Wisconsin Administrative Code › Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling, and Social Work Examining Board › Chapter MPSW 14 - Equivalency Of Professional Counselor Academic Programs › Section MPSW 14.01 - Academic program equivalent to a master's degree in professional counseling

Current through June 24, 2024
An academic program is the equivalent of a master's degree in
				professional counseling or rehabilitation counseling from an approved
				institution if the completed program meets the following criteria:
(1) The course work was completed at an
			 institution which was accredited by its regional accrediting association at the
			 time the applicant graduated from the program, and was part of a program of
			 studies leading to a master's degree or doctoral degree in a field closely
			 related to professional counseling or rehabilitation counseling.
(2) All course work reflected on the
			 applicant's official transcript totals at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter
			 hours of academic credit. The course work included successful completion of all
			 of the following:
(a) At least 3 semester
			 hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit in a supervised practicum counseling
			 experience that provides documented proof of a minimum of 100 hours of
			 supervised practicum experience with at least 40 hours of face-to-face client
			 contact. The practicum experience includes evaluation of the student's
			 counseling performance throughout the practicum and one hour per week of
			 individual or triadic supervision throughout the practicum by a program faculty
			 member, an approved student supervisor, or a site supervisor. The practicum
			 experience further includes an average of 1 & frac12; hours per week of
			 group supervision that is provided on a regular schedule throughout the
			 practicum by a program faculty member or a student supervisor.
(b) At least 6 semester hours or 8 quarter
			 hours academic credit in a supervised internship counseling experience that
			 provides documented proof of a minimum of 600 hours of supervised internship
			 experience with at least 240 hours of face-to-face client contact. The
			 internship experience includes evaluation of the student's counseling
			 performance throughout the internship and one hour per week of individual or
			 triadic supervision throughout the internship performed by the onsite or field
			 supervisor. The internship experience further includes an average of 1 1/2
			 hours per week of group supervision that is provided on a regular schedule
			 throughout the internship by a program faculty member or a student
			 supervisor.
(c) At least 3 semester
			 hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit in a counseling theory or counseling
			 approaches course that provides documented evidence that the student has been
			 exposed to a variety of theoretical models that are consistent with current
			 research and practice in the field. Courses covering only a single or specific
			 counseling theory will not be sufficient for meeting this educational
			 criterion.
(d) At least 3 semester
			 hours or 4 quarter hours of academic credit in each of the following topic
			 areas:
1. `Human growth and development.'
			 Studies that provide a broad understanding of the nature and needs of
			 individuals at all developmental levels; normal and abnormal human behavior;
			 personality theory; theories of individual and family development and
			 transitions; theories for facilitating optimal development and wellness across
			 the life span; and learning theory within appropriate cultural contexts.
			 Courses that focus on only one lifespan developmental level will not count in
			 fulfilling this criterion.
2.
			 `Social and cultural foundations.' Studies that provide a broad understanding
			 of societal changes and trends; human roles; societal subgroups, social mores
			 and interaction patterns; counselors' roles in developing cultural
			 self-awareness; promoting cultural social justice, advocacy and conflict
			 resolution, and other culturally supported behaviors that promote optimal
			 wellness and growth of the human spirit, mind, or body; counselors' roles in
			 eliminating biases, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional
			 oppression and discrimination; and differing lifestyles.
3. `Helping relationship.' Studies that
			 provide a broad understanding and practical application of helping processes,
			 basic and advanced helping skills; consultation theories and their
			 applications; client and helper self-understanding and self-development; and
			 facilitation of client or consultee changes. An applicant's official transcript
			 must reflect successful completion of a course addressing counseling process,
			 skills, and intervention techniques.
4. `Group dynamics processing and
			 counseling.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of group development,
			 dynamics, and group counseling theories; group leadership styles; basic and
			 advanced group counseling methods and skills; and other group
			 approaches.
5. `Lifestyle and
			 career development.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of career
			 development theories; occupational and educational information sources and
			 systems; career and leisure counseling, guidance and education; lifestyle and
			 career decision making; career development program planning and resources; and
			 effectiveness evaluation.
6.
