National Certified Counselor
The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) is a non-profit organization run by professional counselors. It administers a professional certification program for people who hold graduate degrees in the field of counseling.
The primary credential of the NBCC is the National Certified Counselor (NCC). There are currently over 40,000 NCCs in the U.S. and many other countries.
The requirements for obtaining the NCC credential include:
- A graduate degree in counseling (or one with a major study in counseling) from a regionally accredited college or university
- At least 48 semester hours of graduate-level coursework
- At least one course in each of nine (9) specified coursework areas
- At least 3,000 hours of post-Master's counseling experience in an applied setting over a minimum of 24 months
- At least 100 hours of post-Master's direct supervision over a minimum of 24 months with a supervisor who holds an advanced degree in counseling or a closely-related field (social work, psychology, human services or marriage and family therapy)
- A passing score on the associated National Counselor Exam (NCE)