Program 3: Certification, License and M.A. Degree

Mature Christians who have graduated from high school or hold a G.E.D. may elect to complete the requirements for license and qualify for a Bachelors’s Degree in Christian Counseling.

The following requirements listed are for New, 1st time enrolled N.C.C.A. students.  If you are already enrolled as a student, prior approval to the next Program will require approval prior to beginning.

Complete Phase I

Courses

Each candidate must complete the following 5 courses:

  1. Basic Christian Counseling
  2. Temperament Therapy
  3. Testing/Measurements
  4. Temperament Therapy
  5. Christian Counseling Psychology

 

Additional Requirements

Each candidate must:

  1. Complete practicum, administering the APS to 10 individuals, with 3 hrs. clinical supervision.
  2. Upon completion of the required courses, submit the following:
    1. Answers to 50 ethical questions posed by N.C.C.A.’s National Licensing Board of Examiners
    2. Application for Membership and signed N.C.C.A. Code of Ethical Standards.
    3. $50 for first year’s annual dues

​

Upon completion of Phase I requirements, subsequent review, and acceptance, the candidate will qualify to receive:

  1. ​a Certified Temperament Counselor certificate and
  2. a Clinical Member (non-clergy) or Professional Clinical Member (clergy) certificate, membership card, and lapel pin

 

Complete Phase II

Courses

Each candidate must complete the following 3 courses:

  1. Mastering Pastoral Counseling
  2. Temperament Case Studies
  3. Counseling the Codependent


Additional Requirements

Each candidate must:

  1. Complete a practicum. This consists of administering the A.P.S. to 15 additional individuals under the direction of an assigned and approved clinical supervisor. 3 hours of supervision are required.
  2. Upon completion of the required courses and supervision, submit the following:
    1. A signed application for N.C.C.A. Certificate/license.
    2. The Notification and Release for personal National Screening.
    3. A licensing fee of $100.
    4. Ministerial Credentials, send a copy of your credentials.

***All Candidates are required to have current ministerial credentials in order to be credentialed as a pastoral counselor by the N.C.C.A.. These credentials would include ordination, licensing or commissioning. If you do not already have valid ministerial credentials, we recommend that you speak with your local pastor or church leadership about attaining these credentials. If that is not possible please contact us as soon as possible.


Upon completion of Program 1 requirements, subsequent review and accep­tance, the candidate will qualify to receive:

  • Certified Pastoral Counselor (high-school diploma, GED or Associates)
  • Licensed Pastoral Counselor (holds a Bachelors)
  • Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor (holds a Masters)
  • Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor-Advanced Certified (holds a Doctorate)
  • Certified Temperament Pastoral Counselor (Optional) (additional $39 fee applies)
    (Available also if state law prohibits the use of term pastoral license)

Annual membership and certification/license renewal is required to maintain valid N.C.C.A. credentials. Membership is currently $50.00 per year and license renewal is $20.00 per year (total $70.00). A signed affidavit verifying continuing education must be submitted annually for license renewal.

Complete Phase III

Each candidate must select and complete four (4) advanced courses.

​Additional Requirements

Each candidate must:

​Upon completion of the required courses, submit the following:

  1. One copy of a written thesis. This normally consists of 25 individual reports (case studies) developed from the candidate’s work with 25 individuals using the A.P.S. reports. A format is provided in the course titled Temperament Case Studies. The thesis has a typed, 100-page minimum.
  2. A letter authorizing N.C.C.A. to transfer the academic records to the approved college.
  3. Matriculation and transfer fees of $1,500.00 payable to: N.C.C.A. (A surcharge for payment by credit card may apply)
  4. $50.00 made payable to the N.C.C.A. to upgrade the candidate’s designation to the M.A. level of Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor.

​The tuition for each advanced course is currently $293.00. There is a $5.00 processing fee per course plus the actual S&H added to each order. Candidates are expected to pay for each course when it is odered. 

​After successfully completing all of the requirements for Phase III, the candidate will (assuming everything is in order) receive:

  1. ​a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor certificate, card and
  2. the Appropriate Advanced Certification certificates for selected specialty areas where completed and
  3. a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Christian Counseling

note: Additional documentation may be required depending on the school selected.

Important Notice:
These programs are designed for individuals that have not previously enrolled into any N.C.C.A. program. Therefore, please note that if anyone completes a program of study and chooses to enroll into an additional program they would not take the same prerequisite courses from Phase I and II but would need to substitute them with alternative courses selected from the available NCCA advanced course list as well as complete the additional A.P.S. practicum requirements listed.