Advanced Level
After successfully passing the Apprentice Beekeeper exam, the next step in the Texas Master Beekeeping Program is the Advanced Beekeeper level.
The Advanced Beekeeper level of the Texas Master Beekeeping Program is designed to help beekeepers deepen their expertise and expand their practical skills. Building on the foundation set in the Apprentice level, the Advanced level requires participants to complete specialized training modules, covering critical areas such as honey bee plants, native pollinators, pollination, and pesticides.
Advanced Requirements
To achieve the Advanced beekeeper distinction, you must have held the Apprentice Beekeeper rank for at least one year and you must take the 10-Week Advanced Level Course. In addition, participants must pass both in-person written and practical advanced level exams.
Public service is also key. You must complete and document 30 public service hours, which involve anything from giving presentations to helping with local beekeeping groups. Although you are encouraged to complete more than 30 hours, any extra hours you earn cannot be carried over to use for public service hours in the higher levels in the program. These public service hours help contribute to the broader beekeeping community while reinforcing your knowledge and skills. Check upcoming events page to find testing dates or reach out to us at tmbp@ag.tamu.edu for more information.
Upon completion, candidates will receive a certificate, name tag, and Advanced level rocker patch.
1. Register to take the 10-Week Advanced Level Course ($75)
Candidates must take the Advanced Level 10-Week Course in order to test for the Advanced Level in-person exam in the Texas Master Beekeeping Program. This course properly prepares candidates to take the exam and the cost of the exam is included in the cost of the course. Click here to register for the 10-Week Advanced Level Course
2. Texas Apiary Inspection Service – Beekeeper Registration (Optional/Recommended)
We highly recommend candidates have a current Beekeeper Registration on-file with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service OR be a registered beekeeper in their home state. Click here to register as a Texas beekeeper.
3. One Year as an Apprentice
Candidates must have held the Apprentice Beekeeper rank at least one year.
4. Thirty Public Service Hours
Candidates must perform and document completion of thirty (30) public service hours on New TMBP Public Service Hour portal (launching ~February 2026) . A candidate can, and is encouraged to, complete and submit more than 30 public service hours prior to taking the Advanced Beekeeper examinations but the “extra” hours cannot be used toward satisfying hour requirements in higher program levels. Grandfathered participants can contact us at tmbp@ag.tamu.edu on a case by case basis if you wish to test using the previous rules (Public Service Credits).
More information will be provided soon on tracking public service hours.
5. Recommended Reading List
We highly recommend The Biology of the Honey Bee – Mark Winston (1991). In addition, the Increase Essentials-Lawrence John Connor (2006) is another great resource. The Texas Master Beekeeper Handbook chapters are currently available in digital format as part of the 10-week courses, sometime in 2026 we will have hardcopies of the entire handbook available for purchase. This is the primary resource for the program; other books on the recommended reading list are not required to be successful in the program, but just expand on the knowledge that you will learn as part of this program.
We also recommend subscribing to these periodicals: Texas Beekeepers Association Journal, American Bee Journal, and Bee Culture.
6. In-Person Written and Practical Exam (Free with Advanced 10-Week Course)
Written Exam – Candidates must score a 70% or higher on a written examination. The written test questions are from the 10-Week Advanced Level Course materials: to include virtual class slides and lectures, Texas Master Beekeeper Handbook reading materials, and study guides.
Practical Exam – Candidates must score 70% or higher on a practical examination. The practical exam can include, but is not limited to: identification of pests, pathogens, and diseases through provided photographs; identification of standard & specialized hive equipment; identifying native bees & wasps, their diet, and preferred nesting location; reading and interpreting a pesticide label and knowing how to properly apply it in a honey bee colony; identifying parts and regions of the honey bee on a diagram; identifying and labeling the parts of the flower; as well as, given a colony treatment, identifying the pest or disease the product is used to treat, as well as its mode of delivery (strip, gel, aerosol, syrup, etc.), and treatment duration.
