Section 14.01. Academic program equivalent to a master's degree in professional counseling.

  An academic program is the equivalent of a master's degree in professional counseling from an approved institution if the completed program meets the following criteria:

(1)  The course work was completed at an institution which was accredited by its regional accrediting association at the time the applicant graduated from the program, and was part of a program of studies leading to a master's degree or doctoral degree in a field closely related to professional counseling.

(2)  The course work included successful completion of at least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit in a supervised counseling practicum; at least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit in a single counseling theory course; and at least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit in at least 6 of the following 8 topic areas; and the course work included a total of at least 42 semester hours or 63 quarter hours of academic credit in counseling related courses distributed among at least 6 of the following 8 topic areas:

(a) Human growth and development — studies that provide a broad understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels, normal and abnormal human behavior, personality theory, and learning theory within appropriate cultural contexts.

(b) Social and cultural foundations — studies that provide a broad understanding of societal changes and trends, human roles, societal subgroups, social mores and interaction patterns, and differing lifestyles.

(c) The helping relationship — studies that provide a broad understanding of philosophic bases of helping processes, counseling theories and their applications, basic and advanced helping skills, consultation theories and their applications, client and helper self-understanding and self-development, and facilitation of client or consultee changes.

(d) Group dynamics processing and counseling — studies that provide a broad understanding of group development, dynamics, and counseling theories, group leadership styles, basic and advanced group counseling methods and skills, and other group approaches.

(e) Lifestyle and career development — studies that provide a broad understanding of career development theories; occupational and educational information sources and systems; career and leisure counseling, guidance and education; lifestyle and career decision making; career development program planning and resources; and effectiveness evaluation.

(f) Appraisal of individuals — studies that provide a broad understanding of group and individual educational and psychometric theories and approaches to appraisal, data and information gathering methods, validity and reliability, psychometric statistics, factors influencing appraisals, and use of appraisals results in helping processes.

(g) Research and evaluation — studies that provide a broad understanding of types of research, basic statistics, research report development, research implementation, program evaluation, needs assessment, publication of research information, and ethical and legal considerations.

(h) Professional counseling orientation — studies that provide a broad understanding of professional roles and functions, professional goals and objectives, professional organizations and associations, professional history and trends, ethical and legal standards, professional preparation standards, and professional credentialing.

(3)  For purposes of this section, one academic quarter credit is equivalent to two-thirds of one academic semester credit.

(4)  To reach course equivalency, an applicant may take up to 12 credit hours of courses, which may include a supervised counseling practicum, outside of his or her master's program.

(1) The course work was completed at an institution which was accredited by its regional accrediting association at the time the applicant graduated from the program, and was part of a program of studies leading to a master's degree or doctoral degree in a field closely related to professional counseling or rehabilitation counseling.

(2) All course work reflected on the applicant's official transcript totals at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of academic credit. The course work included successful completion of all of the following:

(a) At least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit in a supervised practicum counseling experience that provides documented proof of a minimum of 100 hours of supervised practicum experience with at least 40 hours of face-to-face client contact. The practicum experience includes evaluation of the student's counseling performance throughout the practicum and one hour per week of individual or triadic supervision throughout the practicum by a program faculty member, an approved student supervisor, or a site supervisor. The practicum experience further includes an average of 1 ½ hours per week of group supervision that is provided on a regular schedule throughout the practicum by a program faculty member or a student supervisor.

(b) At least 6 semester hours or 8 quarter hours academic credit in a supervised internship counseling experience that provides documented proof of a minimum of 600 hours of supervised internship experience with at least 240 hours of face-to-face client contact. The internship experience includes evaluation of the student's counseling performance throughout the internship and one hour per week of individual or triadic supervision throughout the internship performed by the onsite or field supervisor.

(c) At least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit in a counseling theory or counseling approaches course that provides documented evidence that the student has been exposed to a variety of theoretical models that are consistent with current research and practice in the field. Courses covering only a single or specific counseling theory will not be sufficient for meeting this educational criterion.

(d) At least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of academic credit in each of the following topic areas:

1. `Human growth and development.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels; normal and abnormal human behavior; personality theory; theories of individual and family development and transitions; theories for facilitating optimal development and wellness across the life span; and learning theory within appropriate cultural contexts. Courses that focus on only one lifespan developmental level will not count in fulfilling this criterion.

