Health Professions and Related Programs
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Prepares you to work with people who have learning disabilities, mental illness, and physical disabilities in a clinical, educational, or institutional setting. Covers abnormal psychology, assistive technology, case management, counseling techniques, cultural diversity, disability assessment and measurement, ethics, psychological and physiological aspects of disability, rehabilitation services, rehabilitation science, and vocational counseling.
Inside the major
Programs within this field
Colleges may offer this field under 17 more specific program names. The program you choose affects the courses you take.
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, General
- Prepares you to work with people who have learning disabilities, mental illness, and physical disabilities in a clinical, educational, or institutional setting. Covers abnormal psychology, assistive technology, case management, counseling techniques, cultural diversity, disability assessment and measurement, ethics, psychological and physiological aspects of disability, rehabilitation services, rehabilitation science, and vocational counseling.
- Art Therapy/Therapist
- Prepares individuals, in consultation with other rehabilitation team members or in private practice, to use drawing and other art media forms to assess, treat, and rehabilitate individuals with mental, emotional, developmental, or physical disorders. Covers art, history and theory of art therapy, art therapeutic techniques, psychopathology, patient assessment and diagnosis, cultural diversity issues, legal and ethical practice issues, and professional standards and regulations.
- Dance Therapy/Therapist
- Prepares individuals, in consultation with other rehabilitation team members or in private practice, to use the therapeutic application of creative dance movement to assist in promoting client rehabilitation and physical, emotional, and mental health. Covers neuroanatomy, personality development, movement and motor behavior, psychology, dance, creative expression modalities, improvisation, group psychology and leadership, client evaluation and supervision, dance therapy practice, and professional standards and ethics.
- Music Therapy/Therapist
- Prepares individuals, in association with a rehabilitation team or in private practice, to use music in therapeutic relationships to address the physical, psychological, cognitive, emotional, and social needs of clients. Covers music theory and performance, human growth and development, biomedical sciences, abnormal psychology, disabling conditions, patient assessment and diagnosis, treatment plan development and implementation, clinical evaluation, record-keeping, and professional standards and ethics.
- Occupational Therapy/Therapist
- Prepares you to assist patients limited by physical, cognitive, psychosocial, mental, developmental, and learning disabilities, as well as adverse environmental conditions, to maximize their independence and maintain optimum health through a planned mix of acquired skills, performance motivation, environmental adaptations, assistive technologies, and physical agents. Covers the basic medical sciences, psychology, sociology, patient assessment and evaluation, standardized and non-standardized tests and measurements, assistive and rehabilitative technologies, ergonomics, environmental health, special education, vocational counseling, health education and promotion, and professional standards and ethics.
- Orthotist/Prosthetist
- Prepares individuals, in consultation with physicians and other therapists, to design and fit orthoses for patients with disabling conditions of the limbs and/or spine, and prostheses for patients who have partial or total absence of a limb or significant superficial deformity. Covers biomechanics, gait analysis, pathomechanics, kinesiology, pathology, neuroanatomy, materials science, diagnostic imaging, patient analysis and measurement, impression taking, model rectification, assistive/restorative technology and engineering applications, product finishing, diagnostic and definitive fitting and alignment, power devices, postoperative management, and patient counseling and follow-up.
- Physical Therapy/Therapist
- Prepares you to evaluate, examine, diagnose, and alleviate physical functional impairments and limitations caused by injury or disease through the design and implementation of therapeutic interventions to promote fitness and health. Covers anatomy, behavioral sciences, biology, biomechanics, biophysical agents, care plan development and documentation, cellular histology, clinical evaluation and measurement, clinical reasoning, communication, exercise physiology, kinesiology, neuroscience, pharmacology, pathology, physiology, professional standards and ethics, rehabilitation psychology, and therapeutic exercise.
- Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy
- Prepares you to plan, organize, and direct recreational activities designed to promote health and well-being for patients who are physically, mentally, or emotionally disabled. Covers the foundations of therapeutic recreation, leisure education and counseling, program planning, therapeutic recreational modalities, basic anatomy and physiology, psychology, medical terminology, human growth and development, patient observation and evaluation, special needs populations, and professional standards and ethics.
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor
- Prepares you to counsel and assist disabled individuals and recovering patients to achieve their greatest physical, mental, social, educational, and vocational potential. Covers patient evaluation and testing, rehabilitation program planning, patient support services and referral, job analysis, adjustment psychology, rehabilitation services provision, patient counseling and education, applicable law and regulations, and professional standards and ethics.
- Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist
- Prepares individuals, under the direction of physicians, to treat the effects of disease, injury, and congenital disorders through therapeutic exercise and education. Covers human anatomy, human physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics, therapeutic exercise and adapted physical education, human growth and development, motor learning and performance, testing and measurement, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, psychology, rehabilitation procedures, patient assessment and management, and professional standards and ethics.
Also called Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Also called Rehabilitation Counseling, Rehabilitation Services
Where it can lead
Careers this field can lead to
Explore related careers, starting with the closest connections and the occupations hiring the most people.
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Explore this careerAll work is projected to grow 3.5% between 2025 and 2035; read every hiring-change figure against it. The figures beside each career are the pay of that work, across everyone doing it. Graduates of this field earn $31,406 one year after completing the program, which is the start of a career rather than the shape of one.
Working style
How and where the work happens
Related careers can feel very different from one another. Compare the specific occupations to understand the work each one involves.
This field leads to a mix of in-person and computer-based work. About 38 of every 100 openings require working close to other people or spending time on your feet.
College options
Where to study it
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