Troop 30's Recommended Sequence of Merit Badges
Which badges first? - Scouts can work on merit badges from the age of 10-1/2 until they reach the age
of 18. BSA has designed merit badges that will be interesting and challenging for boys throughout that age
range. Some merit badges are significantly easier than others. When selecting merit badges on which to
work, it is important to pick badges that are age-appropriate, otherwise the Scout can be overwhelmed and
get discouraged.
Troop 30's recommended sequence of merit badges is as follows:
Level 1 - New Scouts / Ages 10 1/2-11 / 5th and 6th Grades
e
Eagle Required Non-Eagle Required
Art Fishing
Basketry Indian Lore
Climbing Leatherwork
Dog Care Mammal Study
Fingerprinting Pets
Fire Safety Woodcarving
Level 2 - Second Class / Ages 11-13 / 6th and 7th Grades
Eagle Required Non-Eagle Required
Camping
First Aid
Emergency Prep*
(First Aid MB req’d before)
Archery Model Design & Building
Astronomy Music & Bugling
Bird Study Nature
Canoeing Orienteering
Coin Collecting Painting
Collections Pioneering
Crime Prevention
Plant Science
Disabilities Awareness
Pottery
Fish And Wildlife Mngt.
Pulp & Paper
Fly Fishing Reading
Forestry Reptile & Amphibian Study
Gardening
Rowing
Home Repairs
Safety
Insect Study Scholarship
Law Sports
Metalwork
Stamp Collecting
Level 3 - First Class & Star / Ages 13-14 / 7th and 8th Grades
e
Eagle Required Non-Eagle Required
Citizenship in the Community
Citizenship in the Nation
Environmental Science
Hiking, Swimming or Cycling**
Personal Fitness
American Business Journalism
American Cultures Landscape Architecture
American Heritages Motorboating
American Labor Oceanography
Animal Science Photography
Archeology Plumbing
Architecture Public Health
Athletics Public Speaking
Aviation Radio
Computers Railroading
Cooking Rifle Shooting
Dentistry Salesmanship
Drafting Sculpture
Electricity Skating
Electronics Small Boat Sailing
Energy Snow Sports
Entrepreneurship Soil & Water Conservation
Farm Mechanics Textile
Genealogy Truck Transportation
Geology Veterinar
y
Medicine
Golf Waterskiing
Graphic Arts Woodwork
Horsemanship
Level 4 - Star & Life / Ages 14-15 / 8th Grade and UP
Eagle Required
Non-Eagle Required
Citizenship in the World
Communications
Family Life
Lifesaving*
(Swimming MB req'd before)
Personal Management
Atomic Energy Shotgun Shooting
Auto Mechanics Space Exploration
Backpacking Surveying
BSA Lifeguard Theater
Chemistry Traffic Safety
Cinematography Weather
Engineering Whitewater
Medicine Wilderness Survival
Notes:
Troop 30 suggests that each Scout earn Cooking MB and the Pioneering MB before the rank
of Star, and suggests that each scout earn
Auto Mechanics MB and Traffic Safety MB
before the rank of Life. Although these four merit badges are not officially required by the BSA,
Troop 30 would like it's Scouts to earn these four badges by the rank indicated.
For Eagle, only 12 of the 15 Eagle Required Merit Badges are required. Only one of Emergency
Prep* or Lifesaving* is required, and only one of Swimming**, Hiking** or Cycling** is required.
Troop 30 now encourages that each Scout go outside the troop counselor list to find a merit badge
and counselor that has not been taken in recent troop history, and completed before his Eagle Board
of Review. The Scout will then get on the calendar to present his new merit badge experience at a
Troop meeting.
There are also themes where different merit badges that inter-relate could be offered. These themes
could be industry focused as an example, or perhaps hobbies.
Examples would be:
Agribusiness-Animal Science, Farm Mechanics, Plant Science & Veterinary Medicine
Physical Science- Archeology, Astronomy, Atomic Energy, Chemistry, Computers, Electricity,
Electronics, Energy, Engineering, Environmental Science, Forestry, Geology, Oceanography, Space
Exploration,
Emergency Prep-Emergency Prep, Fire Safety, First Aid, Home Repairs, Lifesaving, Medicine,
Safety, Plumbing, Public Health & Wilderness Survival
The Great Outdoors-Bird Study, Camping, Climbing, Environmental Science, Fish & Wildlife
Mngt., Forestry, Gardening, Geology, Insect Study, Landscape Architecture, Nature, Oceanography,
Plant Science, Reptile & Amphibian Study, Soil & Water Conservation, Weather
Business-American Business, American Labor, Communications, Computers, Entrepreneurship,
Graphic Arts, Law, Personal Mngt., Public Speaking, Salesmanship
Sports-Archery, Athletics, Cycling, Fly-Fishing, Horsemanship, Personal Fitness, Skating, Snow
Sports, Sports, Swimming, Waterskiing
Water Sports-Canoeing, Rowing, Small-Boat Sailing, Swimming, Waterskiing, Whitewater
More suggestions from parents:
American Culture, American Heritage, American Labor,
Citizenship in the
Community/Nation/World, Law
Animal Science, Bird Study, Insect Study, Mammal Study, Reptile and Amphibian Study
Archaeology, Geology, Architecture, Landscape Architecture
Archery, Indian Lore, Pioneering, Rifle Shooting, Shotgun Shooting
Art, Basketry, Drafting, Graphic Arts, Leatherwork, Painting, Pottery, Sculpture, Textile, Wood
Carving, Woodwork
Astronomy, Aviation, Space Exploration, Weather
Athletics, Cycling, Golf, Personal Fitness, Sports, Skating, Snow Sports, Swimming
Auto Mechanics, Metalwork, Model Design & Building, Railroading, Traffic Safety, Truck
Transportation
Environmental Science, Fish and Wildlife Management, Forestry, Nature, Oceanography, Pulp &
Paper, Soil and Water Conservation
Backpacking, Camping, Climbing, Hiking, Orienteering, Surveying, Wilderness Survival
Canoeing, Fishing, Fly Fishing, Rowing, Whitewater
Atomic Energy, Chemistry, Cooking, Energy, Family Life, Genealogy, Home Repairs, Plumbing
Cinematography, Journalism, Photography
Collections, Coin Collecting, Stamp Collecting
Communications, Public Speaking
Computers, Electricity, Electronics, Engineering, Radio
Crime Prevention, Fingerprinting, Law, Traffic Safety
Dentistry
Disabilities Awareness, Safety, Public Health
Dog Care, Pets, Veterinary Medicine
Emergency Preparedness, Fire Safety, First Aid, Lifesaving, Medicine
Entrepreneurship, Salesmanship
Gardening, Farm Study, Pioneering, Plant Science
Horsemanship
Motorboating, Small-Boat Sailing, Water Skiing
Music, Bugling, Theatre
Reading, Scholarship, Personal Management
