Why Major in RHS?
Your passion for supporting people living with disabilities, chronic illness, or social challenges like poverty, addiction, or housing insecurity can become a meaningful career with a degree in RHS. Through coursework and a required full semester internship, you will gain hands-on experience and develop the skills to improve quality of life across psychosocial, educational, vocational, and recreational settings—preparing for careers as case managers, rehabilitation counselors, program coordinators, and other human services professionals.
The RHS major also provides excellent preparation for graduate programs leading to professions such as occupational and physical therapy, counseling, and social work.
Our Pathways to Master’s Degrees can help you earn an advanced degree faster and at a reduced cost so you can stand out in the job market and increase your earnings potential.
- 4+2 Pathway Program in Clinical or School Counseling
- 4+1 Pathway Program in Healthcare Administration
You might thrive in the RHS major if you...
- Are curious about human development, health and disability and its intersection with treatment interventions
- Want to advocate and work directly with people facing challenges
- Want to develop skills to solve individual problems using applied interpersonal skills.
Rehabilitation and Human Services Careers
Job Growth*
Estimated 313,700 openings projected each year, on average*
Job Titles and Median Salaries*
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors: $59,190
- Social Workers: $61,330
- School and Career Counselors and Advisors: $65,140
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024
Career and Professional Development: Setting You Up for Success
From your first day at Penn State Abington, you can access tools provided by the Career and Professional Development team to prepare for the future.
- On-campus networking opportunities
- Internships
- Supports such as resume reviews and mock interviews
Coursework
Courses prepare students for entry-level positions in a variety of human service settings, focusing on topics such as
- Introductory and abnormal psychology
- Counseling as a profession
- Group work in rehabilitation practice and human services
- Professional development and internship preparation
- Case management and communication skills
The Student Experience
“The RHS major appealed to me because it is an umbrella for so many opportunities. I was able to explore occupational and physical therapy, speech language pathology, social work, mental health counseling, and applied behavior analysis to see which field aligned best with my passions,” she said. “Thanks to my RHS professors, I was given the tools necessary to effectively fulfill my internship requirement.”
