Requirements for the NCC Certification
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NCC Application Requirements Changes
Part of NBCC’s mission is to enhance the professional identity of National Certified Counselors (NCCs). NBCC accomplishes this goal in several ways, including evaluating and modifying degree requirements for the NCC credential. This ensures that certificants have a degree relevant to the current state of the counseling profession. The NBCC Board of Directors recently approved several application requirement changes.
- Completion of an eligible Master’s degree or higher in counseling. This achievement is documented with a sealed, official transcript showing degree conferral.
- 48 semester hours of graduate-level credit with 2 semester hours or greater in 8 content areas listed below and at least 6 semester hours of field experience.
- Human Growth and Development Theories in Counseling
- Social and Cultural Foundations in Counseling
- Helping Relationships in Counseling
- Group Counseling Theories and Processes
- Career Counseling and Lifestyle Development
- Assessment in Counseling
- Research and Program Evaluation
- Professional Orientation to Counseling
- Counseling Field Experience
- Passing score on the National Counselor Exam (NCE).
- Documentation of post-graduate counseling experience and supervision: 3,000 hours with a minimum of 100 hours of counseling supervision--both over a 24-month post-master’s period. Supervisors must hold a master’s degree or higher in a mental health field. (Important Note: The post-master’s experience and supervision requirements are waived for graduate students who have completed CACREP accredited tracks.)