2. `Social and cultural foundations.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of societal changes and trends; human roles; societal subgroups, social mores and interaction patterns; counselors' roles in developing cultural self-awareness; promoting cultural social justice, advocacy and conflict resolution, and other culturally supported behaviors that promote optimal wellness and growth of the human spirit, mind, or body; counselors' roles in eliminating biases, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination; and differing lifestyles.

3. `Helping relationship.' Studies that provide a broad understanding and practical application of helping processes, basic and advanced helping skills; consultation theories and their applications; client and helper self-understanding and self-development; and facilitation of client or consultee changes. An applicant's official transcript must reflect successful completion of a course addressing counseling process, skills, and intervention techniques.

4. `Group dynamics processing and counseling.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of group development, dynamics, and group counseling theories; group leadership styles; basic and advanced group counseling methods and skills; and other group approaches.

5. `Lifestyle and career development.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of career development theories; occupational and educational information sources and systems; career and leisure counseling, guidance and education; lifestyle and career decision making; career development program planning and resources; and effectiveness evaluation.

6. `Assessment and testing.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of group and individual educational and psychometric theories and approaches to appraisal; data and information gathering methods, validity and reliability; psychometric statistics; factors influencing appraisals; social and cultural factors related to the assessment; and evaluation of individuals, groups and specific populations and use of appraisals to enhance helping processes.

7. `Research and evaluation.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of types of research; basic statistics; research report development; research implementation; program evaluation; needs assessment; publication of research information; and ethical and legal considerations.

8. `Professional counseling orientation.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of professional counselor roles and functions; professional goals and objectives; professional organizations and associations; professional history and trends; ethical and legal standards; professional preparation standards; and professional credentialing. The American Counseling Association (ACA) or the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) must have been the primary professional identity organization discussed and the ACA Code of Ethics or CRCC Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation counselors must have been used as the primary professional conduct guide and prominently identified as such in the orientation course syllabus.

(e) At least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours in one of the following:

1. `Foundations of clinical mental health counseling.' If the academic program has an emphasis in mental health counseling, coursework addressing the history and development of clinical mental health counseling, theories and models related to clinical mental health counseling, principles of clinical mental health counseling, including prevention, intervention, consultation, education, and advocacy, and networks that promote mental health and wellness.

2. `Foundations of clinical rehabilitation counseling.' If the academic program has an emphasis in rehabilitation counseling, coursework addressing the history and development of rehabilitation counseling, theories and models related to rehabilitation counseling, social science theory that addresses psychosocial aspects of disability, principles of rehabilitation including prevention, intervention, wellness, consultation, education, and advocacy.

(f) At least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours in one of the follow:

1. `Clinical mental health counseling diagnosis and treatment planning.' If the academic program has an emphasis in clinical mental health counseling, coursework addressing the diagnostic process, including differential diagnosis and the use of diagnostic classification systems such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and/or the International Classification of Diseases (ICD); training on administration of intake interview, mental status evaluation, biopsychosocial history, mental health history, and psychological assessment for treatment planning and caseload management; and techniques and interventions related to a broad range of mental health issues.

2. `Rehabilitation counseling diagnosis and treatment planning.' If the academic program has an emphasis in rehabilitation counseling, coursework addressing diagnostic interviews, mental status examinations, symptom inventories, psychoeducational and personality assessments, biopsychosocial histories, assessments for treatment planning; career and work-related assessments including job-analysis, work site modification, transferrable skills analysis, and job readiness; strategies to advocate for clients with disabilities and rehabilitation counseling.

(g) At least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours in each of the following:

1. `Crisis and trauma counseling.' Studies that include counseling approaches that effectively address crises and trauma, the impact of trauma and crisis and potential neurobiological responses; skills and techniques for assessing and intervening in specific crisis or trauma situations including suicide assessment and intervention.

2. `Abnormal behavior and psychopathology.' Studies that include concepts of psychopathology and introduces methods of assessment and diagnosis for children, adolescents and adults with major mental disorders; and personality disorders, multiple perspectives of emotional and psychological distress, disturbance and behavior; skills to use the DSM diagnostic system while including acknowledgement of client strengths and resilience and the social and cultural context.

3. `Addictions counseling.' Studies that provide an overview of addiction, the process of addiction, treatment and recovery approaches, relapse prevention, developmental issues related to addiction; treatment and prevention planning in regard to addiction.

4. `Family, partnership, and couples counseling.' Studies that provide information and skills relevant to conducting partner or marital and family counseling services within a multicultural society with emphasis given to systemic theory and philosophy; dynamics of family interaction and the initial skills in assessment and treatment of dysfunctional partner, marital, family and systems or ecosystems relationships.