Certification and Licensure Information
Certification
The National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC) is a nonprofit independent organization that establishes and monitors a national counselor certification process. It was created in 1982 through the efforts of the American Counseling Association to promote professional credentialing standards for counselors. NBCC provides a national standard in the counseling profession that can be used as a measure of professionalism. Through its certification programs, counselors certified by NCCC earn the designation National Certified Counselor (NCC). NBCC offers several routes to national certification. Eligibility depends upon a number of factors:
Requirements for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential:
1. A master’s degree in counseling from a regionally accredited university with a minimum of 48 semester or 72 quarter hours with counseling courses in:
- Counseling Theory
- 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
- Internship*
*Two academic terms of supervised field experiences in a counseling setting
2. Two years of post-master’s counseling experience (3,000 hours) with 100 hours of face-to-face supervision by a National Certified Counselor (NCC) or other mental health professional approved by the board. This experience may be obtained within a 3 year time period.
3. Two professional references, one being from a recent supervisor.
4. Pass the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE).
Counselors who meet the NBCC’s standards and obtain certification are required to maintain and renew certification through continuing education.
The National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc., (NBCC) is located at: 3 Terrace Way, Suite D, Greensboro, NC 27403-3660.
North Carolina State Licensure
Different states have different requirements for counseling licensure. The state of North Carolina requires the individual applying for licensure to take and pass the National Counseling Examination as part of the licensure process. (This is the same exam required for NBCC certification.) For information concerning counseling licensure in the state of North Carolina contact the North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors, P.O. Box 1369, Garner, N.C. 27529, Phone: (919) 661-0820. (See School Counseling Licensure on page 23).
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