Graduate Certificate Programs in Assistive & Rehabilitation Technology Overview
Majors Overview March 6, 2016This article talks about graduate certificate programs in assistive and rehabilitation technology and their education requirements, coursework, career options, and job and wage outlook.
Information on Graduate Certificate Programs in Assistive & Rehabilitation Technology
Practitioners currently employed in the rehabilitation industry would benefit from enrolling in a graduate certificate program in assistive and rehabilitation technology. Research and development in the field may be further developed by these professionals. The departments of health science or public health in universities are among the schools that commonly offer such programs.
Individuals with a degree from several fields, such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, medical engineering, speech therapy, and education are brought together in graduate certificate programs in assistive and rehabilitation technology. Research in the field of rehabilitation technology expands through a pooling of these professionals’ collective experience and knowledge.
The focus of many graduate certificate programs in assistive and rehabilitation technology is on a solution-based approach to collective learning, whereby students are allowed to take part in classroom projects, community engagement, and independent research. Aspiring specialists learn about ways of measuring and assessing the success of current rehabilitation technologies, including driving assistance and wheelchair technologies.
Education Requirements
Current working professionals are the focus of schools offering graduate certificate programs in the field of assistive and rehabilitation technology. Admission criteria typically require incoming students such as occupational therapists or physical therapists to hold baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in their respective fields.
Coursework
Program coursework combines classroom lectures with hands-on training. Core coursework may cover topic areas such as:
•Rehabilitation environments
•Measuring outcomes
•Ergonomics
•Wheeled mobility
•Occupational therapy computer access
•Advanced assistive technology
•Adapted driving
•Home modification
Career Options
Program graduates can seek careers in numerous healthcare-related settings where patients with disabilities are offered assistance through technologies. Program graduates may be hired by:
•Long-term care facilities and nursing homes
•University-based centers
•Vocational rehabilitation agencies
•Hospitals
•Healthcare companies
Job and Wage Outlook
Over the 2012 – 2022 decade, community and social service professionals, in general, are expected to see a 17% job growth. Rehabilitation counselors are predicted to witness a nine percent job growth (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). In May 2014, rehabilitation counselors brought in an average annual wage of $37,890 (BLS).
