List of BSA merit badges

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The following is a list of modern Boy Scouts of America merit badges. Merit badges in bold are required for scouts desiring the rank of Eagle Scout. Links are to the official requirements on the Merit Badge Research Center, and are followed by the year the badge was instituted.

American Business 1967
American Cultures 1979
American Heritage 1975
American Labor 1987
Animal Science 1975
Archaeology 1997
Archery 1911
Architecture 1911
Art 1911
Astronomy 1911
Athletics 1911
Atomic Energy 1963
Auto Mechanics 1992
Aviation 1911 (though see below)
Backpacking 1982
Basketry 1927
Bird Study 1914
Bugling (shares merit badge pamphlet with Music merit badge) 1911
Camping 1911
Canoeing 1927
Chemistry 1911
Cinematography 1990
Citizenship in the Community 1952
Citizenship in the Nation 1951
Citizenship in the World 1972
Climbing 1997
Coin Collecting 1938
Collections 1991
Communications 1965
Computers 1967
Cooking 1911
Crime Prevention 1996
Cycling 1911 (alternative to Hiking or Swimming)
Dentistry 1975
Disabilities Awareness 1993
Dog Care 1938
Drafting 1965
Electricity 1911
Electronics 1963
Emergency Preparedness 1972 (alternative to Lifesaving)
Energy 1976
Engineering 1967
Entrepreneurship 1997
Environmental Science 1972
Family Life 1991
Farm Mechanics 1928
Fingerprinting 1938
Fire Safety 1995
First Aid 1911
Fish and Wildlife Management 1972
Fishing 1952
Fly Fishing 2002
Forestry 1911
Gardening 1911
Genealogy 1972
Geology 1953
Golf 1976
Graphic Arts 1987
Hiking 1921 (alternative to Cycling or Swimming)
Home Repairs 1943
Horsemanship 1911
Indian Lore 1931
Insect Study 1985
Journalism 1927
Landscape Architecture 1967
Law 1974
Leatherwork 1951
Lifesaving 1911 (alternative to Emergency Preparedness)
Mammal Study 1985
Medicine 1991
Metalwork 1927
Model Design and Building 1963
Motorboating 1961
Music (shares merit badge pamphlet with Bugling merit badge) 1911
Nature 1952
Oceanography 1964
Orienteering 1973
Painting 1911
Personal Fitness 1952
Personal Management 1972
Pets 1958
Photography 1911
Pioneering 1911
Plant Science 1974
Plumbing 1911
Pottery 1927
Public Health 1911
Public Speaking 1932
Pulp and Paper 1972
Radio 1923
Railroading 1952
Reading 1929
Reptile and Amphibian Study 1993
Rifle Shooting 1988
Rowing 1933
Safety 1927
Salesmanship 1927
Scholarship 1911
Sculpture 1911
Shotgun Shooting 1988
Skating 1973
Small-Boat Sailing 1964
Snow Sports 1999
Soil and Water Conservation 1952
Space Exploration 1965
Sports 1972
Stamp Collecting 1932
Surveying 1911
Swimming 1911 (alternative to Cycling or Hiking)
Textile 1973
Theater 1967
Traffic Safety 1975
Truck Transportation 1973
Veterinary Medicine 1995
Water Skiing 1969
Weather 1927
Whitewater 1987
Wilderness Survival 1987
Wood Carving 1923
Woodwork 1923

Former merit badges now discontinued with years (badges in bold currently exist):

