SECTION 681.82. Academic Requirements

(a) Persons applying for licensure must have a graduate degree in counseling or a counseling-related field of:

(1) at least 48 semester hours of coursework in a counseling or counseling-related field for applicants who began the qualifying program before August 1, 2017; and

(2) at least 60 semester hours of coursework in a counseling or counseling-related field for applicants who began the qualifying program on or after August 1, 2017.

(b) An applicant who holds a graduate degree in a counseling related field must have an official transcript documenting satisfaction of the requirements described in §681.83 of this title (relating to Academic Course Content).

(c) An applicant who has held a full active LPC in good standing issued by a United States jurisdiction for at least two (2) years immediately preceding the date the application was received will be deemed to have met all academic and experience requirements, including the practicum, if the applicant can demonstrate 3,000 hours of supervised experience and has completed at least 48 semester hours of coursework in a graduate degree program in a counseling or a counseling-related field, with 300 clock hours of supervised practicum.

(d) The 48/60 semester hours must be designed to train a person to provide direct services to assist clients in a professional counseling relationship using a combination of mental health and human development principles, methods, and techniques to achieve the mental, emotional, social, moral, educational, spiritual, or career-related development and adjustment of the client throughout the client's life. The 48/60 semester hours may be course work that was part of the graduate degree in a counseling-related field, may be in addition to course work taken for the qualifying program, or a combination of both.

Source Note: The provisions of this §681.82 adopted to be effective November 19, 2020, 45 TexReg 8143; amended to be effective November 21, 2021, 46 TexReg 7786