Professional School Counselor Certification
Texas A&M University-Commerce

State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) Requirements

  •  Successful completion of an approved school counselor preparation program;
  •  Successful completion of required TExES exam (152 School Counselor);
  •  Master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education;
  •  Two school years of classroom teaching experience in a public or accredited private school.

    • Requirements of Certification Office

    All candidates of School Counselor certification must:
  •  Apply to graduate school www.tamuc.edu/gradschool prior to taking coursework.
  • Complete an online application (Professional Certification Program);
  •  Submit confirmation page from online application;
  •  Submit OFFICIAL transcripts showing conferring of bachelor's and master's (if applicable);
  •  Pay $50 application fee;
  •  Submit copy of individual service record documenting at least two years of classroom teaching experience;
  •  Submit letter of recommendation from school administrator.

    • Categories for School Counselor Certification

    I. SEEKING A MASTER'S DEGREE AND SCHOOL COUNSELOR CERTIFICATION

             For candidates who do not hold a master’s degree in any field. Candidates must apply for admission to our master’s degree program with an emphasis in school counseling. The academic requirements for professional school counselor certification are built into the 49 hour master’s degree plan. Candidates must complete all requirements for our master’s degree in school counseling in addition to certification requirements specified by SBEC.

    II. SCHOOL COUNSELOR CERTIFICATION ONLY

             For candidates who hold a master's degree. These candidates are seeking to add School Counselor certification but not a master's degree in counseling. A deficiency plan will be written for these candidates. This plan will start with a checklist of 43 semester hours. The department has specific requirements about transfer courses and age of courses for certification only that are not the same as the requirements for the degree. For more details go to http://www.tamuc.edu/counseling/ and then select "programs".

    Application to the Graduate School

             Both categories of School Counselor's must apply to the graduate school at www.tamuc.edu/gradschool prior to taking coursework.

    I. DEGREE SEEKING

            Choose the application for Master's program and complete all steps.

    II. CERTIFICATION ONLY

            Choose the application for Educator Certification (State k-12) and complete all steps.

    Requirements for Employment

            All candidates must be admitted to the School Counselor program by making application through the Center of Educator Certification and Academic Services. Candidates seeking employment as a School Counselor have the two options listed below.

      I. Emergency Permit (applies to degree seeking and certification only students)

      •  Minimum of 24 graduate hours, including a minimum of 12 in "guidance and counseling";


      •  P-form (shows deficiencies which must be met prior to full professional certification) on file in Certification Office. The  deficiencies specified are on the student's departmental degree plan or deficiency plan;


      •  Have a minimum of three years of classroom teaching experience;


      •  Provide school district with P-form and up-to-date transcript showing completion of the state required hours.
      II. Probationary Certificate (Eligibility determined by Department of Counseling using guidelines below)

      •  Be admitted to the Department of Counseling Master Degree program and have a degree plan on file OR if  "certification seeking" only have a departmental deficiency plan on file;


      •  Have earned at least 24 semester credit hours of graduate courses that must include COUN 501, COUN 510,  COUN 528, COUN 516, COUN 514 and COUN 522;


      •  Have no grade below a "B" in above specified courses; and


      •  Have no grade below a "B" in a course transferred from another university. The Department of Counseling may  approve substitutions of equivalent courses from another university, although no more than two of the six courses  specified above may be approved as transfers.

         EMPLOYMENT AND SUPERVISION:   Individuals seeking a probationary certificate for School Counselor  must provide documentation to the Department of Counseling, signed by the appropriate school district representative,  to confirm:

         a) Employment as a School Counselor in a specified school, and

         b) Assignment of a fully certified professional school counselor who is a full-time employee at the school and who has  at least two years of experience as a fully certified school counselor to provide on-site supervision. This documentation  must include the name, Certificate/TEA ID number and years of experience of the assigned supervisor.

         TEACHING EXPERIENCE: The individual seeking a probationary certificate for School Counselor must have a  minimum of two years of teaching experience documented with the individual's service record on file in the Certification  Office.

    RENEWAL: The emergency permit/probationary certificate for School Counselor may be renewed for an additional year (not to exceed 3 years in combination) with the completion of an additional 6 semester credit hours (fewer, if less than 6 hours remain) of courses from Texas A&M University-Commerce toward the fulfillment of the departmental degree plan or deficiency plan and continued employment. Continued employment must be in a school district (not necessarily the same district each year) in a position requiring such certification. The Department of Counseling will certify the progress of the candidate annually.

    COMPLETION OF REQUIREMENTS: By the end of the third year working on an emergency permit and/or probationary certificate, the individual should have completed all academic requirements for certification, including the Master's Comprehensive Examination. If the academic requirements are not met in 3 years, the student may continue course work to meet requirements but emergency permit/probationary certification may not be extended.

    FILING FOR CERTIFICATION: Once all requirements for certification have been met, you will apply to the State Board of Educator for certification. Please go to http://teachcert.tamuc.edu/teacher and follow the link "file for certification".

    FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Please contact Sam Bore', Assistant Professor in Counseling, Binnion Hall 223, at 903.886.5142 or via email Sam_Bore@tamuc.edu with questions you have regarding the School Counseling program.