{"data":{"id":"us-va/18vac115-50-55","jurisdiction":"us-va","citation":"18VAC115-50-55","heading":"Coursework requirements","body":"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:\n\n1. Marriage and family studies (marital and family development; family systems theory);\n\n2. Marriage and family therapy (systemic therapeutic interventions and application of major theoretical approaches);\n\n3. Human growth and development across the lifespan;\n\n4. Abnormal behaviors;\n\n5. Diagnosis and treatment of addictive behaviors;\n\n6. Multicultural counseling;\n\n7. Professional identity and ethics;\n\n8. Research (research methods; quantitative methods; statistics);\n\n9. Assessment and treatment (appraisal, assessment and diagnostic procedures); and\n\n10. 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.\n\nB. 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).","path":["Title 18. Professional And Occupational Licensing","Agency 115. Board of Counseling","Chapter 50. Regulations Governing the Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy"],"source_url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency115/chapter50/section55/","current_through":"2026 Regular Session (effective July 1, 2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:53:04Z","sha256":"f9aa070a39bd1ade9702ade93fa9c4374cf005c1da4197f2281d883463dec2bc","source_id":"us-va-vac","stale":false,"prev":"us-va/18vac115-50-50","next":"us-va/18vac115-50-60"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}