(a) An applicant for the licensure examination must have completed or be enrolled in a council-approved marriage and family therapy graduate internship.     
      (b) An applicant for LMFT Associate or LMFT must have a master's or doctorate degree in marriage and family therapy or a master's or doctorate degree in a related mental health field with course work and training determined by the council to be substantially equivalent to a graduate degree in marriage and family therapy from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or an institution of higher education approved by the council with (the earliest class reported on one of an applicant's official transcripts denotes the start of a program):      
        (1) at least 45 semester hours for an applicant who started a program before August 1, 2017; or       
        (2) at least 60 semester hours for an applicant who started a program on or after August 1, 2017.       
      (c) A degree or course work in a related mental health field must have been a planned course of study designed to train a person to provide direct services to assist individuals, families or couples in a therapeutic relationship in the resolution of cognitive, affective, behavioral or relational dysfunctions within the context of marriage or family systems.     
      (d) Examples of degrees in a related mental health field may include counseling, psychology, social work, or family studies with an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy. Degrees in fields other than those listed may be reviewed for eligibility toward course equivalency in accordance with council rules, 22 Texas Administrative Code, §882.1 (relating to Application Process).     
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §801.113 adopted to be effective October 5, 2020, 45 TexReg 7028