PhD Pastoral Counseling
0
Credit Hours
Degree ATS
Class Type
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer Credits
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Next Start Date
May 13, 2024
Accreditation
ATS Commission on Accrediting

Prepare to Lead in Christian Counseling with Our Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Pastoral Counseling Degree

Our 100% online Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Pastoral Counseling degree is designed to help equip you to advance your ministry. This program can help you gain practical, gospel-centered ministry skills. Our online doctorate in pastoral counseling seeks to provide advanced training in Christian counseling and pastoral care. This training can help you incorporate biblical counseling practices into your ministry. 

If you want to be better equipped to minister to the spiritual and mental health of your congregation, our DMin in Pastoral Counseling degree can help provide you with the skills and knowledge you need.

Accreditation

Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Your divinity degree is approved by ATS and has met rigorous accreditation standards, so you can feel confident that your degree is both academically excellent and well-respected among churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.

ATS Accreditation

What is the difference between pastoral care and pastoral counseling?

Can a pastor be a counselor?

How much do pastoral counselors make?

What are the benefits of earning Liberty’s online Doctor of Ministry (DMin)?

TheBestSchools Best Online Christian Colleges

BestColleges Best Online Colleges

Niche Best Colleges


Why Choose Liberty’s Online DMin in Counseling Degree?

Our online Doctor of Ministry degree program is focused on practical ministry training. This is so you can gain the skills and knowledge you need for use in your specific ministry context. If you are already a ministry professional and want to help people struggling with spiritual and mental health crises, our program can help provide you with the foundation of knowledge you need. 

Throughout this Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling program, you can focus on understanding practical solutions to ministry challenges in addition to theoretical research. This helps ensure that you can use the skills and knowledge you will gain to solve real-world problems.

This program is designed to build on your ministry experience in support of Christian counseling and pastoral care and provide you with important ministry-specific counseling skills. If you want to branch out into a Christian counseling role, the field-specific training and biblical counseling techniques in this pastoral counseling doctoral degree can help equip you with valuable tools for various ministry settings.

Military Tuition Discount

We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want — at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $275/credit hour. Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work towards your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession — for less.


What Will You Learn in Our Doctor of Ministry – Pastoral Counseling?

The core content of our online Doctorate in Biblical Counseling (DMin) provides the basis for advanced doctoral-level academic research and writing. These skills can impact the rest of the ministry-specific curriculum and directly apply to your portfolio project or thesis. In your doctorate degree in pastoral counseling, you can learn advanced biblical counseling techniques and explore current issues in society as they relate to counseling. Your online pastoral counseling classes will provide diverse training that will allow you to address many different modern-day problems.

All of the courses in the DMin degree program are designed and delivered in a way to help you develop your research for the final thesis project. Your thesis will focus on a ministry topic of your choice.

Featured Courses
Highlights
Degree Information
Military Benefits
Careers
Admission Requirements

Doctorate in Pastoral Care and Counseling Degree Information

Apply Now    Request Info

Potential Career Options with a Doctor of Clinical Pastoral Counseling 

You may be qualified to pursue a variety of positions with our Doctor of Pastoral Counseling

  • Christian university professor
  • Church counselor
  • Church planter
  • Community chaplain
  • Counselor at a Christian practice
  • Evangelist
  • Lead/associate pastor
  • Senior church administrator
  • Senior pastor
  • Worship leader
  • Youth pastor

Please note: Many clinical counseling roles will require individual state licensure.

Highlights of Liberty University’s Doctor of Ministry – Pastoral Counseling Doctoral Degree

  • We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility. Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America. Earning your online DMin in Pastoral Counseling from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
  • Electronic textbooks are provided for many divinity courses* all for one convenient fee. To continue our mission of providing affordable education, this fee is waived for students who enroll by Summer 2024 D-term.
  • You can complete this online DMin program in pastoral counseling in as little as 2 years.
  • Our online seminary programs within the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity are led by experienced Christian counselors and ministry professionals who teach practical ministry skills while imparting deep theological knowledge.
  • Learn from content developed by renowned biblical studies scholars in Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, such as Dr. Elmer L. Towns and Dr. Gary R. Habermas.
  • Develop broad experience in Christian counseling and pastoral care to address mental and spiritual health issues in your biblical counseling practice.

*Electronic textbooks are not provided for courses that fall under departments outside the School of Divinity.

Admission Requirements for Our Online DMin in Pastoral Counseling Degree

Applicants must have a regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA for admission in good standing. Please visit our admission requirements page for more detailed admissions-related information. 

All applicants must submit the following:

  • Admission application
  • Application fee*
  • School of Divinity Questionnaire
  • Official transcripts
  • Previous education showing at least 18 graduate hours of Bible/Theology or ministry-related courses
  • Ecclesiastical endorsement
  • Statement of purpose
  • Professional vita
  • Proof of English proficiency (for applicants whose native language is other than English)

*There is no upfront application fee; however, a deferred $50 application fee will be assessed during Financial Check-In. This fee is waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required.

Military Benefits for our Doctorate in Christian Counseling

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe. Whether you are a current service member, discharged or retired from service, or the spouse of a service member or veteran, we are here to support you every step of the journey.

As a thank-you for your dedication and service to our country, Liberty is honored to serve and support you in your pursuit of online education by offering the following benefits:

  • The discounted tuition rate of $275 per credit hour for part-time enrollment 
  • Discounted divinity block rate: $1,925 per semester – only $130/credit at 15 credit hours*
  • Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)

*Credits taken below 7 and above 15 credit hours for the Doctor of Ministry – Pastoral Counseling online are charged at the part-time rate.