Program application packets can be obtained from:
School of Medicine
Graduate Studies Office
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
or the
Rehabilitation Counseling Program
University of South Carolina
3555 Harden Street Ext. Suite B20
Columbia, SC 29203
An electronic application form is located at the University of South Carolina Graduate School application page.
Please note that completed applications for fall admission to the Rehabilitation Counseling Program will be processed beginning on March 1 each year. The process will continue until the available slots are filled or July 1, whichever occurs first. Thus, there is no guarantee that applications received after March 1 will be considered. Because of the sequential curriculum structure, students are only admitted for the fall semester.
In addition to the application, the following documents must be submitted to receive consideration for admission. All correspondence should contain the applicant's social security number.
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Several criteria are used in determining qualification for admission. Factors include undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and GRE scores, relevant experience, letters of recommendation, and personal attributes ascertained through an interview.
Applicants are ranked according to academic potential and relevant
background/experience. Only those with indication of strong academic and career potential
are invited for interviews. Faculty then rate applicants' personal
qualifications. Those with the highest combined scores are admitted.
Because the number of students who
can be accommodated in the Program is limited, admission is on a competitive
basis. Therefore, invitation to the interview session is not indication of
acceptance. Applicants are notified of the admission review outcome in
writing 2-4 weeks following completion of the interviews.
Some applicants not offered admission will be informed that they are an
alternate list and may be offered an appointment if one of the admitted
applicants cancels enrollment prior to the beginning semester. An
application may be held for consideration for one additional year.
Applicants being reconsidered must compete with applicants at the time of
review.
The Rehabilitation Counseling Program will consider the following applicants for non-degree admission:
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Currently, applications are reviewed during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. All required materials must be received by the Graduate School Office before interviews are scheduled for eligible applicants.
Following admission, students are assigned a Program faculty member who will serve as his or her advisor. Students are encouraged to regularly confer with their advisor to discuss progress, plan schedules, etc. Students are urged not to attempt to be their own academic advisors.
A number of fellowships and scholarships are available to qualifying students at the University of South Carolina. Other sources of financial aid include graduate assistantships, work-study programs, and loans. These are described in detail in the Graduate Bulletin. Additional information can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office and the Student Employment offices on the Columbia campus.
The Rehabilitation Counseling faculty can provide guidance for students in need of financial aid. Notices of assistantships are posted in the Program office and faculty can direct students to other departments and programs that seek out rehabilitation counseling students to fill assistantships that involve counseling and disability-related duties.
The Rehabilitation Counseling Program has been awarded two long-term grants by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). The purpose of these grants is to increase the number of professional rehabilitation counselors and employment specialists in South Carolina who have specialized training to address the vocational and independent living needs of persons with severe disability. Scholars who receive support to complete their master's degree, agree to work for a public rehabilitation setting working with persons in either situation. For more information please go to RSA Scholarships Link.
If students do not enroll in courses within a calendar year following admission, they are dropped from the University rolls.
Every degree student must file a Program of Study in the Graduate School Office for approval by the Graduate Dean. The Program of Study should be filed at the earliest convenient date. Program of Study forms may be obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies. A Program of Study worksheet is included in Appendix D. Candidates for the master's degree may file their programs during their first semester of study and should in no case file them later than the semester following the completion of their first 12 hours of course work.
Making Adjustments in Approved Programs
A need to revise an approved Program of Study may arise because of
A change in a student's program requires the agreement of all those who approved the
original program. The "Request for Adjustment in Graduate Program" form (GS 43)
should be initiated by the student after consultation with his/her advisor and before any
new course is taken. The request should specify the change being proposed (addition,
deletion, substitution) and the course(s) involved. The reason for the request should be
clearly stated. The modified program must still satisfy all degree requirements. The
approval of the candidate, the major professor, the Graduate Director, and the Graduate
Dean are necessary for the change to be enacted.
Changes in The Program of Study should be made as soon as the need is realized, not
at the time of clearance for degree.
Courses graded "D+" or lower cannot be applied to degree programs. Thus, any required courses receiving a "D+" or lower must be retaken and a "C" or higher grade attained.
The "4 C's Rule" states that any master's candidate who accumulated 12 graduate credits with grades less than B (four 3-credit coursed, e.g.) within a six year period becomes academically ineligible to continue in any degree program. All graduate courses taken, whether included in the Program of Study or not, affect the application of the 4 C's rule. The University computer monitors each graduate student's academic record and automatically blocks further registration when below-B credits reach 12 hours.
A student who has maintained a B average despite receiving 4 C's may, with the approval of his/her academic unit, appeal to the Graduate Dean for reinstatement as a degree candidate. A student whose average is less than 3.0 must not only have the support of the academic unit but must also show extenuating circumstances in appeal for reinstatement. Appeals may be addressed to the Graduate Dean's office.
The reinstated student can proceed toward the degree provided no additional grade below B is received.
Courses which are more than 6 years old are out of date and no longer affect the application of the 4 C's rule or the overall graduate credits average.
The grade of I, Incomplete, is assigned at the discretion of the professor when, in the professor's judgement, a student is prevented from completion of some portion of the assigned work in a course because of an unanticipated work-related responsibility, family hardship, illness accident, or verified disability. The student should notify the professor without delay that one of these condition exists or has arisen; notification must be given prior to the end of the term. The professor will determine, according to the nature of the interruption and the uncompleted requirements, what additional period of time will be allowed for completing the work before a permanent grade is assigned. An Assignment of Incomplete Grade form (AS-5) must then be completed by the professor (with copy to student) and submitted to the Office for the Registrar, specifying the justification for I, conditions for make-up, and deadline for completion. Re-enrolling in a course will not make up an Incomplete grade. A grade of I is not computed in the calculation for a student's grade point average.
After 12 months an I which has still not been replaced with a letter grade is changed permanently to a grade of F unless the I was erroneously recorded, or to the backup grade if one was indicated by the faculty member on the Assignment of Incomplete Grade form. If the professor believes there is academic justification for an extension beyond the one year limit, a request for extension should be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School before the expiration of the year, specifying the justification and specific duration of extension requested (GS-47 form "Extension of Incomplete Time Period Authorization").
Revalidation of Outdated Courses
Outdated USC graduate courses (taken more than 6 years prior to completion of master's program), may be revalidated if the department concerned accepts revalidation for the particular course. Revalidation of a course requires that the student demonstrate a contemporary knowledge of the course content by passing an examination administered by a faculty member who currently teaches the course. Outdated transfer courses cannot be revalidated.
Permission to take a revalidation examination is secured on a Permit for Revalidation (GS-04) form by obtaining the approval of the head of the college or department concerned and the Graduate Dean. The prevailing fee must be paid to the Treasurer's Office before the exam is administered.
The Program will accept up to 12 credit hours of course work from other accredited
universities if determined to conform to curriculum requirements. Written requests to use
transfer credits should be directed to the student's faculty advisor along with the course
syllabus or other detailed description. Only faculty approved courses can be used in the
student's Program of Studies. Note that transfer courses cannot be revalidated
or considered for substitution if they will be more than six years old at the student's
graduation date.
This page last updated
28 September, 2006
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This page copyright 1997, the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina.
URL: http://129.252.124.240:94/admit.htm