Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling with Advanced Standing (M.S.)
Admission with advanced standing may allow you to complete the Master of Science in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling degree in approximately three semesters instead of two years, depending on prior preparation.
This program is designed for individuals who already have up to 15 hours of qualifying graduate-level coursework. In addition, Illinois Tech undergraduate students who meet the criteria for regular admission to the master's program can consider completing their master's degree more quickly by smart use of electives. In their junior and senior years, qualified students can take graduate courses to meet their undergraduate elective requirements.
Program Overview
Students with up to 15 hours of qualifying graduate-level coursework, including Illinois Tech undergraduates who meet the criteria for regular admission to the master's program, can complete this degree program in approximately three semesters instead of two years.
Career Opportunities
In addition to preparing you for practice in clinical mental health counseling, you will receive specialized training for a career in the rapidly growing field of rehabilitation counseling. This program prepares rehabilitation and mental health counselors for employment in:
- Community mental health facilities
- State, federal, and private rehabilitation agencies
- Hospitals
- Correctional institutions
- Public schools
- Rehabilitation centers
- Organizations serving individuals with physical, psychiatric, mental, social, or emotional disabilities
Interested candidates should submit a formal application to the rehabilitation and mental health counseling program. For current Illinois Tech undergraduate students who wish to apply for advanced standing, this should be done in the third or fourth year. Those Illinois Tech undergrads applying to the program must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application to the program, and must also meet the minimum graduate admission criteria for the rehabilitation and mental health counseling program.
Candidates who hold a B.A. or B.S. in psychology or another relevant degree (or international students holding a relevant professional degree from outside the United States) and who have completed some relevant graduate-level courses may qualify for advanced standing in the Master of Science in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program.
For a course to be accepted toward advanced standing, the student needs to obtain a grade of “B” or better. Candidates will be asked to provide additional evidence on their previous coursework, including projects and course syllabi, to determine eligibility.
As an Illinois Tech rehabilitation and mental health counseling graduate, you will be eligible to become a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), a distinguished certificate recognized nationwide. You will also be eligible for counseling licensure as a professional counselor and a clinical professional counselor within the state of Illinois, which accepts the CRC examination as a qualifying professional counselor licensure exam.
Please see your state licensing board for information on counseling licensure requirements in states other than Illinois.
Assistantships and Scholarships
Grants from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) allows Illinois Tech to provide funding for domestic students. The rehabilitation and mental health counseling and rehabilitation counseling education programs have been the recipient of grants from the Department of Education for over 30 years. To learn about the availability of grant-funded training opportunities, contact the program director.
Partial-tuition scholarships are often available for international students. Funding type and amounts will be noted in your acceptance letter.
After the first year, you can apply for a teaching assistantship (TA). TA's receive partial tuition reimbursement and a monthly stipend, along with teaching experience.
Featured Faculty
Eun-Jeong Lee
Lindsay Sheehan
Jonathon E. Larson
Frank J. Lane
Kelly A. Kazukauskas
Nicole Ditchman
