NBE OVERVIEW
The purpose of the National Board Examination (NBE) is
to provide official licensing agencies with a national
evaluation of an applicant for licensure in the diverse
areas of competency required for the field of funeral service.
The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining
Boards develops, administers and provides score reporting
services to the state licensure boards.
The NBE is used in 49 states (except California) and the
District of Columbia as an assessment of content knowledge
needed to practice as a licensed Funeral Director or Embalmer.
The exam contains two separate sections, a 170-item Arts
section and a 170-item Sciences section. Each of these
examinations covers the following topics.
| NBE Arts Section |
NBE Sciences Section |
| Sociology/F.S. History -18
items |
Embalming - 42 items |
| Psychology - 21 items |
Restorative Art - 42 items |
| Funeral Directing - 27 items |
Microbiology - 15 items |
| Business Law - 18 items |
Pathology - 24 items |
| Funeral Service Law - 24 items |
Chemistry - 12 items |
| Funeral Service Merchandising
- 18 items |
Anatomy - 15 items |
| Accounting/Computers - 24 items |
20 Pretest Items |
| 20 Pretest Items |
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BASIS FOR NBE CONTENT
An extensive job analysis was performed in 1985, through the use of a survey mailed to over 20,000 practitioners
nationwide. This "task inventory" was used to
determine the significance/importance of various activities
performed by current practitioners. A new task analysis was conducted in 2004, resulting in the current exam content.
Therefore, the National Board Examination possesses substantial
content validity and is highly representative of the content/knowledge
domain that it intends to measure. This content validity
approach (domain sampling and expert review of the questions
by practicing professionals and educators) resulting from
the job analysis conducted by The International Conference
is recommended by the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection
Procedures and the Standards for Educational and Psychological
Testing.
Examination policy is established by the elected Board
of Directors and the National Board Examination Committee
of The Conference. The National Board Examination
is reported on and discussed with the total membership
at each annual convention.
Please contact The Conference at info@theconferenceonline.org or 479.442.7076 for
additional information.
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