Summary of REQUIREMENTS for those, who do not qualify for grandparenting or reciprocity, and begin graduate study BEFORE AUGUST 1, 2012 and complete that study on or before December 31, 2018: Applications accepted after January 1, 2012.
Education: A 48-semester-unit master’s or doctoral degree from an accredited or approved institution, which is counseling or psychotherapy in content, includes 6 semester units or 9 quarter units of supervised practicum or fieldwork study, and contains at least 3 semester units, or four and one half quarter units, of coursework in 7 the following 9 core content areas, all of which must be completed before licensure.
(A) Counseling and psychotherapeutic theories and techniques (includes counseling theories, selection of counseling interventions, orientation to wellness and prevention, etc.)
(B) Human growth and development across the lifespan (includes psychopathology, normal and abnormal behavior, developmental crises)
(C) Career development theories and techniques
(D) Group counseling theories and techniques
(E) Assessment, appraisal and testing
(F) Multicultural counseling theories and techniques
(G) Principles of diagnosis, treatment planning and prevention of mental and emotional disorders and dysfunctional behavior
(H) Research and evaluation
(I) Professional orientation, ethics and law in counselingClick here to see a definition of each core content area.
In addition to the course requirements described above, a minimum of 12 semester units of advanced coursework to develop knowledge of specific treatment issues, special populations, application of counseling constructs, assessment and treatment planning, clinical interventions, therapeutic relationships, psychopathology or other clinical topics.
In addition to, or as part of the graduate degree, instruction in each of the following content areas must be completed prior to licensure:
Note: With the exception of the course in psychopharmacology, which is a university graduate or undergraduate credit course, the following requirements can be fulfilled with either university courses or continuing education courses. See Providers of Coursework on this website for available courses.
(1) Minimum of 15 contact hours of instruction in alcoholism and other chemical substance dependency
(2) Minimum of 10 contact hours of instruction in human sexuality
(3) Minimum of 15 contact hours of instruction in spousal or partner abuse
(4) Minimum of seven contact hours of instruction in child abuse assessment & reporting
(5) Minimum of 18 contact hours of instruction in California law and professional ethics, if not included in required core content area
(6) Minimum of 10 contact hours of instruction in aging and long-term care
(7) Minimum of 15 contact hours of instruction in crisis/trauma counselingNote: Unlike the above courses, which may be taken as continuing education credit, the following course may be taken post-degree, but it must be a graduate or undergraduate university credit course.
(8) Two-semester unit or three quarter-unit survey course in psychopharmacology
Supervision: A minimum of 3,000 post-degree hours of supervised experience, by a LPC, LMFT, LCSW, licensed psychologist or licensed psychiatrist, over a period of not less than two years, including not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals or groups in a clinical mental health counseling setting and 150 hours in a hospital or community mental health setting.
Examination: Passing score on examinations approved by the board, likely the NCE and the NCMHCE and a CA jurisprudence and ethics exam.
Click here to see entire section 4999.32 in the bill, regarding education for those who begin graduate study before 2012 and complete that study on before 2018.
