•  When did the Rehabilitation Program begin at Auburn University? 
•  Who is my advisor? 
•  How many students and faculty are in the rehabilitation programs? 
•  What core classes will I need to take? 
• How do I apply for financial assistance?  Is there a difference between program assistance (RSA Scholar) and university, state, or federal assistance?

Dr. Couch gives the following chronology of the graduate program:  "In 1967, Hugh Donnan and Grady Harlan received a grant to plan a Master's program in Rehabilitation Counseling.  Dr. Don Ross was employed to run this graduate program in 1968 but soon returned to his alma mater—the University of Arizona.  Dr. Conrad Allen took over as program coordinator in the fall of 1969.  Drs. Julian Nadolsky and Walt Jarecke established the graduate curriculum and later Dr. Randall McDaniel headed the graduate program.  For a time in the 1980s, Dr. Tom Porter monitored the doctoral program." 

Dr. Dave Martin assumed responsibility for the on-campus masters program in 2004 while Dr. McDaniel retained leadership responsibility for the award winning distance education masters program that draws a class of approximately 20-25 employed rehabilitation counselors from the Southeastern region of the United States every two years.  The fourth cohort of students will begin their master's work in the fall of 2005 under the mandate of the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) grant program. Drs. Martin and McDaniel have received RSA Federal grants for the preparation of Rehabilitation Counselors and Vocational Evaluators in 2004 totaling more than $2.5 million dollars.

The graduate programs in Rehabilitation Counseling and Vocational Evaluation have graduated approximately 900 persons since the inception of the degree program.  Because of the instructional quality of our programs and of our graduates, Auburn's Rehabilitation Counseling program was recently ranked among the nation's best by U.S. News and World Report's annual rating.

Auburn University's Rehabilitation Programs are fully accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education. (back to top)

Who is my advisor? - Advisors are assigned to students upon enrollment in the program. The purpose of an advisor is: (a) to assist you in career and program planning, (b) to assist you in course selection and scheduling, (c) to assure your orderly progression through the program, (d) to act as a liaison to the Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education, the College of Education and the Graduate School (as applicable) regarding academic requirements or requests (e.g., submission of Plan of Study, amendments, course substitutions, graduation check, etc) and (e) to supervise the students research or to offer advise for planned research.

There are several resources that you should have readily available or accessible.  They are the Auburn University Bulletin; Tiger Cub Online (Academic Rules, Regulations and Policies); the Graduate School Website; and the Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education Website.  Please review the contents contained in these material and/or websites.

It is suggested that you meet with your assigned advisor at least once per semester.  The development and maintenance of this relationship will yield positive guidance, advise, support, and information that will facilitate your progression through the program.  The development of a mentoring relationship is often an anticipated outcome of the student/faculty advising relationship. (back to top)

How many students and faculty are in the rehabilitation programs? - There are four full time faculty members associated with the Rehabilitation Programs:  Dr. Rebecca Curtis, Dr. Vivian Larkin, Dr. E. Davis Martin, Jr. and Dr. Randall McDaniel.  For more information about each person's academic and experiential backgrounds, please click the following:  (more—faculty resumes)

From time to time the Rehabilitation Program will employ adjunct professors with special expertness in a particular rehabilitation topic (e.g., forensic rehabilitation, independent living, or a counseling specialty like REBT, Gestalt, or Adlerian or Lifestyle Counseling, etc.) to teach courses on an occasional basis.

The program also employs Graduate Teaching Assistants to assist in the distance education course work and for the supervision of practica and internship students.  For the 2005-2006 academic year, Mr. J. Chad Duncan and Mrs. Mimi Smith will be responsible for the undergraduate and graduate sections respectively of practica and supervised clinical practice.  Both Mr. Duncan and Mrs. Smith are Rehabilitation doctoral students.  Mr. Josh Tilton and Mr. Anthony Philadelphia, also doctoral students are GTAs for selected classes.

There are approximately 50 undergraduate Rehabilitation and Disability majors; approximately 20-25 graduate Rehabilitation Counseling majors; and approximately 25 graduate distance education Rehabilitation Counseling majors.  Drs. McDaniel and Martin also teach in the Department's doctoral program in Rehabilitation and all faculty members participate in the development and evaluation of Doctoral Comprehensive Examinations and serve on selected Doctoral Committees as a member or the major professor. (back to top)

The Rehabilitation Program has a limited number of RSA federal Scholarships available for undergraduate and graduate on-campus majors.  Below is a description of the RSA scholarship for graduate and undergraduate students:

As a Rehabilitation Scholar you may be provided with tuition and stipend support for a maximum of five or six semesters of full-time study based on your selection of either the thesis or non-thesis option. The maximum number of semesters of support as a Rehabilitation Scholar will be influenced by previous enrollment in graduate study in rehabilitation regardless of the source of support. For example, if a person has completed two semesters of work toward the graduate degree with funds obtained from earnings or loan funds, then that person's eligibility for Rehabilitation Scholar funds would be lessen by two semesters.

Tuition costs are paid directly from the grant on your behalf; however, you are responsible for the payment of fees and other costs.  The stipend is $450.00 per month and will be paid directly to you.  For each academic year of study, you are required under the terms of the grant to work for a period of two years in the state-federal program of vocational rehabilitation or with an agency or organization that provides services to persons with disabilities that has a relationship with the designated state agency.  If for any reason that does not occur, you will be required to repay the federal government all the funds that you received.

Currently as an undergraduate Rehabilitation Scholar you may be provided with tuition support for a maximum of four semesters of full-time study.  Tuition costs are paid directly from the grant on your behalf; however, you are responsible for the payment of fees and other costs.  For each academic year of study, you are required under the terms of the grant to work for a period of two years in the state-federal program of vocational rehabilitation or with an agency or organization that provides services to persons with disabilities that has a relationship with the designated state agency.  If for any reason that does not occur, you will be required to repay the federal government all the funds that you received. (back to top)