B.S. Rehabilitation Services

UW-Stout's Bachelor of Science degree in Rehabilitation Services (formerly Vocational Rehabilitation) prepares you for a rewarding career where you’ll identify, provide or coordinate services for people with disabilities. If you are interested in human services related to counseling, psychiatric rehabilitation, social work or substance abuse, our program may be the right fit for you.

The Rehabilitation Services program (formerly Vocational Rehabilitation) is dedicated to promoting your academic and career success, self-growth and leadership development. As part of your educational experiences, you'll learn about the many types of services provided to clients.

We offer:

Hands-on learning in the classroom or through internships
An experienced faculty and a national reputation for preparing graduates to work effectively with older adults and people with disabilities
Affiliation and collaboration with the Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute
100% employment rate
Concentrations:

Independent Living Rehabilitation
Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Service Specialist
Social Work
Substance Abuse Counseling
Individualized: Objectives are built around unique student interests and career goals when other existing concentrations do not capture match student interests.

The main objective of this program is to provide the field of rehabilitation with baccalaureate level personnel who have the competencies necessary to help persons with disabilities optimize their vocational potential. A general listing of these competencies includes:

Knowledge of the history, philosophy and development of the rehabilitation movement; knowledge of the rehabilitation process as it exists in various settings, including supported environments, rehabilitation organizations, private rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation agencies; knowledge of mental, physical and social disabilities plus the vocational limitations of these disabilities; knowledge of, and ability to utilize community resources to assist persons with disabilities; knowledge of, and ability to relate to allied professions: medicine, psychology, social work, physical therapy; and knowledge of, and ability to utilize occupational information and career planning methods.
Elementary skill in the use of assessment techniques, elementary skill in work adjustment and counseling techniques, and elementary skill in utilizing job placement and follow-up procedures for persons with disabilities.
Ability to interact effectively with persons with disabilities. This could include persons with physical, emotional and social disabilities such as psychiatric disabilities, intellectual disabilities, visually impaired, hearing impaired, addictions and those who have committed criminal offenses.
The graduates of this program are employed in community-based rehabilitation programs, rehabilitation organizations, vocational rehabilitation agencies, private rehabilitation, correctional centers, business and industry, adult day centers, adolescent treatment programs and services, mental health clinics, halfway houses, and a variety of other settings serving persons with disabilities. Students who complete Special Education Certification are endorsed for Wisconsin licensure to teach students with cognitive disabilities, grades 6-12. Opportunities for advancement to supervisory and administrative positions are excellent. Graduate study in rehabilitation is available in more than 80 colleges and universities.

Students must select their concentration option by the end of the first semester of their junior year. Students who do not complete a concentration must submit a written plan showing development of a coherent selection of coursework consistent with the objectives of the degree. The plan must be submitted and approved by the program director by the end of the first semester of the junior year.