If you are applying for counselor licensure in Texas, the standard core of the TAMUK MA Counseling Psychology Program will meet the requirements for eligibility. Other states may have different requirements, so you will want to explore that possibility fairly early in your program if you plan to practice elsewhere.

Provided below are the addresses for licensure/certification information in Texas. The addresses for other states can be found at the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors:  https://www.bhec.texas.gov/texas-state-board-of-examiners-of-professional-counselors/index.html 

Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council
1801 Congress Ave, Suite 7.300
Austin, Texas 78701
Main Line (512) 305-7700
Website: https://www.bhec.texas.gov/texas-state-board-of-examiners-of-professional-counselors/index.html

Membership in a state counseling association is also a good networking strategy, for example, the Texas Counseling Association and the Texas Psychological Association. 

TEXAS COUNSELING ASSOCIATION
1210 San Antonio, Suite 200
Austin, Texas 78701
Phone: (512) 472-3403 or (800) 580-8144
Fax: (512) 472-3756

TEXAS PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

3305 Steck Avenue, Suite 200
Austin, Texas 78757
Ph: 512-528-8400
Fx: (888) 511-1305

Satisfactory performance on the National Counselor Examination (NCE®) is one of the criteria used by NBCC to identify professionals who may be eligible to become a National Certified Counselor (NCC).

Many states also use the NCE for state credentialing. Click here for a list of state board contact information.

The purpose of the NCE is to assess knowledge, skills, and abilities viewed as important for providing effective counseling services. The NCE is designed to be general in nature. It is intended to assess cognitive knowledge which should be known by all counselors regardless of their individual professional specialties.

Content Areas & Work Behaviors

Although different questions are used for each administration of the examination, the following eight content areas are always covered [note: these are the same eight areas listed for the CPCE on the previous page of this Handbook]:

• Human Growth and Development
• Social and Cultural Foundations
• Helping Relationships
• Group Work
• Career and Lifestyle Development
• Appraisal
• Research and Program Evaluation
• Professional Orientation & Ethics

In addition, the NCE is based on the following five work behaviors:

• Fundamentals of Counseling
• Assessment and Career Counseling
• Group Counseling
• Programmatic and Clinical Intervention
• Professional Practice Issues

Examination Format

• The NCE is comprised of 200 multiple choice questions and is scheduled for a four-hour period.
• A different edition of the NCE is compiled for each administration of the exam. Each form’s questions are drawn from the NCE item pool which has undergone extensive review and field The entire item pool, each form of the NCE and the answer sheet are copyrighted. Consequently, any distribution of the examination content or materials through any form of reproduction or oral or written communication is strictly prohibited. Disclosure of examination content is a violation of the NBCC Code of Ethics.

Special Accommodations

• Examination administration sites are selected with access for candidates with physical If you require special assistance from other individuals, such as readers or recorders, you must request permission from NBCC for the admittance of an assisting individual at the examination site. This request must be made in writing at the time of application.
• Four hours are scheduled for the NCE. If additional time is necessary because of special needs or because English is a candidate’s second language, you may request a time extension. This request must be submitted in writing with your application.

Scoring Procedures

• Of the 200 items on the examination, only 160 items are scored to determine whether you meet or surpass the minimum criterion (passing) score for that form of the
• The MAXIMUM possible score on the NCE is
• The remaining 40 items on the exam are being field tested to determine their appropriateness for future
• Since the 160 items to be scored are not identified in the exam booklet, you should respond with equal effort to all
• The minimum criterion (passing) score is derived from a modified Angoff
• The NCE is not scored on a "curve," therefore the candidate pool does not determine the passing

Examination Results

• NBCC will mail examination results to examinees within eight weeks of the date of the No scores are released by telephone.
• NBCC’s score report contains: (1) your number of correct responses for 13 domains on the NCE and your TOTAL SCORE, which is the sum of the correct responses; (2) the group mean and standard deviation for each domain and the total exam; (3) the minimum criterion (passing) score for that form of the
• If your TOTAL SCORE meets or exceeds the minimum criterion score, you have passed the NCE. Score reports are mailed only to the examinee at the address provided on the NCC application or Exam Registration
• It is your responsibility to send written notification to NBCC if there is a change of address.
• Your specific examination scores will not be released to a third party without your written permission. Scores cannot be released until all requirements, including fees, are There is a fee charged for sending score verifications to third parties.

NCE Preparation Guide Order Form