Certification-only refers to an alternative method to becoming a certified school counselor without receiving a master's degree in counseling. The option is available only to students who already have a master's degree.

Students who seek a recommendation from Texas A&M-Commerce for professional school counselor certification and who are not seeking a master's degree from this department must complete a professional school counselor deficiency plan. Students should consult an advisor regarding the 43-hour deficiency plan requirements. The Department requires a passing score on the Master's Comprehensive Examination even if the student is seeking certification-only and not completing a degree within the Department. Please check the Masters Degree Program on this website for more information.

To be certified as a professional school counselor, one must apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program at Texas A&M - Commerce Certification Office. Do this after taking one-four counseling courses.

The State Board for Educator Certification also requires a passing score on the TExES (formerly the ExCET) and two years of classroom teaching experience. The school counseling specialty section of the department's Master's Comprehensive Examination for school counseling must be passed before the department will approve a student's application to take the TExES.

Certification-only students must have completed all coursework on the deficiency plan with the possible exceptions of COUN 551, 552, and 595 before the department will approve their application to take the TExES.

Apply for a Deficiency Plan

Professional School Counselor Deficiency Plan (.pdf)

Professional School Counselor Deficiency Plan GUIDE (.pdf)

TExES Preparation Manual (.pdf)

TExES School Counselor Competencies(.pdf)

Probationary Certification (.pdf)