(a) The board shall issue a license to practice marital and family therapy to a person who

(1) applies on a form provided by the board;

(2) pays the fee established under AS 08.01.065;

(3) furnishes evidence satisfactory to the board that the person

(A) has not engaged in conduct that is a ground for imposing disciplinary sanctions under AS 08.63.210;

(B) holds a master's degree or doctorate in marital and family therapy or allied mental health field from a regionally accredited educational institution approved by the board for which the person completed a course of study that included instruction substantially equivalent to the following:

(i) three courses or nine semester or 12 quarter hours of course work in marital and family therapy;

(ii) three courses or nine semester or 12 quarter hours of course work in marital and family studies;

(iii) three courses or nine semester or 12 quarter hours of course work in human development;

(iv) one course or three semester or four quarter hours of course work in professional studies or professional ethics and law;

(v) one course or three semester or four quarter hours of course work in research; and

(vi) one year of supervised clinical practice in marital and family therapy;

(C) after receiving a degree described in (B) of this paragraph, has practiced supervised marital and family therapy, including 1,700 hours of clinical contact with couples, individuals, and families; the 1,700 hours of clinical contact must include at least 100 hours of individual supervision and 100 hours of group supervision approved by the board; the 100 hours of individual supervision and 100 hours of group supervision may be conducted by one or more supervisors;

(D) has received training related to domestic violence; and

(E) has passed a written or oral examination administered by the board.

(b) Under regulations adopted by the board, a person who holds a master's or doctorate degree in marital and family therapy or allied mental health field from a regionally accredited educational institution approved by the board, but whose course of degree study did not include all the courses or clinical practice requirements set out in (a)(3)(B) of this section may substitute post-degree courses or practice, as approved by the board, to satisfy the requirements of (a)(3)(B) of this section.

(c) An applicant who fails an examination given under this section may not retake the examination for a period of six months from the date of the examination that the applicant failed.

(d) A license issued under this section shall be renewed biennially by the applicant on a date set by the department and approved by the board. It shall be renewed by payment of the fee established under AS 08.01.065 and by satisfaction of the continuing education requirements established by the board for the renewal of licenses issued under this section.