Certificate in Rehabilitation Technology

The purpose of this certificate is to train interested and non-engineers in the field of rehabilitation technology using formal classroom instruction, project design and fabrication, and guided practical/internships. Enrollment in this certificate program will provide interested engineering students exposure to rehabilitation technology. For non-engineering rehabilitation professionals (e.g., vocational rehabilitation counselors, special education teachers, transition and supported employment specialists), the certificate program will provide specialty training in the application of rehabilitation technology. Specifically, the certificate program will do the following:

• Expose graduate students to the problems and promises of rehabilitation engineering as a field of specialization.
• Provide a number of interrelated training activities (on and off campus) that will improve the professional competence of employed rehabilitation workers.
• Provide opportunities for extensive training, in the form of extended internships with knowledgeable rehabilitation professionals whose backgrounds are in such specializations as communicative disorders, rehabilitation engineering, physical and occupational therapy, rehabilitation electronics, prosthetics and orthotics, rehabilitation counseling, special education, biomechanics, etc.
• Offer both formal classroom instruction and guided problem solving opportunities in designing, building, customizing, and delivering rehabilitation technology for enhancing the integration of individuals with disabilities into school, residential, community, and employment settings.

 Students in this certificate program will complete 12 units of formal coursework and one semester of internships as described below:

Electrical Engineering 502 (Electronic Device for Rehabilitation - 3 units) will acquaint students with the design and application of disabled; and present possible solutions for some of their needs.

Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education 607 (Applications of Rehabilitation Technology - 3 units) will provide an overview of assistive technology in the areas of assessment, accessibility, mobility, communication, employment and more.

Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education 685A or 685B (Medical and Psychological Aspects of Disablity - 3 units) will cover the impact of different disabilities (e.g. visual and sensory impairments, orthopedic impairments, burns, amputation, chronic pain, cancer, development and learning disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries) in terms of functional limitations, rehabilitative services needed, and environmental adjustments required.

Electrical Engineering 798 (Special Study in Rehabilitation Technology Design - 3 units) will provide students hands-on-opportunity to design and fabricate customized adaptations for a person with disabilities.

Internships (one semester) will provide guided field experience through placement with knowledgeable practicing rehabilitation professionals in settings as the Sharp Rehabilitation Center, Access Centre of San Diego, and San Diego schools.

For more information on the Rehabilitation Certificate please go to the SDSU Graduate Bulletin - Rehabilitation Technology Certificate.

For More Information

Interested applicants should contact:

• Dr. Hakan Töreyin ([email protected]) in the Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering
• Dr. Caren Sax ([email protected]) in the Dept. of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education, College of Education