National Counselor Examination National Certified

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Transcript National Counselor Examination National Certified

National Counselor Certification
National Counselor Examination
State Licensure
Presentation by Dr. Salene Cowher,
NCE Site Coordinator for EUP
Assisted by Caitlin Lovey, Graduate Assistant
• Why we are doing this presentation
– To help inform those students or those eligible on what
National Counselor Certification, State Licensure, and the
National Counselor Examination are about.
• National Counselor Certification=NCC
• National Counselor Examination=NCE
• Licensed Professional Counselor=LPC
National Counselor Certification
NCC
• What is Certification
– Certification vs. State Licensure (Refer to Handout)
• Benefits
– Helps generate client referrals
– Keeps counselor in touch with current professional issues
– Advances counselor’s professional accountability and visibility
• Who is eligible
– Graduate Students (those about to graduate)
– CACREP Graduates
• Post-graduate expectations waived
– Non-CACREP Graduates
• Completion of 3,000 hours of counseling work experience over 24 months post-master's.
• Completion of 100 hours of counseling supervision over 24 months post-master's. Supervisor
must hold a master's in a mental health field. Supervision is defined as time spent meeting
directly with your counseling supervisor regarding your counseling of your clients.
– Post Graduate Students*
• Reviewed on a case by case basis
(Taken from NBCC.org)
Terminology
• License: Permission granted by a state
government allowing practice of a trade by an
individual meeting professional criteria.
• Certification: A voluntary credential granted by a
private agency or government to denote
professional status.
• Accreditation: Official agency approval of an
academic institution’s degree program. (CACREP)
(Wittmer & Clark, 2007, Pg. 354)
National Counselor Examination
• What the NCE is/used for?
– NCE is used to assess knowledge, skills and abilities that are viewed as
important to provide effective counseling services.
– Passing the NCE is required for National Counselor Certification and
State Licensure. (Note: State requirements/expectations may vary)
• Eligibility/requirements
– Graduate Student Applicant
– CACREP Graduates
– Non-CACREP Graduates (board-eligible)
(Taken from NBCC.org)
National Counselor Examination
• Content areas
– Human growth and development
– Social and cultural foundations
– Helping relationships
– Group work
– Career and lifestyle development
– Appraisal
– Research and program evaluation
– Professional orientation and ethics
National Counselor Examination
• Tests are given in October & April
• Exam format
– 200 multiple-choice questions over a four hour time period
• Special Accommodations
– Testing sites are selected with access for candidates who have physical
disabilities. If special assistance is required, the candidate must
request permission from the NBCC. The request must be made in
writing at the time of application.
(Taken from NBCC.org)
National Counselor Examination
• Scoring
– Of the 200 questions on the exam, only 160 count toward the final
score. The other 40 questions are used for field research to determine
future use.
– The maximum score for the NCE is 160.
• Results
– Results will be mailed within eight weeks of the exam date.
– If your total score meets or exceeds the minimum passing criterion,
then you have passed.
(Taken from NBCC.org)
State Licensure
• Qualifications
– Those who have completed a 60hr master’s program
• 3 years or 3,600 hours of supervised clinical experience
• Those who hold a doctoral degree: 2 years or 2,400 hours of
supervised clinical experience
– Those who have completed less than a 60hr master’s
program, who are employed as a counselor
• Note: Educational specialist candidates with a baccalaureate degree who hold
a current and valid PA license as a counselor and can provide a copy of this
license as part of their application for the related PA Educational Specialist
certification area are not required to take any test to receive the related
certificate.
(Taken from PA Department of State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and
Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors website & ETS.org)
Qualitative Research
• 33 Surveys were sent out to EUP counseling
students who have taken the NCE
– Looking as far back as April 2007
– Questions: How much time did you take to prepare for the
NCE, What study materials did you use to prepare for the
NCE, Did you study alone or with a group/partner, What
sections did you have trouble with, and Why do you think
you had trouble with these sections?
Qualitative Research
• 11 surveys returned
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All female
8 students were community, 2 were school guidance, and 1 was college.
Preparation time range: 25 hours-10 months before exam
Materials used: course material, notes, homemade study guides/flash
cards, Rosenthal’s Encyclopedia of Counseling, Andrew A. Hedwig’s NCE
Study Guide, NBCC study material, Counseling exam prep review, and the
AATBS (Association for the Advanced Training in the Behavioral Sciences)
study program.
– Majority of students studied alone; one studied with a partner, one
studied both alone and in a group, one studied alone but reinforced her
knowledge by teaching material to non-counseling students.
– Areas of Challenge: Career, Theory, Appraisal, Ethics, Group, & Assessment
References
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PA Department of State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists,
and Professional Counselors (Information about PA Licensure)
– http://www.dos.state.pa.us/bpoa/cwp/view.asp?a=1104&q=433177
ETS Praxis 2 website
– http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3
921509/?vgnextoid=9a06f68e3b838110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnex
tchannel=a892f68e3b838110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD
Encyclopedia of Counseling
– http://www.howardrosenthal.com/
Counseling exam prep review
– http://www.counselingexam.com/
Association for the Advanced Training in the Behavioral Sciences Study Program
– http://www.aatbs.com/intro.asp
National Board for Certified Counselors
– NBCC.org