Explore careers, salaries, and local job opportunities >
This is an exciting and innovative field in which service providers assist people in obtaining the skills, support and resources they will need to achieve success and satisfaction in their living, learning, working and social environments. The overall goals of this field are promotion of recovery, community integration, and improved quality of life for people coping with psychiatric disabilities. Graduates can transfer all of their credits to the Rutgers-SHP joint Bachelor of Science Degree Program in Psychology and Psychiatric Rehabilitation with the following universities/colleges: Rutgers University-Newark, Kean University, Georgian Court University or Felician University. In addition, graduates can apply to the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences at Rutgers-SHP with a Psychiatric Rehabilitation track.
Graduates of the Program will be able to:
Below are required courses and recommended course groupings and sequences for program completion.
Students must complete all general education courses and PSR-101 prior to joint enrolment with Rutgers-SHP. Students should apply to Rutgers-SHP by May 15 for fall admission and October 15 for spring admission. Once admitted to Rutgers-SHP, full-time students complete the program during three semesters.
Courses may have prerequisite and corequisite requirements. Check course descriptions for details.
Through a variety of writing projects requiring competence in clear, correct, and effective English, students use inferential and critical skills in the process of composing documented essays. Extensive reading materials serve as structural models and as the bases for discussion and for the writing of essays involving response, analysis, and synthesis.
RDG-011 may be taken as a co-requisite if not previously completed with a grade of "C" or better.
This course defines computers and computer applications and their use in business, industry and government. Students completing this course will be computer fluent. Students will understand the capabilities and limitations of computers and know how to use them. In addition, students will understand computers and their ethical, legal and societal implications. Topics include the history of computers, hardware devices, software programs, terminology, privacy of information, ethical behavior and the influence of computers on people and society. Hands-on experience includes: using a Windows operating system, a word processor, designing and implementing spreadsheets and producing presentations. This course is recommended for anyone who will be involved with computers and the use of computer application software.
Provides a psychological basis for the understanding of human behavior. A survey of fundamentals that are necessary for subsequent psychology courses. Topics include but are not limited to: learning, motivation, cognition, personality, abnormal behavior, development and social psychology.
Familiarizes students with mathematical models that occur in more advanced courses and in the areas of business, science and the social sciences using exploratory data analysis and statistical methods. Topics include descriptive statistics linear regression, probability and probability distribution, confidence intervals, and an introduction to hypothesis testing.
Algebra I, MAT-013, or the equivalent as demonstrated through multiple measures.
Corequiste Exemption: Proficiency at the Level of Algebra II
Sociology is the systematic study of social behavior and human groups. This course covers basic sociological theories and methods of social research, with special attention to the following topics: culture, values and norms, socialization, social structure, deviance, stratification, social institutions and differentiation by region, race, ethnicity, gender, age and class.
A grade of “C” or better in ENG-121
A study of the basic theories, methods, and problems of ethics and morality. Students will apply ethical principles and problem solving models to examples taken from everyday life.
Enables students to identify the methods by which individuals with severe mental illness are helped in psychosocial rehabilitation and treatment settings. Classroom lectures and seminars provide students with opportunities to explore concepts unique to psychosocial rehabilitation, including history, philosophy and values of psychosocial rehabilitation.
Choose one Psychology course designated as General Education Social Science (GE SS) or General Education Diversity (GE DIV).
Choose one course designated in the course descriptions as General Education Humanities (GE HUM).
Introduces students to the principles and skills necessary for the effective use of therapeutic communication. The student will learn about values and attitudes impacting on professional interpersonal relationships. Classroom lectures and practice sessions expose students to interviewing and helping principles through active participation in faculty supervised clinical practice.
Introduces students to the principles and skills necessary for the effective use of groups to engage people and achieve goals. Classroom lectures and practice sessions to demonstrate group dynamics and group process. Includes participation in a faculty supervised group experience.
This course introduces students to current clinical, diagnostic and treatment paradigms and examines their relationship to current psychiatric rehabilitation practice including a wellness and recovery focus. Students are introduced to the language of DSM-V and its translation into behaviors, the role of research in the etiology and treatment of mental illness, the relationship between clinical practitioners and psychiatric rehabilitation practitioners, and the importance of assessing suicide risk. The use of common psychotropic drugs and their side effects is also covered.
This course builds upon student's prior knowledge of the principles and practices of psychiatric rehabilitation. The focus of the course is on the community support system and case management functions. Emphasis is on linkage to - and coordination of various community resources utilized by people who have psychiatric disabilities. Students learn that in addition to psychiatric rehabilitation and mental health treatment, people need access to many other supports and services in the community, such as entitlements, protection and advocacy services and peer support. This course is only offered online through the Rutgers-SHP web platform.
Corequisite: PSR-210; offered only online
This course acquaints students with emerging developments in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation, focusing on current issues and trends. Students are introduced to research methods and the concept of evidence-based practice. The purpose of the course is to help the student conceptualize psychiatric rehabilitation as a diverse and evolving field that adapts to an emerging knowledge base, as well as demographic, public policy and cultural changes. This course is only offered online through the Rutgers-SHP web platform.
PSR 211
Contact Name: Professor Peter Basto, department chair
OR Donna Howell, Acting Dean, Business, STEM and Health Professions
Contact Phone: 908.889.2550 (Rutgers-SHP)
OR 732.548.6000 (Middlesex College)
Contact Email: peter.m.basto@rutgers.edu
OR DHowell@middlesexcc.edu
Website: http://shp.rutgers.edu/
Courses focus on imparting the knowledge, practical skills and attitudes needed to provide support and services to people with psychiatric disabilities in a variety of community settings that provide social, vocational, residential and case management services.
PSR majors need to complete 18 credits of general education and Introduction to Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR-101) before beginning the professional phase of the program (PSR-102 and beyond). Students must take BIO-104 prior to enrollment in the joint program and must complete the math requirement. Students must have a "C" or better in one year of a high school laboratory science. As a result of the student's performance on the College's placement test, he or she may need developmental coursework. All developmental coursework must be completed before they will be considered for admission to the Program.
The Statewide Transfer Agreement for New Jersey ensures that students who earn an A.A. or A.S. degree at a community college will have those credits fully transferable to a New Jersey public four-year institution, will have completed half of the credits required for a basic four-year degree and will have completed all of the lower division general education requirements. In addition, articulation agreements with private institutions may provide similar transfer provisions. Students should discuss the transfer process with an advisor.
Graduates may transfer into the Rutgers-SHP BS Dual Major program in Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Psychology that is offered with the following partner schools: Kean University, Rutgers-Newark, Felician University, and Georgian Court University. The AS degree also transfers into the BS in Health Sciences, Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Rutgers-SHP. In addition, graduates may transfer to other four year schools in a variety of human service majors.
The degree can be completed in five semesters. Part time study is also an option.
Students must meet the academic standards of progress outlined above to stay in the program. They must meet with the program director each semester prior to registration.
Yes, graduates of the AS in Psychosocial Rehabilitation are the only Associate degree graduates allowed to take the certification examination offered by the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association. The certification to become a Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP) is a nationally and internationally recognized credential that indicates the individual meets the standards of the profession.