Master of Religion Community Chaplaincy Online Degree Program Page
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 Be a Witness in Your Community with a Master of Arts in Religion – Community Chaplaincy Degree

Liberty University’s 100% online Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) is designed to prepare you to enter ministry with an in-depth and practical education in theology, biblical studies, and ministry practice. While completing the online Master of Arts in Religion, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a program that provides flexibility to tailor your degree plan to your passions and needs.

Upon completing an online ministry degree program like our Master of Arts in Religion – online chaplaincy, you can prepare to effectively pursue ministry in churches, parachurch organizations, and nonprofit organizations while opening the door to further study at the doctoral level.

The community chaplaincy area of study provides Christian counseling and pastoral care training aligned with public or private chaplaincy roles – preparing you for Christian environments and secular environments alike. You can seek specialized training for biblical counseling and spiritual guidance through our community chaplaincy specialization.

*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.

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


Why Choose Liberty’s Online Master of Arts in Religion in Community Chaplaincy?

As an accredited Christian university, Liberty offers ministry degrees with the flexibility of a 100% online format to make pursuing an education easier. Liberty University’s online seminary programs, such as the online MAR degree in chaplaincy, strive to give you a full-fledged, online college degree in ministry that can help equip you for a career in a variety of fields. 

Who Are Chaplains?

A chaplain is a minister, pastor, or member of the ecclesiastical church body who serves in an official spiritual, mental health, and personal growth advisory role in a company, organization, or branch of government.

While chaplaincy roles are often in settings outside of the church, chaplains specifically seek to address spiritual and religious concerns, allowing for a unique opportunity to share the Gospel and interact with non-believers. Regardless of the forum you choose to serve in, Liberty’s master’s in chaplaincy can help prepare you for many roles in your community.

Liberty provides foundational instruction in the fundamentals of discipleship ministry, sermon preparation, and practical ministry skills in any track of the online Master of Arts in Religion. Completing the area of study in community chaplaincy offers specialized training in the elements of psychology and spiritual growth that are crucial in an official chaplaincy role. 

The online Master of Arts in Religion – Community Chaplaincy provides an in-depth study of pastoral care and Christian counseling to allow you to minister directly to the personal and spiritual needs of individuals and families in your ministry — both inside and outside of the church.

Please note: Some chaplaincy roles may require a more specialized and advanced study of a particular field through a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program.

What Are the Benefits of Liberty’s Online Seminary Degrees?

  • Unlike many online Bible colleges or online seminaries, Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees.
  • Liberty University online seminary students can complete Institutional Challenge Exams (ICE) to potentially get college credit for personal studies and expertise in ministry.
  • Liberty’s online degrees of divinity have a discounted graduate tuition rate of $395 per credit for part-time enrollment.
  • Students attending full time (9-15 credit hours) are eligible for our online seminary block rate of $2,750 per semester!*

*Credits taken below 9 and above 15 credit hours for the Master of Arts in Religion online are charged at the part-time rate.


What Will You Learn in the Online Master of Arts in Religion Community Chaplaincy Degree?

Liberty University’s online master’s in religion – chaplaincy is available 100% online and contains extensive, well-rounded training in ministry, administration of Christian organizations, theological studies, and biblical studies. The core of the online master’s in religion will provide in-depth topic studies of the Old and New Testament, the history of Christianity, systematic theology, and the sermon preparation process. Upon completing the online Master of Arts in Religion – Community Chaplaincy, you can be better equipped to apply your pastoral care and Christian ministry skills to an official chaplain role outside of the church.

Chaplain roles often have important differences from church leadership and may have restrictions based on state and federal regulations. As such, the community chaplaincy area of study for the online Master of Arts in Religion provides an important overview of chaplaincy ministry and its requirements, as well as important role-specific skills for professional development. The community chaplaincy area of study is designed to prepare you with knowledge of chaplain ethics for advice and pastoral care so that you can better understand and navigate restrictions on Christian ministry in the workplace.

Featured Courses

Highlights
Degree Information
Military Benefits
Careers
Admission Requirements

MAR in Community Chaplaincy Program Highlights

  • 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 degree from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.

  • The majority of tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs has not increased in 9 years. While many other online colleges have raised tuition, Liberty has been able to keep costs low as a nonprofit university. 
  • 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 Master of Arts in Religion – Community Chaplaincy in as little as 2 years!
  • Liberty University’s online seminary, the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, has experienced pastoral counselors and ministry professionals who teach practical ministry skills while imparting deep theological teaching.
  • 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 practical ministry skills in pastoral care that will help you ensure that individuals and families in your ministry are connected and growing in the church.
  • Be equipped to handle challenges in church growth, no matter the size of the ministry.

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

    MAR in Community Chaplaincy Degree Information

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    Military Benefits

    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:

    • Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for part-time graduate courses
    • Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)
    • Discounted divinity block rate: $2,475 per semester (only $165/credit at 15 credit hours)*
    • 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

    *Credits taken below 9 and above 15 credit hours for the Master of Arts in Religion online are charged at the part-time rate.

    Potential Community Chaplaincy Career Options

    Upon competition of your Master of Arts in Religion – Community Chaplaincy online degree, you may explore career opportunities in many areas, including:

    • Corporate chaplain
    • Hospice chaplain
    • Instructional supervisor
    • Military chaplain
    • Nonprofit organization chaplain

    Admission Requirements for Our Online MAR in Community Chaplaincy Program

    Applicants must have a regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with a 2.0 or above cumulative 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*
    • Pastoral recommender contact information
    • Completed divinity questionnaire
    • Official college transcripts
    • Unofficial college transcripts may be accepted with a completed official transcript request form**
    • 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.

    **An official transcript is needed within 60 days of acceptance or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first.