Illinois Administrative Code › Title 68 - PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS › Part 1375 - PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR AND CLINICAL PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR LICENSING AND PRACTICE ACT › Subpart C - GENERAL › Appendix A - Course Descriptions

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
The following counselor education course content areas are
				  defined and subject areas outlined; however, this is not an exhaustive list and
				  many other courses may fall within each of the core content areas.
a) Human Growth and Development: Courses in this
				  area cover one or more of the various stages of the human growth cycle and
				  include information about theories of development such as physical, social,
				  cognitive, moral, and creative development, etc. Examples of acceptable courses
				  include, but are not limited to, Human Growth and Development, Developmental
				  Psychology, Child Psychology, Child Development, Adolescent Psychology,
				  Adolescent Development, Life Span Development, and Adult Development.
b) Counseling Theory: Courses in this area cover
				  the major theories of counseling psychotherapy. These courses shall be general
				  theory courses. A course devoted to one type of counseling/therapy is
				  considered a Counseling Technique core course. Examples of acceptable courses
				  include, but are not limited to, Theories of Counseling, Introduction to
				  Psychotherapy, and overview courses in Behavior, Cognitive, Humanistic and
				  Psychodynamic Theories.
c) Counseling Techniques: Courses in this area
				  cover the theoretical foundations and professional skill training enabling the
				  counselor to understand presenting problem, best practice recommendations, and
				  effective, empirically supported intervention strategies. Examples of
				  acceptable courses include, but are not limited to, Rational Emotive Therapy,
				  Behavior Modification, Marital/Couples Counseling, Crisis Counseling, Counselor
				  Interviewing Skills, Pre-Practicum in Counseling, Introduction to
				  Rehabilitation Counseling, Grief Therapy, Substance Abuse Counseling, Stress
				  Management, etc.
d) Group Dynamics, Processing and Counseling:
				  Courses in this area teach the theories, principles, and techniques of group
				  counseling and group psychotherapy. Examples of acceptable courses include, but
				  are not limited to, Group Counseling, Group Counseling and Dynamics, Group
				  Therapy, Group Dynamics, Theories of Group Practice, etc. Courses that use a
				  group format with a focus on the professional development of the counselor are
				  not considered a group course.
e) Appraisal of Individuals: Courses in this area
				  cover assessment of the various attributes of a person through standardized
				  tests. These courses also include an overview of statistical procedures
				  relevant to test standardization and interpretation. Examples of acceptable
				  courses include, but are not limited to, Individual Appraisal, Group Testing,
				  Standardized Testing, Individual Intelligence Testing, Personality Assessment,
				  Introduction to Psychological Measurements, Tests and Measurements, etc.
f) Research and Evaluation: Courses in this area
				  cover statistical principles, research designs, methods, techniques and tools
				  used in performing and interpreting research in counseling. Examples of
				  acceptable courses include, but are not limited to, Methods of Research,
				  Statistics, Research Design, Research in Counseling, Research Techniques,
				  etc.
g) Professional, Legal, and Ethical
				  Responsibilities: Courses in this area cover such topics as professionalism in
				  counseling, federal and State laws relevant to counselors, and ethics with an
				  emphasis on the Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association. Examples
				  of acceptable courses include, but are not limited to, Ethics and Legal Issues
				  in Counseling, Ethics and Legal Issues in Psychology, Ethics and Legal Issues
				  in Psychotherapy, Ethics and Legal Issues in Professional Counseling, Ethics
				  and Legal Issues in Rehabilitation Counseling, etc.
h) Social and Cultural Foundations: Courses in
				  this area shall include an overview of multicultural issues. The course may not
				  focus on only one cultural group or counseling population. Courses in this area
				  cover topics such as aging, culture, disability, ethnicity, race,
				  religion/spirituality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital
				  status/partnership, language preference, and socioeconomic status. Examples of
				  acceptable courses include, but are not limited to, Multicultural Counseling,
				  Cultural Differences in Counseling, Cultural Differences in Psychology,
				  Cultural Differences in Rehabilitation Counseling, etc.
i) Lifestyle and Career Development: Courses in
				  this area cover the lifelong processes and the influences that lead to work
				  values, occupational choices, career path/patterns, decision-making style, and
				  integration of self- and career-identity with patterns of work adjustment. The
				  course is designed around the concepts of career development. Examples of
				  acceptable courses include, but are not limited to, Career Counseling, Career
				  Development, Theories of Vocational Choice, Theories of Vocational Counseling,
				  etc.
j) Practicum/Internship: Provides practical
				  experience in counseling for the purpose of developing both individual and
				  group counseling skills. These courses shall include a minimum of 700 clock
				  hours on-site, with a minimum of 280 hours of direct, face-to-face client
				  contact. These experiences allow students to perform some of the counseling
				  activities that a licensed counselor would be expected to perform. Supervision
				  is required on an ongoing basis during the practicum. Examples of acceptable
				  courses include, but are not limited to, Internship - Community Counseling,
				  Internship - Mental Health Counseling, Internship - Art Therapy, Internship -
				  Pastoral Counseling, and Internship - Rehabilitation Counseling.
k) Psychopathology and Maladaptive Behavior:
				  Courses in this area cover general principles of etiology, diagnosis,
				  treatment, prevention, and cultural factors of mental and emotional disorders.
				  Emphasis is placed on mental status assessment and diagnostic categories as
				  organized in the American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and
				  Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(5th ed., test
				  rev.) (or current edition). Examples of acceptable courses include, but are not
				  limited to, Abnormal Psychology, Psychopathology, Diagnosis and Treatment
				  Planning, Mental Health Rehabilitation Counseling.
l) Addictions: Courses in this area provide an
				  overview of assessment and treatment methods available for clients and their
				  family members struggling with substance-related disorders and/or
				  behavioral/process addiction issues. Examples of acceptable courses include,
				  but are not limited to, Substance Abuse Counseling, Psychology of Addiction,
				  Addictions Counseling, Addictive Disorders, and Behavioral/Addictions Process.
				  Psychopharmacology is not considered a course in substance abuse.
m) Family Dynamics: Courses in this area cover
				  family systems theory and its applications, prevention approaches for working
				  with families, and specific problems that impede family function. Examples of
				  acceptable courses include, but are not limited to, Family Therapy, Family
				  Counseling, Family Systems Theory, and Family Dynamics.