A. The applicant shall have successfully completed 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework with a minimum of six semester hours or nine quarter hours completed in each of the core areas identified in subdivisions 1 and 2 of this subsection, and three semester hours or 4.0 quarter hours in each of the core areas identified in subdivisions 3 through 9 of this subsection:
- 1. Marriage and family studies (marital and family development; family systems theory);
- 2. Marriage and family therapy (systemic therapeutic interventions and application of major theoretical approaches);
- 3. Human growth and development across the lifespan;
- 4. Abnormal behaviors;
- 5. Diagnosis and treatment of addictive behaviors;
- 6. Multicultural counseling;
- 7. Professional identity and ethics;
- 8. Research (research methods; quantitative methods; statistics);
- 9. Assessment and treatment (appraisal, assessment and diagnostic procedures); and
- 10. Supervised internship of at least 600 hours to include 240 hours of direct client contact, of which 200 hours shall be with couples and families.
- B. If the applicant holds a current, unrestricted license as a professional counselor, clinical psychologist, or clinical social worker, the board may accept evidence of successful completion of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate study, including a minimum of six semester hours or nine quarter hours completed in marriage and family studies (marital and family development; family systems theory) and six semester hours or nine quarter hours completed in marriage and family therapy (systemic therapeutic interventions and application of major theoretical approaches).
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 7, eff. January 19, 2000; amended, Virginia Register Volume 24, Issue 24, eff. September 3, 2008; Volume 32, Issue 24, eff. August 24, 2016; Volume 42, Issue 6, eff. December 18, 2025.