Rehabilitation Counseling is a specific practice of counseling within the discipline where professionals assists persons with physical, mental, developmental, cognitive, and emotional disabilities to achieve their personal, career, and independent living goals in the most integrated setting possible through the application of the counseling process.

In addition to eligibility for state licensure as a clinical mental health counselor, Rehabilitation Counseling students are also eligible for national certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and state licensure as a rehabilitation counselor through NMPED.

The Rehabilitation Counseling Graduate Certificate will create a pathway for individuals with graduate degrees in other clinical disciplines (e.g. social work, clinical psychology, marriage and family therapy, etc.) who are interested in training and obtaining credentials specific to working with people with disabilities. As well, this certificate will serve as an entry point for individuals currently practicing rehabilitation services who are interested in pursuing credentialing and or graduate studies. For example, state vocational rehabilitation agencies often hire rehabilitation counselors with bachelors degrees but encourage pursuit of state and national credentialing as well as masters degrees.