To learn more, email Acting Program Director Ken Gill, PhD.
Ph.D. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation
We offer two tracks within the Ph.D. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation program: Traditional Psychiatric Rehabilitation Track and Counselor Education and Supervision Track. As most students are working in community mental health-related jobs while pursuing their degree, the doctoral program is part-time.
Our students become scholars, researchers, educators, supervisors and leaders in the fields of both Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counselor education and Supervision.
Students admitted to this program will be committed to the disciplines of psychiatric rehabilitation and counseling and the belief that related interventions are effective at assisting individuals with psychiatric conditions to live full and complete lives.
To accommodate the working professional, classes are offered in-person on the Scotch Plains campus in the evenings between 6 and 9 p.m.
Fast Facts:
- Our program is the only Ph.D. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation in the country.
- All doctoral classes are small and offer a high level of student-faculty interaction.
- Doctoral students are encouraged and supported to work with faculty on funded research studies from the beginning of their time in the program.
- Students can co-teach with faculty at different educational levels within the department.
- Doctoral faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for their research and scholarship in psychiatric rehabilitation and counseling emphasizing effective interventions for people with psychiatric conditions.
- Graduates are employed as:
- Faculty members in colleges and universities
- Academic program directors
- College and university administrators
- Behavioral health specialists
Questions? Please contact Ann Murphy, PhD, CPRP at 908-889-2734 or murphyaa@shp.rutgers.edu
Areas of study include psychiatric rehabilitation practice, organization and systems change, program evaluation and outcome assessment, health and wellness, and other emerging topics. Students will develop a high level of skill in teaching, research and scholarship, and advocacy related to the psychiatric rehabilitation discipline.
Doctoral students in the Traditional Psychiatric Rehabilitation Track will:
- Develop expertise in the evidence-based and promising practices of psychiatric rehabilitation
- Establish collaborative relationships with faculty in the areas of psychiatric rehabilitation practices, teaching, research, and professional writing
- Contribute to and promote scholarly research related to psychiatric rehabilitation and the advancement of the psychiatric rehabilitation discipline
This track specializes in counseling approaches and techniques for individuals with psychiatric conditions. Students will also develop a high level of skill in teaching, clinical supervision, research, and leadership and advocacy related to the professional counseling discipline.
Doctoral students in the Counselor Education and Supervision Track will:
- Develop advanced counseling expertise in services and supports for individuals with psychiatric conditions
- Establish collaborative relationships with faculty in the areas of counseling and clinical supervision, teaching, research, professional writing, and service to the counseling profession and the public
- Contribute to and promote scholarly research related to counseling
- Actively participate in professional counseling organizations to develop leadership and advocacy skills
This track builds upon the success of the department’s CACREP accredited program, the M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling track. We consider admission of graduates from this and other counseling and counseling-related masters programs.
Starting Summer 2019, classes will be held on the Busch Campus, in Piscataway, NJ.
Students are admitted to the PhD in Psychiatric Rehabilitation only in the Fall semester. Application deadline is May 1.
- Completion of bachelor’s or master’s degree in related field
- Rutgers School of Health Professions application
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test scores taken within past 5 years
- Official transcripts from undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) education
- Personal statement identifying interest in degree, future professional plans, and research interests
- Three letters of recommendation
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- Experience with individuals with psychiatric conditions
- Completion of graduate level coursework including (any missing content can be completed before or concurrently with initial doctoral coursework):
- CACREP entry-level core curricular standards,
- CACREP entry-level professional practice standards, and
- CACREP entry-level curricular requirements of a specialty area.
- Rutgers School of Health Professions application
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test scores taken within past 5 years
- Official transcripts from undergraduate and graduate education
- Personal statement identifying interest in degree, future professional plans, and research interests
- Three letters of recommendation
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- Experience with individuals with psychiatric conditions preferred
We recommend that students take two classes in the Fall and Spring semesters and one class in the Summer semester.
All doctoral students are required to pass a comprehensive exam after completing the majority of their coursework but before beginning their Dissertation Sequence.
