Assumption College: Social and Rehabilitation Services

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ISRS PROGRAM

Assumption's Commitment to Serving Humanity
Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies

The result is a highly regarded academic program that emphasizes one of the founding Assumptionist goals: "to serve the common good." ISRS personifies many of the characteristics that have served and continue to serve as the cornerstone for Catholic liberal arts institutions in modern times.

By promoting academic excellence, nurturing personal growth, and fostering an appreciation for human dignity, ISRS has served well the many students who have graduated from its program. The services that our graduates provide to the local community, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, New England, and the nation are excellent examples of the positive values that students gain from our program.

What makes ISRS unique in relation to other departments at Assumption is the breadth of the programs it offers. From undergraduate to Continuing Education to master's degree programs, students are well prepared for success in this demanding career field. In an unprecedented move about 25 years ago, Assumption established the first satellite campus in the history of the College. Now Continuing Education students in the New Bedford, MA and Providence, RI areas are able to access the wealth of knowledge, training and values which identify an Assumption education at our off-site campuses without sacrificing their own personal commitments to family and career.

Undergraduate Programs

The ISRS program has grown from a fledgling undergraduate program in 1966 to one of the largest academic units at Assumption College today, with over 200 students enrolled in the program.

Classroom Scene

The internship program places students in more than 40 local agencies and schools.Students work in a variety of local organizations which give the truest representation of careers in their field.From working with the physically disabled at the Mercy Center, to the disadvantaged residents of the Worcester Housing Authority, to those with learning disabilities in the Worcester Public Schools, our undergraduate students provide needed skills throughout the city while they gain practical experience in this demanding profession. Students are required to participate in a 100-hour internship per semester, during both their junior and senior years. Although many are hired by their mentoring agency upon graduation, most continue on to earn higher degrees.

Master's Programs

Many of those who graduate from Assumption College with a bachelor's degree choose to remain at Assumption to obtain graduate degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling, Special Education or Psychology.

The Master's program in Rehabilitation Counseling at Assumption was among the first master's level programs to be accredited by the Council of Rehabilitation Education. In 1987, when the first Certificate for Licensed Rehabilitation Counselors was offered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one of our graduates and a faculty member, Susan Sabelli G'78, was awarded certificate #1. She was the first of many ISRS graduates to receive a license from the Commonwealth.

In 1978, the College implemented the Six-In-Five Program, an accelerated program of study which guarantees acceptance into the Master's program for qualified undergraduates. By applying at the beginning of the second semester of their junior year, selected seniors are able to begin the two-year graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling. Upon completion of one additional year of graduate study (the fifth year), the students will be awarded the Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, enabling them to take the exam for national certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.

Rehabilitation Counseling As A Profession:

Student Writing

The goal of rehabilitation counseling is to enhance the quality of life of individuals with disabilities.To accomplish this goal, the primary function of the rehabilitation counselor is to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve their goals in life by assisting them to identify their strengths and weaknesses, build on their assets, enhance their abilities, and positively alter the environments in which they function.The Masters of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling enables graduates to seek employment in settings, which focus on rehabilitation, human services and allied health and education.

Our philosophy is to develop leaders in the field, using multidisciplinary approach, drawing from rehabilitation, sociology, psychology, natural sciences, economics, education and humanities.

The Regional Continuing Education Program

Perhaps our most unique program, the Regional Continuing Education Program (RCEP), allows ISRS to serve our community in a slightly different manner. It is extremely important that professionals serving the community of individuals with disabilities maintain their professional competencies and work to stay abreast of current developments and state-of-the-art approaches and techniques. Through its numerous workshops and skillfully crafted conferences, the RCEP facilitates that process in New England (Region I).

Did you Know?

Assumption’s Center for Continuing and Professional Education offers three Associate programs, four Bachelor programs, nine certificate programs, and hundreds of credit and non-credit on-line courses.