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American Business	American Cultures	American Heritage	American Labor
Animal Science	Archaeology	Archery	Architecture
Art	Astronomy	Athletics	Atomic Energy
Auto Mechanics	Aviation	Backpacking	Basketry
Bird Study	Bugling	Camping	Canoeing
Chemistry	Cinematography	Citizenship in the Community	Citizenship in the Nation
Citizenship in the World	Climbing	Coin Collecting	Collections
Communications	Composite Materials	Computers	Cooking
Crime Prevention	Cycling	Dentistry	Disabilities Awareness
Dog Care	Drafting	Electricity	Electronics
Emergency Preparedness	Energy	Engineering	Entrepreneurship
Environmental Science	Family Life	Farm Mechanics	Fingerprinting
Fire Safety	First Aid	Fish and Wildlife Management	Fishing
Fly Fishing	Forestry	Gardening	Genealogy
Geology	Golf	Graphic Arts	Hiking
Home Repairs	Horsemanship	Indian Lore	Insect Study
Journalism	Landscape Architecture	Law	Leatherwork
Lifesaving	Mammal Study	Medicine	Metalwork
Model Design and Building	Motorboating	Music	Nature
Nuclear Science	Oceanography	Orienteering	Painting
Personal Fitness	Personal Management	Pets	Photography
Pioneering	Plant Science	Plumbing	Pottery
Public Health	Public Speaking	Pulp and Paper	Radio
Railroading	Reading	Reptile and Amphibian Study	Rifle Shooting
Rowing	Safety	Salesmanship	Scholarship
Sculpture	Shotgun Shooting	Skating	Small-Boat Sailing
Snow Sports	Soil and Water Conservation	Space Exploration	Sports
Stamp Collecting	Surveying	Swimming	Textile
Theater	Traffic Safety	Truck Transportation	Veterinary Medicine
Water Sports	Weather	Whitewater	Wilderness Survival
Wood Carving	Woodworking

 

The BSA merit badge program includes 120 different areas of knowledge and skills. As soon as a scout joins a troop, he can start earning merit badges. The only limitations are his ambition and availability of adult merit badge counselors.

BSA Merit Badge Pamphlets

: Each BSA merit badge has an official pamphlet which contains requirements, introductory information and supplemental references. Scouts can purchase pamphlets from a scout shop or find them in their troop library. Pamphlets are updated every few years, so be sure to get the most recent copy.

Merit Badge Counselors

: Volunteers are selected, trained, and approved by council or district committees to teach scouts about specific merit badges. They are knowledgeable in the topic and understand the goals of scouting and the merit badge program.

Process

: When a scout decides to earn a badge, he first obtains approval to begin from his Scoutmaster. The Scoutmaster provides the scout with names of appropriate BSA merit badge counselors. The scout finds a scout buddy to be his partner for meetings with the counselor to follow safe scouting guidelines. He then contacts the counselor to start working on the badge. The counselor reviews the requirements with the scouts and they decide on projects and a schedule. Expertise, advice, and guidance as needed is offered by the counselor to the scouts. The counselor certifies their completion and the merit badge is presented at a troop meeting.

Required Merit Badges

: A scout can start earning merit badges as soon as he joins a troop, but merit badges are not required for advancement until Star rank. Star, Life, and Eagle ranks are reached by performing leadership, service, and completing merit badge requirements. Eagle rank requires completion of at least 21 merit badges.

More Boy Scout Information to Use:
  Merit Badges - requirements and aids
  Boy Scout Activities - great scout activity ideas
  Boy Scout Awards - see what awards are available to Boy Scouts
  Boy Scout Ceremonies - a few ceremony ideas
  Boy Scout Games - patrol or troop games
  Boy Scout Graces - fun meal graces
  Boy Scout Jokes - funny, gross, and silly jokes for scouts
  Boy Scout Projects - community projects for Boy Scout patrols or troops
  Boy Scout Recipes - tasty food recipes for scout camping
  Boy Scout Skits - skits that Boy Scouts like to do
  Boy Scout Songs - songs for scouts
  Boy Scout Stories - stories that Boy Scouts will enjoy and understand
  Boy Scout Uniform - make sure you put all those badges and patches in the right spots
  Boy Scout Tests - online tests for Boy Scouts to test their knowledge
  Boy Scout Schedule - sample schedule to reach First Class rank in 12-18 months
  Boy Scout Monthly Themes