Consortium for Distance Education in Rehabilitation

CDER

Since 1999, The CDER program has offered an on-line Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. The consortium is composed of San Diego State University, The University of North Texas, and Georgia State University. The Rehabilitation Services Administration funded RSA Scholarships to currently employed state vocational rehabilitation counselors to assist in meeting federal CSPD requirements.

Degrees are conferred by San Diego State University or the University of North Texas. Georgia State University maintains an administrative role in providing opportunities for rehabilitation counselors in the Southeast (Region IV) to participate.

San Diego State University has just received a new RSA CSPD grant which will allow for a new cohort of students to begin a master’s program in 2005. Region IV is anticipating a few scholarships for this cohort of students.

The Master’s On-line program is also available to anyone who wishes to pursue their Master’s degree on a self-pay basis.

Region IV Coordinator of CDER
Sally Siewert ssiewert@gsu.edu

Program Details

Students have a choice of applying to San Diego State University or The University of North Texas.

San Diego State University offers a 60 hour program of study.
The University of North Texas offers a 48 hour program of study

Even with the difference in the number of hours for graduation, students experience a seamless educational experience. Students from both schools attend the same on-line courses (except for SDSU students who attend 4 additional courses). Faculty from both universities are the master professors for the coursework. On-line courses can have many participants. CDER uses a course facilitator model, which enlists a facilitator, a highly experienced academic and/or field professional to assist the master professor.
This allows a class ration of from 8:1 to 20:1 depending on the course content for student to facilitator.

For more information on Distance Learning as practice by CDER, visit the San Diego State University Welcome to the Center for Distance Learning

The degree program is taught completely on-line. There is no on-campus time required.

The program of study for the Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling can be viewed at the following websites:

San Diego State University
Interwork Institute

The University of North Texas
Department of Rehabilitation, Social Work and Addictions

How to Participate

Details for the new cohort to begin in early 2005 will be available during late summer 2004.

Applicants for the RSA scholarship program for Region IV will be taken from nominations submitted by the twelve state vocational rehabilitation agencies to Georgia State University. The nomination process is coordinated by the individual state agency HRD/CSPD coordinator. Applicants must be a currently employed vocational rehabilitation counselors. The number of scholarships available to Region IV will be limited.

The RSA scholarship covers tuition. Scholarship students are responsible for fees and books. A payback requirement is required in years of service to a state VR agency in accordance with the number of years scholarships were paid for an individuals’ tuition.

Anyone wishing to pay their own tuition and fees should contact the Regional Coordinator, Sally Siewert for addmission information.

The GRE is an admission requirement for both San Diego State University and The University of North Texas.

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