(1) Applicants for a Montana single-state professional counseling license must have a degree that is primarily counseling in nature from:

(a) a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited program that is at least 60 semester credits; or

(b) an accredited institution and a program that is at least 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits and includes the CACREP core competencies, and CACREP professional practice standards for fieldwork and academic quality.

(2) In addition to the degree requirements in (1): 

(a) the degree can only have a maximum of 12 post-baccalaureate graduate semester (18 quarter) credits or up to 20 semester (30 quarter) credits of a completed graduate counseling degree transferred from other institutions or programs; and

(b) credits earned during the degree program that were obtained more than six years prior to the date of graduation do not count toward the education requirements in this rule and 37-23-202(1) or (2), MCA.

(3)  Applicants for licensure through the Interstate Counseling Compact with Montana as home state must meet licensure requirements per 37-23-104, MCA.