Aerodynamics and Aeronautics merit badges instituted in 1941, replacing Aviation, which was then brought back in 1952, replacing both badges
Agribusiness 1987-1995
Beekeeping 1995 (replaced Bee Keeping)
Agriculture 1911-1975 (replaced by Animal Science and Plant Science)
Airplane Design and Airplane Structure merit badges 1942-1952, then replaced by Aviation
Ambulance 1910-1911 (replaced by First Aid)
Angling 1911-1951 (replaced by Fishing and Fly Fishing)
Animal Industry 1928-1975 (replaced by Animal Science)
Automobiling (1911-1963) and Automotive Safety (1962-1974) were replaced by Traffic Safety in 1975
Bee Keeping 1915-1955
Beef Production 1928-1975 (replaced by Animal Science)
Beefarming 1911-1914
Beekeeping 1956-1995
Blacksmithing 1911-1952
Bookbinding 1927-1987 (replaced Craftsmanship)
Botany 1921-1995
Business 1911-1966 (replaced Clerk, replaced by American Business and Entrepreneurship)
Carpentry 1911-1952
Cement Work 1927-1952
Consumer Buying 1995
Citizenship 1947-1951 (replaced Civics and World Brotherhood, replaced by Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the Home)
Citizenship in the Home 1952-1972 (replaced Citizenship, replaced by Family Life)
Citrus Fruit Culture 1931-1952
Civics 1911-1946
Clerk 1910-1911 (replaced by Business)
Conservation 1911-1952 (replaced by Conservation of Natural Resources and Wildlife Management)
Conservation of Natural Resources 1966-1972 (replaced Conservation, replaced by Environmental Science)
Consumer Buying 1975-1995
Corn Farming 1928-1975 (replaced by Plant Science)
Cotton Farming 1931-1975 (replaced by Plant Science)
Craftsmanship 1911-1927 (replaced by Basketry, Bookbinding, Cement Work, Leathercraft, Metalwork, Pottery, Wood Carving and Woodwork)
Cyclist 1910-1911 (replaced by Cycling)
Dairying 1911-1975 (replaced by Animal Science)
Dramatics 1932-1966 (replaced by Theatre)
Electrician 1910-1911 (replaced by Electricity)
Farm and Ranch Management 1980-1987 (replaced Farm Records)
Farm Arrangement 1960-1973 (replaced Farm Home and Its Planning, replaced by Farm Arrangements)
Farm Arrangements 1974-1979 (replaced Farm Arrangement)
Farm Home and Its Planning 1928-1959 (replaced by Farm Arrangement)
Farm Records and Bookkeeping 1928-1958 (replaced by Farm Records)
Farm Records 1959-1980 (replaced Farm Records and Bookkeeping, replaced by Farm and Ranch Management)
Fireman 1910-1911 (replaced by Firemanship)
Firemanship 1911-1995 (replaced Fireman, replaced by Fire Safety)
First Aid to Animals 1911-1972 (replaced by Veterinary Science)
Food Systems 1978-1987 (replaced Agriculture)
Forage Crops 1959-1975 (replaced Grasses, Legumes and Forage Crops, replaced by Plant Science)
Foundry Practice 1923-1952
Fruit and Nut Growing 1953-1975 (replaced Fruit Culture and Nut Culture, replaced by Plant Science)
Fruit Culture 1928-1952 (replaced by Fruit and Nut Growing)
Gardener 1910-1911 (replaced by Gardening)
General Science 1972-1995 (replaced Zoology)
Grasses, Legumes and Forage Crops 1938-1958 (replaced by Forage Crops)
Handicap Awareness 1985-1993 (replaced Handicapped Awareness, replaced by Disabilities Awareness)
Handicapped Awareness 1980-1984 (replaced Handicap Awareness)
Handicraft 1911-1942 (replaced by Home Repairs)
Hog and Pork Production 1928-1958 (replaced by Hog Production)
Hog Production 1959-1975 (replaced Hog and Pork Production, replaced by Animal Science)
Horseman 1910-1911 (replaced by Horsemanship)
Insect Life 1923-1984 (replaced by Insect Study)
Interpreting 1911-1952
Invention 1911-1917
Landscape Gardening 1930-1958 (replaced Landscaping, replaced by Landscape Architecture)
Landscaping 1959-1966 (replaced by Landscape Gardening)
Leather Work 1928-1951 (replaced Leatherworking, replaced by Leatherwork)
Leathercraft 1927-1952 (replaced Craftsmanship)
Leatherworking 1911-1927 (replaced by Leather Work)
Machinery 1911-1995
Mammals 1972-1984 (replaced by Mammal Study)
Marksman 1910-1911 (replaced by Marksmanship)
Marksmanship 1911-1966 (replaced Marksman, replaced by Rifle and Shotgun Shooting)
Masonry 1995
Masonry 1911-1995
Master-At-Arms 1910-1911
Mechanical Drawing 1933-1964 (replaced by Drafting)
Metallurgy 1965-1971 (replaced by Metals Engineering)
Metals Engineering 1995 (replaced Metallurgy)
Mining 1911-1937 (replaced by Rocks and Minerals)
Musician 1910-1911 (replaced by Music)
Nut Culture 1928-1954 (replaced by Fruit and Nut Growing)
Ornithology 1911-1913 (replaced by Bird Study)
Pathfinding 1911-1952 (replaced by Pathfinding)
Personal Finances 1962-1971 (replaced by Personal Management)
Personal Health 1911-1952 (replaced by Personal Fitness)
Physical Development 1914-1952 (replaced by Personal Fitness)
Pigeon Raising 1933-1980
Pioneer 1910-1911 (replaced by Pioneering)
Poultry Farming 1911-1913 (replaced by Poultry Keeping)
Poultry Keeping 1914-1974 (replaced Poultry Farming, replaced by Animal Science)
Printing 1911-1981
Printing/Communication 1982-1987
Rabbit Raising 1943-1993
Reptile Study 1927-1993 (replaced Reptiles, replaced by Reptile and Amphibian Study)
Reptiles 1923-1927 (replaced by Reptile Study)
Rifle and Shotgun Shooting 1967-1987 (replaced Marksmanship, replaced by Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting)
Rocks and Minerals 1937-1953 (replaced Mining, replaced by Geology)
Safety First 1916-1926 (replaced by Safety)
Seaman 1910-1911 (replaced by Seamanship)
Seamanship 1911-1964 (replaced by Small Boat Sailing)
Sheep Farming 1928-1975 (replaced by Animal Science)
Signaller 1910-1911 (replaced by Signalling)
Signalling 1911-1991 (replaced Signaller)
Skiing -- 1938-1999 (replaced by Snow Sports)
Small Grains 1959-1975 (replaced Small Grains and Cereal Foods, replaced by Plant Science)
Small Grains and Cereal Foods 1943-1958 (replaced by Small Grains)
Soil Management 1928-1952 (replaced by Soil and Water Conservation)
Stalker 1910-1911 (replaced by Stalking)
Stalking 1911-1952 (replaced Stalker)
Taxidermy 1911-1952
Textiles 1927-1972 (replaced by Textile)
Veterinary Science -- 1973-1995 (replaced First Aid to Animals, replaced by Veterinary Medicine)
Wildlife Management 1952-1972 (replaced Conservation, replaced by Fish and Wildlife Management)
Wireless 1919-1923 (replaced by Radio)
Wood Turning 1930-1952
World Brotherhood 1952-1972 (replaced by Citizenship and Citizenship in the World)
Zoology 1930-1972 (replaced by General Science)

List of BSA merit badges

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