Guided by an experienced dissertation committee, students will be provided the supervision, support, and encouragement to produce state-of-the-art dissertation research with high utility for professional application. The supervision of doctoral students and dissertation research are expressly recognized as important faculty roles.
Total number of credits needed: 76
Courses and Requirements for Graduation can be found here.
Foundational Coursework: 10 credits
PSRT5090 Mental Health and The Law 1 credit
PSRT5101 Seminar in Psychiatric Rehabilitation 3 credits
PSRT6120 Advanced Theories of Counseling 3 credits
Research Coursework: 21 credits
PSRT5311 Statistical Methods 3 credits
PSRT5321 Applied Research in Rehabilitation 3 credits
PSRT6015 General Linear Model 3 credits
PSRT6025 Tests and Measurements 3 credits
PSRT6107 Multivariate Statistics 3 credits
PSRT6211 Seminar in Qualitative Methods 3 credits
PSRT6322 Evaluation Research 3 credits
Rehabilitation Methods Coursework: 12 credits
PSRT5051 Sem in Evidence-Based & Prom. Pract. 3 credits
PSRT5102 Counseling Techniques I 3 credits
PSRT5111 Program and Org Development in PSR 3 credits
PSRT5201 Career Development Theory 3 credits
PSRT5212 Personnel Manag. And Supervision 3 credits
PSRT5310 Psychopathology 3 credits
PSRT5315 Evaluation and Assessment 3 credits
PSRT5320 Social and Cultural Diversity Issues 3 credits
PSRT6116 Wellness and Recovery 3 credits
Teaching Coursework: 6 credits
PSRT7000 Teaching in Counselor Education 3 credits
PSRT6101 Independent Study in Psych Rehab 3 credits
Research Practicum: 3 credits
PSRT6101 Independent Study in Psych Rehab 3 credits
Dissertation Sequence: 12 credits
PSRT7001 Dissertation Seminar I 3 credits
PSRT7003 Dissertation Seminar II 3 credits
PSRT6301 Advanced Doctoral Seminar 3 credits
PSRT7005 Dissertation Research 3 credits
PSRT7007 Dissertation Writing 3 credits
Elective Coursework
12 credits of electives chosen in consultation with advisor. Note: Graduate coursework from other universities can be considered for transfer into the program.
Total number of credits needed: 64.
Courses and Requirements for Graduation can be found here.
Core Coursework: 7 credits
PSRT5090 Mental Health and The Law 1 credit
PSRT6000 Fundamentals of Clinical Supervision 3 credits
PSRT6120 Advanced Theories of Counseling 3 credits
Research Coursework: 21 credits
PSRT5311 Statistical Methods 3 credits
PSRT5321 Applied Research in Rehabilitation 3 credits
PSRT6015 General Linear Model 3 credits
PSRT6025 Tests and Measurements 3 credits
PSRT6107 Multivariate Statistics 3 credits
PSRT6211 Seminar in Qualitative Methods 3 credits
PSRT6322 Evaluation Research 3 credits
Teaching Coursework: 3 credits
PSRT7000 Teaching in Counselor Education 3 credits
Leadership Coursework: 3 credits
PSRT5111 Program & Organization Development 3 credits
Practicum: 9 credits
PSRT7101 Advanced Doctoral Practicum 3 credits
PSRT7019 Doctoral Internship I 3 credits
PSRT7029 Doctoral Internship II 3 credits
Specialization Coursework: 9 credits
PSRT5051 Seminar in Evidence-Based & Promising Practices 3 credits
PSRT5101 Seminar in Psychiatric Rehabilitation 3 credits
PSRT6301 Advanced Doctoral Seminar 3 credits
Dissertation Sequence: 12 credits
PSRT7001 Dissertation Seminar I 3 credits
PSRT7003 Dissertation Seminar II 3 credits
PSRT7005 Dissertation Research 3 credits
PSRT7007 Dissertation Writing 3 credits
The Ph.D. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation has two tracks: Traditional Psychiatric Rehabilitation track and Counselor Education and Supervision track. The Traditional Psychiatric Rehabilitation track focuses on psychiatric rehabilitation practices, organization and systems change, program evaluation and outcome assessment, health and wellness approaches, and other emerging topics. The Counselor Education and Supervision track focuses on developing advanced counseling techniques and expertise as well as clinical supervision skills. Both tracks focus on research, scholarship, and clinical approaches and techniques related to individuals with psychiatric conditions. Both tracks also emphasize the development of teaching, statistics, and research methodology skills.
