To qualify for licensure as a professional counselor under ORS 675.715(1)(b), an applicant must hold a graduate degree from one of the following:

1. (1) A counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) as of the date the degree was conferred;
2. (2) A counseling program accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) as of the date the degree was conferred;
3. (3) A program at a regionally accredited institution that was accredited as of the date the degree was conferred; or
4. (4) A foreign program that has been evaluated by a credentialing body recognized by the Board. Submission of foreign degree evaluation and cost of the foreign degree qualification determination are the responsibility of the applicant.
5. (5) A graduate degree under sections (1) or (2) must have included at least two semester credit hours or three credit quarter hours of coursework in the diagnosis of mental disorders.

6. (6) A graduate degree under sections (3) or (4) must have included all of the following requirements:

   1. (a) A master’s or doctorate degree field in mental health counseling or behavioral science relating to mental health counseling including marriage and family therapy, psychology, social work, or psychiatry.
   2. (b) A minimum of 60 semester credit hours or 90 quarter credit hours of graduate-level coursework.

   3. (c) At least two semester credit hours or three quarter credit hours in each of the following graduate-level coursework:

      1. (A) Counseling Theory;
      2. (B) Human Growth and Development;
      3. (C) Social and Cultural Foundations;
      4. (D) The Helping Relationship;
      5. (E) Group Dynamics Processing and Counseling;
      6. (F) Lifestyle and Career Development;
      7. (G) Diagnosis of mental disorders;
      8. (H) Research and Evaluation; and
      9. (I) Professional Orientation (Ethics) in the clinical mental/behavioral health field.
   4. (d) At least 16 semester hours or 24 quarter hours of supporting coursework for specialty areas, not including clinical experience (practicum/internship) or independent research project (e.g. thesis/dissertation) supporting courses.

   5. (e) A supervised clinical practicum or internship experience that:

      1. (A) Included at least 280 direct client contact clock hours;
      2. (B) Had supervisory staff with a minimum of a master's degree in mental health counseling or a behavioral science field;
      3. (C) Made provision for faculty monitoring of operations;
      4. (D) Kept records of student-client contact hours including summary of student progress by the supervisor;
      5. (E) Had a written agreement with the program and student specifying learning objectives; and
      6. (F) Had a mechanism for program evaluation.
   6. (f) Deficiencies in the credit hour requirements of sections (b), (c), or (d) may be remedied by completing graduate-level coursework in the deficient area(s) at a regionally accredited institution.  Continuing education courses do not qualify.
   7. (g) For reciprocity applicants only, three years or more of active licensure to practice professional counseling in another U.S. state may substitute for the requirements of Sections (a) through (e) above.

   8. (h) Deficiencies in the supervised experience requirement of section (e) may be remedied by completion of:

      1. (A) Post-degree clinical experience completed in a Board-approved associate registration pursuant to OAR Chapter 833, Division 50, credited on an hour-for-hour basis for up to the full 280 required hours of direct client contact.  This remedial experience is in addition to, and not a substitute for, the experience requirements (clock hours and duration) set forth in OAR 833-030-0021 or OAR 833-050-0071; or
      2. (B) At least five years of active licensure issued by another state credentialing entity to practice professional counseling.

Statutory/Other Authority

ORS 675.715 - 675.835

Statutes/Other Implemented

ORS 675.715 - 675.835

History

BLPCT 1-2026, amend filed 02/09/2026, effective 02/09/2026
BLPCT 7-2024, amend filed 12/10/2024, effective 12/10/2024
BLPCT 6-2024, amend filed 10/09/2024, effective 10/09/2024
BLPCT 4-2024, minor correction filed 04/18/2024, effective 04/18/2024
BLPCT 3-2024, amend filed 04/10/2024, effective 04/10/2024
BLPCT 4-2016, f. & cert. ef. 10-10-16
BLPCT 1-2010, f. & cert. ef. 1-5-10