Master in Psychiatric Rehabilitation -
Leadership Track

Program Overview

The M.S. degree program in Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Leadership Track is offered by the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions. The mission of this Track is to prepare experienced mental health and rehabilitation professionals to become supervisors, managers, trainers/educators, and applied researchers in psychiatric rehabilitation, roles that professionals with graduate degrees are often called upon to perform in the field. This degree is offered on-line via the Internet. The degree can be completed on either a part-time or full-time basis.

The field of psychiatric rehabilitation seeks to empower people with severe mental illness to pursue career, educational, social, and other life goals with success and satisfaction. The University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) as a leader in health professions education is ideally suited to provide this program in psychiatric rehabilitation.

The Leadership Track M.S. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation is a 36 credit degree. The course of study for the Leadership Track emphasizes the leadership skills needed for advancement to administrative and supervisory positions. This includes classes in management, supervision, organizational and program development as well as a firm background in the empirical basis of psychiatric rehabilitation including applied research. The major areas of study in this Track include the following:

1. Evidence-based and Promising Practices

2. Wellness and Recovery

3. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Theory and Skills

4. Supervision and Management Skills

5. Statistical Methods and Applied Research

As part of the curriculum, all students complete a Practicum, an Independent Study project or a thesis to integrate knowledge and skills learned in course work. With the permission of the Program Director for the Leadership Track and of the agency, students employed in relevant settings may complete these experiences at their job sites.

Professionals with expertise in psychiatric Rehabilitation assist individuals with severe mental illness to pursue life goals of their choice with both success and satisfaction. Goals may relate to career, education, independent living or social roles in the community. Professionals with master’s degrees in psychiatric rehabilitation find employment in many settings that provide mental health services. Currently, professionals with graduate degrees in psychiatric rehabilitation are in high demand in New Jersey and the surrounding regions as well as nationally. Additionally, the curriculum for the M.S. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation includes the important knowledge and skill areas for seeking the Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP) credential through the United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA).

For additional information:

You can request a Department Graduate Program brochure, which gives more detailed information about the Leadership Track, by calling the Department Office at (908) 889-2430.

General Information and Questions about the Leadership Track of the M.S. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation:

Carlos Pratt, Ph.D., CPRP

Program Director

Telephone: (908) 889-2461 or e-mail: pratt@umdnj.edu

Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

1776 Raritan Rd., Scotch Plains, NJ 07076

Choosing Your Degree:

The Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions offers two options for your master’s degree. The Leadership Track of the M.S. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation is designed for individuals with experience in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation who are interested in preparing for roles in management and supervision, program planning, research, and/or teaching. The M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling, a 51-credit degree program accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), is designed for individuals interested in careers as qualified professional rehabilitation counselors. This degree, which is offered at both the Scotch Plains and Stratford campuses, prepares counselors to work with individuals with disabilities, including physical, emotional and developmental disabilities with an emphasis on career development and employment of persons with disabilities. The practicum and internship for this degree may be completed in any approved rehabilitation setting providing services to individuals with disabilities. You may be able to complete the practicum and internship at your work site if you are employed in a rehabilitation setting.

Information about the M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling can be found by returning to the SHRP Graduate Program web page at http://shrp.umdnj.edu/programs/graduate.htm and selecting the degree option in which you are interested. You can obtain more detailed information about the Professional Counseling Track or the M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling by contacting Dr. Janice Oursler at (908) 889-2462 or by e-mail at ourslejd@umdnj.edu.

Other Degree Programs:

In addition to its master’s level programs, the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions offers degree programs at the associate, bachelors, and doctoral levels. If you decide to enroll in the Department’s Ph.D. program after completing the leadership Track of the M.S. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation, all courses completed with a C average or better may be applied toward transfer if you are accepted for the Doctoral Program in Psychiatric Rehabilitation.

Programs in psychiatric rehabilitation at the undergraduate level are offered in partnership with other universities. Under these partnerships, students take their specialized courses from UMDNJ and their other courses at the affiliated institution.

For information about the Doctoral Program in Psychiatric Rehabilitation, contact Dr. Carlos Pratt, Program Director, at (908) 889-2461 or by e-mail at pratt@umdnj.edu. For information about undergraduate programs including associate and bachelor’s level programs, contact Nora Barrett, MSW, Program Director, at (908) 889-2431 or by e-mail at barretnm@umdnj.edu.

Other academic degree programs are:

• Associate of Science in Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Treatment jointly offered with Middlesex County College.
• Associate of Science in Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Treatment jointly offered with Union County College.
• Associate of Science in Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Treatment jointly offered with Warren County Community College.
• Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Psychology jointly offered dual major program with Kean University of New Jersey.
• Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling. This is a 51-credit degree designed for individuals who wish to become qualified rehabilitation counseling professionals including qualifying for the examination for the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). Classes for this degree are offered in Scotch Plains and in Stratford.
• Doctoral degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation: The doctoral level program is designed to prepare faculty and researchers in psychiatric rehabilitation. Classes are offered in Scotch Plains only.