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

Procedures and Requirements

Individuals who already hold a Bachelor’s degree in counseling or a related/ accepted field may elect to complete the requirements for license and qualify for an M.A. in Clinical Christian Counseling.

Complete Phase I

Each candidate must complete the following five courses:

  1. Basic Christian Counseling
  2. Temperament Theory
  3. Testing/Measurements
  4. Temperament Therapy
  5. Christian Counseling: Integrating Temperament and Psychology

Additional Requirements

Each candidate must:

  1. Complete a practicum. This consists of administering the A.P.S. to 10 individuals and (3) hours of clinical supervision under the direction of an assigned and approved clinical supervisor.
  2. Upon completion of the required courses, submit the following:
  3. ​Written responses to 50 ethical questions posed by the N.C.C.A.’s Licensing Board of Examiners.
  • $50.00 for the Phase I administrative fee.
  • A signed Application for Certification/Membership form.
  • A signed copy of N.C.C.A.’s Code of Ethical Standards.
  • A copy of the highest earned degree, diploma, or transcript.
  • Additional required documents; photo, resume, references.

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

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

Complete Phase II

Each candidate must complete the following three courses:

  1. Mastering Pastoral Counseling Utilizing Temperament
  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 individuals and (3) hours of clinical supervision under the direction of an assigned and approved clinical supervisor.

  2. Upon completion of the required courses, submit the following:

  • ​A signed application for N.C.C.A. license.
  • The Notification and Release Form for Personal National Screening authorizing a national background check to verify each candidate’s history.(Candidates with felony convictions do not qualify for licensing with the N.C.C.A.) .
  • Submit current ministerial credentials.*
  • A certification / licensing fee of $100.00.

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

  • Licensed Pastoral Counselor Certificate (high-school diploma, GED or Associates) 
  • Certified Temperament Pastoral Counselor Certificate (Optional) (additional $39 fee applies)

Annual membership and certification/license renewal are required to maintain valid N.C.C.A. credentials. A signed affidavit verifying continuing education must be submitted annually for license renewal.

The tuition for each Phase I and Phase II course is currently $292.00. There is a $5.00 processing fee per course plus S&H cost added to each order. Candidates are expected to pay for each course when it is shipped.

Clinical Supervisors are to be paid $50.00 per hour and every candidate must complete six (6) hours of supervision.

*All candidates are required to have current ministerial credentials in order to be credentialed as a pastoral counselor by the National Christian Counselors Association. If you do not already have valid ministerial credentials, we recommend you speak with your local pastor or church leadership about attaining these credentials through your local church or denomination. 

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 100-page minimum.
  • A letter authorizing N.C.C.A. to transfer the academic records to the approved college.
  • Matriculation and transfer fees of $1,500.00 payable to: N.C.C.A. (A surcharge for payment by credit card may apply)
  • $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 $193.00. 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 shipped. 

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

  • a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor certificate, card and
  • the Appropriate Advanced Certification certificates for selected specialty areas where completed and
  • 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.
    • For example:
      A student that has completed Program 3 and wants to obtain a Doctorate would be required to
      complete an additional 16 advanced courses and submit 35 additional A.P.S. case studies (over and
      above the 25 submitted for the Master’s degree). The transfer fees for a Doctorate are also $1,500.00.
  • Apply Now

Required Units

This unit includes the following units. Note that not all required items for this course are listed. For more information on what is required, use the Description and Course Fees tabs.

Elective Units

This following units are elective. Some, but not all of these units are required to complete this course. For more information, use the Description and Course Fees tabs.

RequiredReq. Amount# SubtotalSub
Enrollment Fee 1 $75 $75
Phase 1 1 $1,985
Basic Christian Counseling 1 $292 $292
Temperament Therapy 1 $292 $292
Testing/Measurements 1 $292 $292
Temperament Therapy 1 $292 $292
Christian Psychology 1 $292 $292
Clinical Supervision 3 $50 $150
A.P.S. Reports 10 $30 $300
Course Processing Fee 5 $5 $25
NCCA First Year Dues 1 $50 $50
Phase 2 1 $3,883
Mastering Pastoral Counseling 1 $292 $292
Temperament Case Studies 1 $292 $292
Counseling the Co-Dependent 1 $292 $292
Clinical Supervision 3 $50 $150
A.P.S. Reports 15 $30 $450
Course Processing Fee 3 $5 $15
License Fee 1 $100 $100
Advanced Courses 4 $193 $772
Course Processing Fee 4 $5 $20
M.A. Matriculation Fee 1 $1,500 $1,500
Total $5,943