The mission of Counseling and Rehabilitation is to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities or who face disadvantages through education, research and service. To accomplish this goal, the 60-credit hour Master of Arts degree allows students to specialize in one of three areas: Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, Clinical Addiction Counseling, or Career Counseling. In addition, C&R offers an 18-hour disciplinary Certificate of Graduate Study in Psychiatric Rehabilitation Studies.
I applied to the Counseling and Rehabilitation Program after one year in the Educational Psychology PhD program because of the courses surrounding support for persons with disabilities as well as the influence of culture and upbringing. Coming from a military family, and spending two years overseas, I knew that there was no better program to prepare me to be a counselor and I get to showcase how great this program is as I finish up my internship and move into professional counselor life.
Erica Hoyer, Counseling and Rehabilitation Class of 2024
How You Can Help
As the need for professional counseling grows, so does interest in C&R degree programs. Most recently, the program reviewed 120 applications; 60 were chosen for interviews, and 30 were accepted. To continue to be competitive and provide the best learning experience, the program needs space for a clinic, funding for the latest technology and a specialized space to provide telehealth.
The major needs for our C&R program to remain competitive and growing are threefold: funding for a clinic, endowed professorships and endowed scholarships.
In response to a growing mental health crisis, the C&R program aspired to open a clinic to assist underserved communities in South Carolina. The clinic is now housed within the C&R program with support from the S.C. Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare and the Duke Endowment.
As a student-operated, faculty-directed clinic, the CCA, though grassroots now, will support economically disadvantaged people in reducing physical and mental health and quality of life disparities. The clinic provides free, safe and accessible services for all, regardless of financial status, background, identity or disability.
An endowed professorship acknowledges and honors the professor’s work and contribution to their fields and, at the same time, offers the incentive and accolade of protected funds for their scholarly endeavors.
About 80-85 percent of SOMC students have received financial aid annually. In most cases, aid has taken the form of student loans. The SOMC’s offering of financial aid in 2024 stood at $500,000, not nearly enough to tackle the cost of the program for each individual student paying anywhere from $10,000 to $19,000 each year.
Additionally, the C&R students range in age from 22-76. Most of them are juggling multiple responsibilities that lay claim to their finances and time. Scholarships supported by an endowment could free them from some of these competing concerns, allowing them to study full time and reach their goal of entering the counseling profession more quickly.
Your assistance with scholarships can provide crucial support for students as they complete internships in community practice settings, allowing them to gain hands-on experience without the burden of financial strain.
Donate to Counseling and Rehabilitation
South Carolina, like the rest of the United States, is facing an unprecedented mental health emergency. The workforce shortage is particularly acute in rural areas, where the need for counseling grows. Thus, the need for competent professionals trained in technical knowledge and clinical skills to counsel individuals in the workforces as well as those struggling with addiction, mental health and disability issues is critical, especially in rural and underserved communities in our state.