Pitt Redesigns Its Master’s Program in Rehabilitation Technology

To meet the increasing demand for professionals competent in providing direct, consumer-related services in assistive technology, officials in the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology (RST), School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) at the University of Pittsburgh, have modified their master’s program in Rehabilitation Technology.

The program now allows students to complete their degree work within one year and quickly delve into a professional career in assistive technology for people with disabilities.

“The complexity of matching the needs of people with disabilities and older adults to appropriate assistive technology requires specialized knowledge and clinical experience,” said Rory Cooper, FISA/Paralyzed Veterans of America Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor within Pitt’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. “Our degree program is tailored toward people seeking a career as an assistive technology professional, and it is structured so they can achieve their goals in an efficient manner.” 

The program requires 44 academic credits and encompasses a minimum of a one-year course of study: two 15-week semesters and a six-week summer clinical internship.

“My training at Pitt provided me with a solid foundation of theoretical principles, practical technical instruction and a hands-on, clinical preceptorship that carried over to a successful career as a rehabilitation technology supplier,” said Thomas Bursick, a 2000 Pitt rehabilitation science and technology graduate who is employed by United Seating and Mobility.

Interested applicants should visit the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology website at http://www.rst.pitt.edu and contact Dan Ding at dad5@pitt.edu or 412-822-3684 for more information. Admissions are on a rolling basis. 

The Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology was established within the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh in 1994. It was created to provide leadership in research, education and clinical practice related to the rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities. Today, the department continues this commitment to rehabilitation through its graduate education programs, world-class research initiatives, and strong consumer-oriented clinical and community programs. The department currently houses a clinical center for assistive technology and several national research centers focused on improving critical technology that enables people with disabilities to go about their daily lives.