(a) To obtain certification as a Nurse Practitioner, an applicant must hold a valid and active license as a registered nurse in California and possess a master's degree in nursing, a master's degree in a clinical field related to nursing, or a graduate degree in nursing and one of the following:

(b) A nurse who has not completed an academically affiliated nurse practitioner education program shall provide evidence of having completed equivalent education and supervised clinical practice, as set forth in this article.

(c) Graduates who have completed a nurse practitioner education program in a foreign country shall meet the requirements as set forth in this article. The applicant shall submit the required credential evaluation through a board-approved evaluation service evidencing education equivalent to a master's or doctoral degree in Nursing.