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Neurofeedback Entry LevelNEUROFEEDBACK PROFESSIONAL ENTRY LEVEL CERTIFICATION Please be sure to read this information carefully and consider the expense of each item and exactly how you will be able to document completion. This will assure you that you have accurately evaluated all costs and time commitments. This certification is open to professionals who can document a minimum of a BA/BS degree in a BCIA-approved health care field completed at a regionally accredited academic institution (an Accredited Institution of Post-secondary Education as determined by the American Council on Education). **All International applicants for BCIA certification programs, outside of the US and Canada, must carry a valid government-issued license/credential that regulates clinical health care practice. For additional information, please see our International Welcome tab.** BCIA-approved health care fields include psychology, medicine, nursing (including two-year registered nurses with license, not LVNs or LPNs), physical therapy, occupational therapy, social work, counseling, marriage family therapy, rehabilitation, chiropractic, recreational therapy, physician's assistant (with certification or license), exercise physiology, speech pathology, and sports medicine. The following fields require a master’s degree: music therapy and counseling education (MEd in counseling). Neuroscience degrees are not approved for entry-level certification, only technician level. When using neurofeedback to treat a medical or psychological disorder, you are required to hold a current license/credential issued by the state in which you practice in a BCIA-approved health care field. Without this license/credential, you must agree to work under the legal supervision of an appropriately credentialed health care professional when working with a medical or psychological disorder. This supervisor should have training and experience with neurofeedback and clinical experience with the populations and disorders being treated. This does not apply to those who work only in peak/optimal performance. For further clarification, please read this document. This brochure will provide a quick review of the certification program or for more detail, scroll down. If you do not have a health care degree that fits the stated requirements, you may wish to consider the Technician Level Certification which requires that you are currently working under the legal supervision of a licensed and BCIA Certified provider. Candidates must demonstrate the completion of these three requirements and the written exam. Should you believe you have completed a requirement in a legitimate way different than described, you may request a Special Review to look for equivalency. (Neuroscience degrees will not be reviewed.) 1. Neuroanatomy/Neurophysiology/Physiological Psychology A comprehensive course in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, physiological psychology, or course(s) that provide a sound basis for the brain and how it functions, taken from a regionally accredited academic institution or a BCIA-approved provider within the last 15 years is required. **Note: While a review of neuroanatomy is included in the didactic education requirement below, a separate university course is required. 2. Didactic Education – to learn the science, history, and theory of neurofeedback A 36-hour didactic education program specifically covering all topics as listed in the BCIA Blueprint of Knowledge taken from a BCIA Accredited Didactic Training Programs. Didactic training course must have been completed since 2015. If completed prior to 2015, additional documentation of practice in Neurofeedback will need to be submitted and approved. 3. Mentoring - Practical Skills Training Mentoring can begin when the candidate can demonstrate some basic competence with equipment and is only the time spent reviewing the actual work as outlined by BCIA. Primarily working on equipment issues or technical support is not mentoring and should not be included. BCIA does not stipulate when this mentoring can begin and in fact one may have completed the process prior to applying for certification. Remember - if you are unlicensed and have no equipment, it may be that you are requesting an internship which is very different than merely learning the application of practical skills inside your own workplace environment. You are required to spend 25 contact hours (2 must be face to face) with a BCIA-approved mentor to learn to apply the clinical neurofeedback skills through the review of:
The Essential Skills List, as found in the Neurofeedback Mentoring Handbook, is to be used as a way to test your knowledge. This document must be completed and submitted to BCIA by your mentor. 4. Filing an Application Candidates must file an application and pay all fees prior to considering the exam. The signature indicates your agreement to abide by the BCIA Professional Standards and Ethical Principles for Biofeedback and follow the appropriate rules and regulations of your profession and state/region. Fees include:
All fees are non-refundable and must be in US funds and paid by check, money order, or credit card. 5. Certification Exam **YOU MUST HAVE A VALID APPLICATION ON FILE BEFORE REGISTERING FOR THE EXAM!** The certification exam may only be taken using our online proctoring service which allows you to test on your own computer with no travel required. This service employs cameras and artificial intelligence to monitor exam security.
To schedule the exam, you must:
Click here to complete NF Entry Level Professional Certification Application |