			 `Assessment and testing.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of group
			 and individual educational and psychometric theories and approaches to
			 appraisal; data and information gathering methods, validity and reliability;
			 psychometric statistics; factors influencing appraisals; social and cultural
			 factors related to the assessment; and evaluation of individuals, groups and
			 specific populations and use of appraisals to enhance helping
			 processes.
7. `Research and
			 evaluation.' Studies that provide a broad understanding of types of research;
			 basic statistics; research report development; research implementation; program
			 evaluation; needs assessment; publication of research information; and ethical
			 and legal considerations.
8.
			 `Professional counseling orientation.' Studies that provide a broad
			 understanding of professional counselor roles and functions; professional goals
			 and objectives; professional organizations and associations; professional
			 history and trends; ethical and legal standards; professional preparation
			 standards; and professional credentialing. The American Counseling Association
			 (ACA) or the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) must
			 have been the primary professional identity organization discussed and the ACA
			 Code of Ethics or CRCC Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation
			 counselors must have been used as the primary professional conduct guide and
			 prominently identified as such in the orientation course syllabus.
(e) At least 3 semester hours or 4
			 quarter hours in one of the following:
1.
			 `Foundations of clinical mental health counseling.' If the academic program has
			 an emphasis in mental health counseling, coursework addressing the history and
			 development of clinical mental health counseling, theories and models related
			 to clinical mental health counseling, principles of clinical mental health
			 counseling, including prevention, intervention, consultation, education, and
			 advocacy, and networks that promote mental health and wellness.
2. `Foundations of clinical rehabilitation
			 counseling.' If the academic program has an emphasis in rehabilitation
			 counseling, coursework addressing the history and development of rehabilitation
			 counseling, theories and models related to rehabilitation counseling, social
			 science theory that addresses psychosocial aspects of disability, principles of
			 rehabilitation including prevention, intervention, wellness, consultation,
			 education, and advocacy.
(f) At least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter
			 hours in one of the follow:
1. `Clinical
			 mental health counseling diagnosis and treatment planning.' If the academic
			 program has an emphasis in clinical mental health counseling, coursework
			 addressing the diagnostic process, including differential diagnosis and the use
			 of diagnostic classification systems such as the Diagnostic and Statistical
			 Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and/or the International Classification of
			 Diseases (ICD); training on administration of intake interview, mental status
			 evaluation, biopsychosocial history, mental health history, and psychological
			 assessment for treatment planning and caseload management; and techniques and
			 interventions related to a broad range of mental health issues.
2. `Rehabilitation counseling diagnosis and
			 treatment planning.' If the academic program has an emphasis in rehabilitation
			 counseling, coursework addressing diagnostic interviews, mental status
			 examinations, symptom inventories, psychoeducational and personality
			 assessments, biopsychosocial histories, assessments for treatment planning;
			 career and work-related assessments including job-analysis, work site
			 modification, transferrable skills analysis, and job readiness; strategies to
			 advocate for clients with disabilities and rehabilitation counseling.
(g) At least 3 semester hours or 4
			 quarter hours in each of the following:
1.
			 `Crisis and trauma counseling.' Studies that include counseling approaches that
			 effectively address crises and trauma, the impact of trauma and crisis and
			 potential neurobiological responses; skills and techniques for assessing and
			 intervening in specific crisis or trauma situations including suicide
			 assessment and intervention.
2.
			 `Abnormal behavior and psychopathology.' Studies that include concepts of
			 psychopathology and introduces methods of assessment and diagnosis for
			 children, adolescents and adults with major mental disorders; and personality
			 disorders, multiple perspectives of emotional and psychological distress,
			 disturbance and behavior; skills to use the DSM diagnostic system while
			 including acknowledgement of client strengths and resilience and the social and
			 cultural context.
3. `Addictions
			 counseling.' Studies that provide an overview of addiction, the process of
			 addiction, treatment and recovery approaches, relapse prevention, developmental
			 issues related to addiction; treatment and prevention planning in regard to
			 addiction.
4. `Family, partnership,
			 and couples counseling.' Studies that provide information and skills relevant
			 to conducting partner or marital and family counseling services within a
			 multicultural society with emphasis given to systemic theory and philosophy;
			 dynamics of family interaction and the initial skills in assessment and
			 treatment of dysfunctional partner, marital, family and systems or ecosystems
			 relationships.