The traditional Psychiatric Rehabilitation track prepares students to become scholars, researchers, educators, supervisors, and leaders in the fields of Psychiatric Rehabilitation. The Counselor Education and Supervision track prepares students for professional roles as counselor educators, clinical supervisors, researchers, and leaders and advocates within the counseling field. The majority of graduates from the Ph.D. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation are employed as faculty members in higher education settings.
Traditional Psychiatric Rehabilitation Track
- Completion of bachelor’s or master’s degree in related field
- Rutgers School of Health Professions application
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test scores taken within past 5 years
- Official transcripts from undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) education
- Personal statement identifying interest in degree, future professional plans, and research interests
- Three letters of recommendation
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- Experience with individuals with psychiatric conditions
Counselor Education and Supervision Track
- Completion of graduate level coursework including:
- CACREP entry-level core curricular standards,
- CACREP entry-level professional practice standards, and
- CACREP entry-level curricular requirements of a specialty area (any missing content can be completed before or concurrently with initial doctoral coursework).
- Rutgers School of Health Professions application
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test scores taken within past 5 years
- Official transcripts from undergraduate and graduate education
- Personal statement identifying interest in degree, future professional plans, and research interests
- Three letters of recommendation
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- Experience with individuals with psychiatric conditions preferred
Students are admitted to the Ph.D. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation only in the Fall semester. The application deadline is May 1. To begin the application process, go to the Graduate Admissions or click on APPLY NOW.
The Ph.D. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation can only be completed on a part-time basis. It is recommended that students take two courses in each of the Fall and Spring semesters and one course in the Summer semester.
No. Both tracks in the Ph.D. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation are on-campus programs and students must be able to commute to campus. Classes are held on the Scotch Plains, NJ campus. A limited number of classes may be offered via an online format.
Yes. Some courses within both tracks of the Ph.D. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation programs may be taken on a non-matriculated basis. Contact the program director for guidance on which courses would be most appropriate. Individuals who successfully complete non-matriculated courses and are later admitted into the program can apply the non-matriculated credits toward their degree.
Yes. The best source for financial aid information is at the Rutgers Student Financial Aid office. They can be contacted at 973 972-4376.
Yes. Rutgers University and the School of Health Professions offer a limited number of scholarship programs (include link). Please note the scholarship application deadline is typically June 1.
More information on Disability Services can be found by clicking here.
Dissertation Procedures can be found by clicking here.
Students must be covered by professional liability insurance while participating in practicum or internship experiences. Under the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), the University provides professional and general liability coverage for the student performing activities under the terms of the MOU agreement. This coverage provides for limits of coverage of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 in the aggregate, provided through a Program of Self-Insurance.
Students may wish to make arrangements to obtain their own professional liability insurance. This is a recommended practice followed by many counseling professionals even when insurance is provided by the agency. Such insurance is available at low cost through one of the professional associations. American Counseling Association (ACA) student membership includes liability insurance for ACA student members enrolled and engaged in a master’s degree counseling curriculum at a post-secondary institution. This coverage is solely while performing counseling services such as the practicum and internship related to such curriculum. Additional information is available at www.counseling.org select Membership and then Membership Benefits.
Questions? Please contact Ken Gill, PhD kgill@shp.rutgers.edu
To learn more, email Program Director Ann Murphy
65 Bergen Street, Suite 120, Newark, NJ 07107-1709
Admissions: 973-972-5454
Dean's office: 973-972-4276
FAX: 973-972-7028