The Consortium for Distance Education in Rehabilitation (CDER) - 
Online Access to Graduate Level Education in Rehabilitation Counseling

The Rehabilitation Counseling program is available on-campus to students in the San Diego area, or by distance for students nationally and internationally. This site provides information specific to the distance Rehabilitation Counseling Master's program. To learn more about the Rehabilitation Counseling Master's Program such as professional opportunities, alignment to CORE requirements, and related certificates and continuing education, visit the main site for the Rehabilitation Counseling Master's Program.

CDER Program Background

The San Diego State University (SDSU) Interwork Institute has used distance learning technology and adult learning strategies to make graduate level courses and the Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling accessible to rehabilitation professionals and aspiring professionals since 1996. A central purpose of the Consortium for Distance Education in Rehabilitation (CDER) was, and remains, to use distance learning strategies and adult learning principles to make high quality, CORE accredited, graduate level courses. Today, the Master of Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling through SDSU is accessible to qualified students throughout the United States, including the Territories and the Commonwealth, and other countries.

Accessibility of the CDER graduate level offerings is unique among the CORE accredited on-campus and distance learning programs. There are no requirements for scholars to travel to San Diego for the program. They may participate in the dialog and learning from anywhere they have individual access to a computer and the Internet-- from home, work or other scholar chosen sites. Scholars who participate in courses primarily on line may earn and apply credits toward the master’s degree or the Advanced Certificate in Rehabilitation Counseling.

CDER has explored and tested a multitude of evolving technologies and has learned that scholars and faculty achieve the desired outcomes and relationships within their learning community without traveling to a common site. They continue to affirm the viability of distance learning approaches to make graduate programs accessible across multiple localities, and to create rich and safe environments for learning, personal growth and professional support.