Merit Badge Center Introduction Page - An introduction to the merit badge area.

• Worksheets to use when working on Merit Badges - An alphabetical list of Merit Badges, with links to the current requirements and worksheets in both word processing (DOCX) and Portable Document (PDF) formats.
• Merit Badge History - a list of all merit badges ever offered by BSA and when they were available

The Merit Badge College is an opportunity to learn from subject matter experts in career or lifelong hobby subjects. We especially seek out experts in areas that may be difficult for you to find. 1.) Pick a Merit Badge You can select up to 4 Merit Badges that you have an interest in taking. The history of merit badges in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has been tracked by categorizing them into a series of merit badge types.In addition to the Boy Scouts of America, many other Scouting and Scouting-like organizations around the world, such as Pathfinders, Baden-Powell Scouts and Royal Rangers, issue merit badges or their equivalent; though they are sometimes called honors. The merit badge counselor is a key player in the Scouts BSA advancement program.

Merit Badge Counselor Information; Registration Resources. Registration Guidebook of the Boy Scouts of America; Eagle Rank. Eagle Scout Rank Application; Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook; National Eagle Scout Association Scholarship Applications; National Eagle Scout Association Membership Application; Spirit of the Eagle Application.

Qualifications for Merit Badge Counselors

The following is taken directly from the 2015 edition of the Guide to Advancement (BSA Publication 33088 - SKU 620573) and should be read by all Merit Badge Counselors.

7.0.1.1 Qualifications of Counselors

People serving as merit badge counselors must maintain registration with the Boy Scouts of America as merit badge counselors and be approved by their local council advancement committee for each of their badges. This includes those working at summer camp or in any other group instruction setting, or providing Web-based opportunities. See “Counselor Approvals and Limitations,” 7.0.1.4. There are no exceptions. For example, Scoutmasters must register as merit badge counselors and be approved for any badge they wish to counsel or sign off in their troop. Before working with Scouts, counselors must have completed Youth Protection training within the last two years. They must be men or women of good character, age 18 or older, and recognized as having the skills and education in the subjects they cover. It is important, too, they have good rapport with Scout-age boys and unit leaders.

It is acceptable for a counselor registered in one council to approve merit badges for Scouts in another. This is an important consideration, especially in areas where counselors are scarce, when Scouts are away from home and want to continue advancing, or when merit badge experiences include Web-based components provided by someone in another council..

Several badges involve activities for which the Boy Scouts of America has implemented strategies to improve safety, enhance the Scouts’ experiences, and manage risk. These activities often require supervision with specialized qualifications and certifications. Merit badge counselors who do not meet the specific requirements may use the services of helpers who do. Additional details can be found below, and also in the Guide to Safe Scouting and the merit badge pamphlets.

General Supervision Requirements

Backpacking Merit Badge Information

• Swimming and watercraft activities must be conducted in accordance with BSA Safe Swim Defense or BSA Safety Afloat, respectively, and be supervised by mature and conscientious adults at least 21 years old and trained in the program applicable. Counselors for merit badges involving swimming or the use of watercraft must be so trained, or use helpers who are.
• All physical activities presented in any Scouting program must be conducted in accordance with “The Sweet Sixteen of BSA Safety.” These 16 points, embodying good judgment and common sense, can be found at www.scouting.org/HealthandSafety/Sweet16.
• CPR instruction, wherever it is required, must be taught by people currently trained as CPR instructors by a nationally certified provider. Several such providers are mentioned in the Guide to Safe Scouting.

The following merit badges have special qualifications or certifications for either the merit badge counselor or the supervisor of certain activities that may be involved. Counselors and advancement administrators should consult the merit badge pamphlets for details and to maintain awareness of changes and updates as pamphlets are revised.(See the footnotes on the individual web pages linked in the list below for the details applicable to that badge)

Archery, Canoeing, Climbing, Kayaking, Lifesaving, Rifle Shooting, Rowing,
Scuba Diving, Shotgun Shooting, Snow Sports, Swimming, Whitewater

All certifications listed above must be current.

The required qualifications above for merit badge counseling and supervision not only assist in managing risk, but also give counselors credibility. Scouts will see them as people of importance they can look up to and learn from. A well-qualified counselor can extend a young person’s attention span: More will be heard and understood, discussions will be more productive, and true interest developed. The conversations can lead to a relationship of mutual respect where the Scout is confident to offer his thoughts and opinions and value those of his merit badge counselor. Thus it is that social skills and self-reliance grow, and examples are set and followed.

In approving counselors, the local council advancement committee has the authority to establish a higher minimum, reasonable level of skills and education for the counselors of a given merit badge than is indicated in “Qualifications of Counselors,” 7.0.1.1. For example, NRA certification could be established as a council standard for approving counselors for the Rifle Shooting or Shotgun Shooting merit badges.

Note: Although not mentions in the Guide to Advancement, the certifications listed all have limited durations and must be periodically renewed. The BSA 'Training Times' Newsletter (Spring 2011 issue) had this information:

Personal Fitness Merit Badge Information Book

Training Recertification

Keeping Scouts safe and keeping Scouting leaders up to date with current information and methods means some of the BSA's training courses need to be retaken every couple of years.

We all know about Youth Protection training and National Camping School, but there are some others - including some that have recently been added to the list.

