Rehabilitation Counseling/Teaching Program

Western Michigan University

Program Description

The Rehabilitation Counseling/Teaching (RCT) program is a 76 credit-hour dual Master’s degree program offered through the Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies and the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology at Western Michigan University. The RCT program began preparing practitioners to serve as rehabilitation counselor/teachers in 1995 and is the only program in the country that prepares rehabilitation counseling personnel with extensive training in blindness and low vision services. The RCT program is a CORE accredited program and is currently funded through an RSA Long Term Training Grant in Rehabilitation Counseling. In addition to the curriculum, the RCT program also supports a WMU-recognized Student Organization. RCT program graduates seek and obtain employment in public and private settings throughout the United States.

Internship Description

RCT students complete two internships, one in rehabilitation counseling and one in rehabilitation teaching. Internships are 600 clock hours (minimum) each and are completed by working 40 hours per week for 15 weeks (the equivalent of one semester) per internship. The rehabilitation counseling internship occurs under the supervision of a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (minimum of 30 hours) and includes 240 direct consumer contact clock hours. The rehabilitation teaching internship occurs under the supervision of an ACVREP-certified rehabilitation teacher (VRT).

Funding Opportunities

Traineeships are available in the RCT program through a Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration Long Tern Training Grant in Rehabilitation Counseling Specializing in Blindness and Low Vision, Persons who are eligible and accept a traineeship must agree to work in the Public Sector of the vocational rehabilitation system one year for every academic semester they receive RSA funding. For example, if you receive traineeship support through the RSA RCT Long-Term training grant in the fall semester, you will incur an obligation of one year of post graduation employment in a public rehabilitation system. Based on the criteria outlined in the RSA Long Term Training Grant, if a student accepts a traineeship, but fails to fulfill the related work obligation, the RSA will contact the grant recipient to establish a repayment plan. RCT program graduates are allotted a two-year grace period upon graduation and have ten years to meet the work obligation associated with the Traineeship. Traineeships include the following:

Tuition: Funding at the WMU In-State Tuition Rate for all courses in the RCT program of study.

Fees: Funding for fees associated with all courses in the RCT program of study.

Stipend: Funding varies each semester; depending on the number of credit hours in the RCT program of study taken each semester, overall number of students in the RCT program and the amount of Federal funds available at the time of the semester award.

Please refer to the RSA FAQ’x link for additional details.

If you would like additional information about the Rehabilitation Counseling/Teaching Program at Western Michigan University, please contact the Program Coordinator:

Jennipher Wiebold, Ph.D., CRC

RCT Program Coordinator

Associate Professor

Western Michigan University

Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies

Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology

4462 CHHS

1903 W. Michigan Avenue

Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5218

Phone: 269.387.3459

Fax: 269.387.3567

jennipher.wiebold@wmich.edu