not earn more than 30 credits in CEP 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research, of which 24 are required.