Master of Science in Counseling (Rehabilitation Counseling)

California State University, Sacramento

The 60-unit Master of Science in Counseling prepares professional counselors for employment in a variety of settings such as public and private agencies, universities and colleges, schools and private practice. This degree meets the educational requirements for becoming a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in the State of California.

The MS Counseling program is clinically oriented, with didactic and experiential courses, a 100-hour clinical practicum, and 600 hours of field experience. The program is a full time three-year program and students will take between 9-12 units each fall and spring to complete within the three years. Students are admitted into a cohort and will follow the course sequence designated by their program concentration. The cohort model allows students to advance together throughout their education while building support and connections within their peer group. Students are encouraged to advance their advocacy and professional experiences through such activities as participation in professional organizations, research, and presentations at the state, regional, and national level; involvement in the CSUS Multicultural Conference; Counselor Education Symposium, and/or involvement in our Chi Sigma Sigma chapter of Chi Sigma Iota. Both leadership and research opportunities are supported through faculty mentorship. The curricular experience is organized around core foundation courses, an intensive on-campus practicum training clinic experience, interpersonal growth experiences, advanced theory and practice courses, and a culminating field study placement.

Rehabilitation Counseling Concentration

• The MS in Counseling program, and Rehabilitation Counseling concentration, is designed to provide all the educational competencies required by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) for licensure as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). The Rehabilitation Counseling concentration will prepare graduates with specialized skills to help individuals with cognitive, physical, sensory, psychiatric, and other disabilities work through a variety of mental health issues and provide treatment of mental disorders, including co-occurring disorders. Students will be practice skills within the principles and practices of clinical counseling such as assessment, diagnosis, treatment, referral, and prevention. Rehabilitation Counselors work in a wide variety of settings including private practice, community-based mental health facilities, substance treatment facilities, schools, hospitals and/or other treatment centers, private agencies, college campuses, and state agencies.
• This concentration trains Rehabilitation Counselors to consider the medical, psychosocial, family, co-occurring substance use trauma, and environmental influences on disability and the individual’s ability to function in their environment. Rehabilitation Counselors are trained to identify and implement interventions to optimize rehabilitative functioning.
• The program includes training in counseling techniques, medical and psychosocial aspects of disability, comorbid conditions, diagnosis and treatment planning, and the potential for trauma and substance use disorders to mimic and/or co-occur with a variety of neurological, medical, and psychological disorders.
• Students in the Rehabilitation program are eligible for their Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) license and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential.