Am I Qualified to be an Illinois Licensed Counselor?

1
Am I Qualified to be an Illinois Licensed
Counselor?
Click Here to begin
2
Click on the highest degree you have earned?

• Bachelors Masters Doctoral

3
Your highest degree is a Bachelors

• You are not qualified academically to be a
  licensed counselor in the state of Illinois.
• Work experience cannot be substituted for a
  degree. The minimum degree requirement is a
  masters degree. For a list of Illinois schools
  offering a degree towards licensure go to
  
• http//www.imhca.org/educ.html

4
You have a Masters or Doctoral Level Degree

• Is it a Master's degrees from a college,
  university or school recognized by the
  educational governing authority in the
  jurisdiction in which it is located.  Doctoral
  degrees shall be accredited by an accrediting
  agency recognized by the U.S. Department of
  Education ?
• Yes No

5
You do not have a clinical masters or higher
degree.

• You are not qualified academically to be a
  licensed counselor in the state of Illinois.
• To academically qualify you must earn a 48
  semester hour clinical degree. Go to
  http//www.imhca.org/educ.html
• for Illinois schools that offer programs
  leading to licensure.

6
Is your degree from a CACREP or CORE accredited
program?

• Yes No I Dont Know

7
Is your degree at least 48 semester hours or
equivalent and completed in no less than 2
academic years?

• Yes No

8
CACREP and CORE

• CACREP and CORE Accreditation define quality
  assurance for counselor preparation programs. To
  find out if your program was CACREP or CORE
  accredited during your program visit
• CACREP CORE
• Return to Question

9
You graduated from a CACREP or CORE accredited
program

• You meet the academic requirement to become a
  licensed counselor in the state of Illinois
• Next step is meeting the Experience Requirement.
  Click Here

10
Your degree was less than 48 semester hours or
equivalent

• You are not qualified academically to be a
  licensed counselor in the state of Illinois.
• To academically qualify you must earn a 48
  semester hour clinical degree. Click Here for
  schools that offer programs.
• You can not take additional classes post masters
  degree completion to obtain the 48 hours
  required. Changes to the licensure rules became
  effective 1/1/08. See section g (4). There are
  no exceptions or grandfathering. You may elect
  to obtain a different masters degree or a
  doctoral degree.

11
Did your degree have at least ONE year residency
defined as 24 semester hours of coursework taken
in person?

• Yes
• No (My degree was earned completely online)
• I Dont Know

12
Defining Residency

• Residence requires interaction with faculty and
  other matriculated students. One year is defined
  as 24 semester hours taken on a full or part-time
  basis at the institution accumulated within the
  time frame and course of study of the program
• Click here to see Rules

13
Online Degrees

• You are currently not qualified. Online degrees
  must have a one year residency in order to be
  accepted by IDFPR and the licensure board.

14
Did you complete 3 semester hours (or equivalent)
in the 13 specific classes listedCourse
Description ListA. Human Growth and
DevelopmentB. Counseling TheoryC. Counseling
TechniquesD. Group Dynamics, Processing and
CounselingE. Appraisal of IndividualsF.
Research and EvaluationG. Professional, Legal
and Ethical Responsibilities relating to
professional counseling, especially as
related to Illinois lawH. Social and Cultural
FoundationsI. Lifestyle and Career
DevelopmentJ. Practicum/InternshipK.
Psychopathology and Maladaptive BehaviorL.
Substance AbuseM. Family DynamicsIf you have
not taken the appropriate classes pre-graduation
but have the appropriate minimum 48 hour degree
you can take the additional classes at any
graduate level program. List of Illinois Schools

• Yes No I Dont Know

15
You indicated you have completed the 13 core
courses required for licensure

• You are academically qualified.
• Click here to determine what license you qualify
  for based on your experience

16
You indicated you have not completed the 13 core
courses required for licensure

• Currently you are not academically qualified but
  can make up coursework. The coursework must be at
  the graduate level.
• Visit www.imhca.org for a list of programs under
  counselor training.

17
13 Core Courses

• A complete list of the 13 Course Descriptions can
  be found Online.
• Click Here to review a listing of them.
• Return to Question

18
Experience Requirements

• What is the degree level you earned?
• Masters
• Post Masters working on Doctorate
• Doctorate

19
Masters Post Masters

• Have you completed the equivalent two years of
  full-time satisfactory, supervised experience
  working as a counselor in a professional capacity
  under the direction of a qualified supervisor
  subsequent to the degree earned?
• Yes No I dont know

20
Doctorate

• Have you completed the equivalent two years of
  full-time satisfactory, supervised experience
  working as a counselor in a professional capacity
  under the direction of a qualified supervisor
  subsequent to the first degree earned?
• (Internships during your doctoral degree only may
  count towards professional experience)
• Yes No I dont know

21
LCPC

• You are qualified to apply to become a Licensed
  Clinical Professional Counselor.
• Click here to complete the written application
  required to be an LCPC.

22
LPC

• You are qualified to apply to become a Licensed
  Professional Counselor.
• Click Here to complete the written application
  required to become an LPC.

23
Definitions

• Click on the term you are unsure about
• Two Years Experience
• Qualified Supervisor
• Type of Work
• Return to Question

24
Two Years Experience

• Two years of experience shall be a minimum of
  3,360 clock hours obtained in no less than 104
  weeks including 1,920 clock hours of direct
  face-to-face service to clients. Part-time
  experience shall be counted toward the
  experience.
• See rules for complete wording under Section D
  Click Here
• Return to Definitions

25
Qualified Supervisor

• A qualified supervisor means any person who is a
  licensed clinical professional counselor,
  licensed clinical social worker, licensed
  clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist as defined
  in Section 1-121 of the Mental Developmental
  Disabilities Code.
• If supervision took place outside Illinois, the
  supervisor shall be a master's level or doctoral
  level counselor engaged in clinical professional
  counseling.  The supervisor shall hold a license
  if the jurisdiction in which the supervisor
  practices requires licensure.
• See rules for complete wording under Section C
  Click Here
• Return to Definitions

26
Type of Work

• Any work as a counselor in a professional
  capacity. Can be full-time, part-time, volunteer,
  etc. Can be accumulated over several years as
  long as it is done in no less than two years (104
  weeks).
• See rules for complete wording
• Return to Definitions