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Vision Specialist in Vocational Rehabilitation Certificate

 

     

Improve your Career Possibilities:

The NRTC has an RSA long-term training grant to provide a graduate certificate program for Vision Specialists in Vocational Rehabilitation. This program consists of four graduate courses designed to train rehabilitation professionals to be more effective in their work with people who are blind or have low vision. Three of these courses, which are offered through the Counselor of Education department, are also available to take individually and may be transferrable to masters in rehabilitation counseling programs offered at other universities.

Learn More:

Since 1991, students in the Vision Specialist Program have hailed from 37 states. Opportunities for employment in working with individuals who are blind or have low vision exist in many areas of the country, and the Vision Specialist Program prepares participants to meet the challenges of this rewarding career.

Hear from a Former Student:

Take a Course:

  1. COE 6303 Rehabilitation of Persons Who are Visually Impaired (spring term)
    1. Includes medical aspects of blindness and low vision including anatomy & physiology of the eye, introduction to low vision, adjustment to blindness counseling theories, adaptive rehabilitation skills training methodologies, history, and legislation related to vocational rehabilitation of consumers with visual impairments, job placement, and professional practice.
  2. COE 6323 Sensory Aids/Assistive Technology for Persons Who Are Visually Impaired (summer term)
    1. Provides students with a basic knowledge of various computer and stand-alone assistive technology (AT) devices used by individuals with visual impairments for success at home, the community, and work. 
  3. COE 6313 Resources for Persons Who Are Visually Impaired (fall term)
    1. Overview of blindness-related professions that facilitate adjustment, including the areas of assessment, identification of resources, instructional and counseling techniques, and special services related to independent living, communication, personal management, and basics of orientation and mobility of people who are visually impaired. Students are required to develop a comprehensive resource file.
  4. COE 8293 Special Project: Practicum (only available for students enrolled in the full certificate program.)
    1. Involves 100 hours of practical supervised experience in working with people with vision disabilities and the agencies who serve them.
    2. ***This course is only available to students accepted into the Vision Specialist graduate certificate program who have completed the courses leading to this course***

Apply now:

Rehabilitation professionals interested in attending the program can obtain more information by contacting Angela Shelton at AShelton@colled.msstate.edu or visiting the Vision Specialist website at https://online.msstate.edu/vision/. Applications are accepted from June 1st through October 1st for the program that starts in early January. Some stipends that cover the cost of tuition are available for qualified students. All students must meet MSU enrollment requirements and be admitted as unclassified graduate students unless already enrolled at MSU.

Individuals interested in taking a course without participating in the entire certificate program should contact Angela Shelton at AShelton@colled.msstate.edu for approval, then apply to MSU as an unclassified graduate student to be accepted.