Section 1375.145  Professional Education for Clinical Professional Counseling Programs

a)         The educational requirements are as follows:

1)         Master's degrees shall be from a college, university or school that is a regionally accredited institution of higher education and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education;

2)         The programs, wherever they may be administratively housed, must be clearly identified and labeled as offering counseling, rehabilitation counseling or psychology programs.  Such a program must specify in institutional catalogues and brochures its intent to educate and train counselors;

3)         The program is an organizational entity within the institution;

4)         The program has an integrated, organized sequence of study;

5)         The program must be at least 2 academic years in length and require an individual to graduate from a program with a minimum of 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours with a minimum of one course ("course" is defined as 3 semester hours or equivalent) in each of the areas listed in this subsection (a)(5).  The 13 areas are the same as those listed for the licensed professional counselor.  "A minimum of one course" is defined to mean that the objectives and content of a course need to meet the requirements for one content area and cannot be used to meet the objectives and content requirements of another content area.  (See Appendix A (Course Descriptions) for a definition of the subject content for each core area with examples of course titles that relate to each of the core content areas.)  Students who started their educational program after January 1, 1999 and graduated before January 1, 2008 who make application for the Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor after January 1, 2008 must meet the hour requirements for each core areas established by their educational program at the time they started their graduate studies.  In some cases, this may not be 3 semester hours or equivalent for each core area.  All students, however, graduating after January 1, 2008 must meet the "3 semester hour or equivalent" requirement.

A)        Human Growth and Development

B)        Counseling Theory

C)        Counseling Techniques

D)        Group Dynamics, Processing and Counseling

E)        Appraisal of Individuals

F)         Research and Evaluation

G)        Professional, Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Relating to Professional Counseling, Including Illinois Law

H)        Social and Cultural Foundations

I)         Lifestyle and Career Development

J)         Practicum/Internship

K)        Psychopathology and Maladaptive Behavior

L)        Substance Abuse

M)       Family Dynamics;

6)         The program has faculty responsible for the program and has a sufficient number of full-time instructors to make certain that the educational obligations to the student are fulfilled.  The faculty must have degrees in their areas of teaching from professional colleges and institutions;

7)         The program has an identifiable body of students who are matriculated in that program for a degree;

8)         The program has a one year residence.  Residence requires interaction with faculty and other matriculated students.  One year's residence is defined as 24 semester hours taken on a full-time or part-time basis at the institution accumulated within the time frame and course of study of the program.

b)         For the purposes of this Section, course shall be defined as an integrated, organized course of study that encompasses a minimum of one school semester or equivalent hours.  No student designed courses, independent study courses, workshops or correspondence courses may be used to satisfy the core courses.

c)         The Division, upon recommendations of the Board, has determined that all master's degree and doctoral programs in professional counseling or rehabilitation counseling that are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) and doctoral programs in psychology approved by the American Psychological Association and the Council for the National Registry of Health Service Providers are approved programs.

d)         Individual Program Requirements

1)         Individuals applying for licensure as a clinical professional counselor who have not graduated from a program listed in subsection (c) shall submit their transcripts and program materials to the Division for evaluation by the Board to determine if they meet the requirements of this Section.

2)         Individuals applying for licensure who are deficient in any of the content areas set forth in subsection (a)(6) may complete any content area deficiencies in a graduate counseling, rehabilitation counseling, or psychology program.  No student designed courses, independent study courses, workshops or correspondence courses may be used to satisfy the core courses.  The applicant will be required to submit proof to the Division that he or she has passed such a course.  Proof shall include, but not be limited to, curriculum, practicum and program materials, internship handbook and course materials.

e)         After January 1, 2008, all applicants will be required to meet the curriculum requirements set forth in this Section.

(Source:  Added at 35 Ill. Reg. 7586, effective May 13, 2011)