The Department of Rehabilitation Counseling
Founded in 1955, the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling serves as a national leader in the professional preparation of certified rehabilitation and licensed professional counselors, who exercise skill and competence on a high ethical level and with personal integrity.
The department enjoys solid relationships with many community organizations that serve as excellent sites for clinical training. Our experienced faculty members, accomplished in rehabilitation endeavors, are committed to the development of their students’ skills as well as the lifelong enhancement of their own.
Our program is dedicated to providing an inclusive education that focuses on the myriad intersections of people's identities and interweaves a combined rehabilitation and mental health perspective into all coursework. Our department philosophy is rooted in the concepts of inclusion, equity, advocacy, trauma-informed care, and positive psychology.
We offer the following programs which are CACREP accredited until 2032
- Masters of Science in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling with two concentrations:
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling
- Post-master’s Certificate in Professional Counseling
Learn more about the available concentrations on our Concentrations page.
Core program data:
Program Assessment Report - August 2023
Student Enrollment:
| Year | Students |
|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 111
|
| 2021-2022 | 100 |
| 2020-2021 | 98 |
| 2019-2020 | 84 |
| 2018-2019 | 86 |
| 2017-2018 | 64 |
| 2016-2017 | 66 |
Student Graduation:
| Year | Students |
|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 46 |
| 2021-2022 | 26 |
| 2020-2021 | 30 |
| 2019-2020 | 31 |
| 2018-2019 | 21 |
| 2017-2018 | 15 |
| 2016-2017 | 28 |
Student Retention Rate (2022 - 2023) - 94%
Average Time to Complete Program
Full Time 2 years (at least 6 semesters, 12 credits per fall/spring semester, including 6 credits per summer)
Part Time 4 years (6 credits per fall/spring semester, including 3 credits per summer)
Employment Rate of Graduates within the first 6 months following Graduation - 93.3%
Students are eligible to sit for the CRC examination
Students are eligible to sit for the NCC examination
Students are eligible for the Licensed Professional Counselor credential in Virginia (following residency)
Graduates work across many employment settings to include:
- Business and Industry
- Colleges & Universities
- Community Rehabilitation Programs
- Corrections Facilities
- Independent Living Facilities
- K-12 Schools
- Mental Health Centers
- Private Rehabilitation Companies
- Private Practice/Self-Employed
- State Rehabilitation Agencies
- Veterans Health Administration
- Worker's Compensation Agencies
Students in our department may take national certification exams prior to graduation.
Nationally Certified Counselor Exam
2021 – average pass rate of VCU grads is 100%
National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE)
2022 - VCU pass rate 80%
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Exam
2022-2023 – VCU pass rate 100%
Licensed Professional Counselor Residency Rates of Graduates
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022 - 67%
Fall 2022 - Spring 2023 - 82%
For the most current information on pass rates for the CRC or NCE exams, plus information on Licensed Professional Counselor residency rates, please refer to page 9 of the Program Assessment Report - August 2023.