Below is a list of these courses and how often they should be retaken to be valid:

Free Merit Badge Class

• Youth Protection - every two years
• National Camping School - good for five camping seasons
• Safe Swim Defense - every two years
• Paddle Craft Safety - every three years
• Aquatics Supervision/Swimming and Water Rescue - every three years
• BSA Lifeguard - every three years
• Visitation training - every two years
• Climbing Lead Instructor - every two years
• Climbing Instructor - every two years
• COPE/Climbing Inspector - every two years
• Safety Afloat - every two years
• Chain Saw Safety - every two years
• Trainer's EDGE - every three years
• Hazardous Weather - every two years
• Physical Wellness - every two years
• Climb On Safely - every two years
• Trek Safely - every two years

Revisions to Merit Badges and Boy Scout Advancements

• 2010 Advancement Changes (April)
• 2010 Advancement Changes (January)

Additional Information on Merit Badges, with lists of resources for study is available at the Meritbadge.org website, which, is not directly affiliated with the USSSP, but whose operators work closely with the USSSP. The worksheets on both meritbadge.org and usscouts.org are prepared by the same Scouters and are identical.

Required for Eagle

The following 17 badges are on the list of badges in requirement 3 for Eagle Scout.

A Scout must earn 13 of them for the rank of Eagle Scout (and 8 others, of course). Therefore, certain of them are options for others. A Scout may choose any combination of these 17 merit badges to fulfill requirement number 3 for Star and Life Scout. (He must have a minimum of 4 of these badges for Star and a minimum of 7 of these badges for Life) Click here to see which badges in the list are options. On July 15, 2013, the new Sustainability merit badge became 16th badge on this list as an alternative to Environmental Science, On January 1, 2014, Cooking merit badge was added as a 13th required badge for Eagle, and 17th badge on the list.

Boy Scout Merit Badge Information

The following is a list of all of the 137 current Merit Badges, arranged into 14 logical fields of activity (categories) as they appear in the BSA Pamphlet 'Worksheet for Building a Merit Badge Counselor List' (No. 04439) (with new badges added in appropriate locations).

1. AGRIBUSINESS
   ANIMAL SCIENCE, FARM MECHANICS, PLANT SCIENCE
   
2. ARTS AND CRAFTS
   ART, BASKETRY, BUGLING, LEATHERWORK, METALWORK, MUSIC, POTTERY, SCULPTURE, THEATER, WOOD CARVING
   
3. BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
   AMERICAN BUSINESS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PULP AND PAPER, SALESMANSHIP, TEXTILE
   
4. CONSERVATION
   ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, FORESTRY, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABILITY
   
5. HOBBIES
   BACKPACKING, CAMPING, CHESS, COIN COLLECTING, COLLECTIONS, COOKING, DOG CARE, GARDENING, HIKING, HOME REPAIRS, INDIAN LORE, MODEL DESIGN AND BUILDING, PETS, PIONEERING, RADIO, ROWING, SCOUTING HERITAGE, STAMP COLLECTING
   
6. NATURAL SCIENCE
   ARCHAEOLOGY, ASTRONOMY, BIRD STUDY, GEOLOGY, INSECT STUDY, MAMMAL STUDY, NATURE, OCEANOGRAPHY, REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN STUDY, WEATHER
   
7. COMMUNICATIONS
   MOVIEMAKING, JOURNALISM, PHOTOGRAPHY, SIGNS, SIGNALS, AND CODES
   
8. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
   AMERICAN CULTURES, AMERICAN HERITAGE, CITIZENSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY, CITIZENSHIP IN THE NATION, CITIZENSHIP IN THE WORLD, COMMUNICATION, DISABILITIES AWARENESS, EXPLORATION, FAMILY LIFE, GENEALOGY, PERSONAL FITNESS, PERSONAL MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC SPEAKING, READING, SCHOLARSHIP, SEARCH AND RESCUE, TRAFFIC SAFETY, WILDERNESS SURVIVAL
   
9. PHYSICAL SCIENCE
   CHEMISTRY, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, ELECTRICITY, ELECTRONICS, ENERGY, NUCLEAR SCIENCE, SPACE EXPLORATION
   
10. PROFESSIONS
    ANIMATION, ARCHITECTURE, DENTISTRY, ENGINEERING, GAME DESIGN, INVENTING, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, LAW, MEDICINE, MINING IN SOCIETY, PROGRAMMING, ROBOTICS, SURVEYING, VETERINARY MEDICINE
    
11. PUBLIC SERVICE
    CRIME PREVENTION, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, FINGERPRINTING, FIRE SAFETY, FIRST AID, LIFESAVING, PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY
    
12. SPORTS
    ARCHERY, ATHLETICS, CANOEING, CLIMBING, CYCLING, FISHING, FLY FISHING,GOLF, GEOCACHING, HORSEMANSHIP, KAYAKING, MOTORBOATING, ORIENTEERING, RIFLE SHOOTING, SCUBA DIVING, SHOTGUN SHOOTING, SKATING, SMALL-BOAT SAILING, SNOW SPORTS, SPORTS, SWIMMING, WATER SPORTS, WHITEWATER
    
13. TRADES
    AMERICAN LABOR, AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE, COMPOSITE MATERIALS, DRAFTING, GRAPHIC ARTS, PAINTING, PLUMBING, WELDING, WOODWORK
    
14. TRANSPORTATION
    AVIATION, RAILROADING, TRUCK TRANSPORTATION

List Of Merit Badges

Page updated on: December 25, 2020 11:56 PM