Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling – Life Coaching Lead with Purpose, Impact with Passion
Help People Achieve Their Goals with a Master’s Degree in Life Coaching
If you want to increase your effectiveness as a church leader or ministry professional, conferring Liberty’s online Master of Arts (MA) in Pastoral Counseling – Life Coaching may be right for you. Our program can help equip you to help members of your congregation grow in their faith and achieve their full potential. Upon graduation, you could pursue roles as a pastoral counselor in churches and various non-licensure agencies.
Students in this program will study a biblical approach to counseling and mental health. While regular counselors focus on people’s mental and emotional needs, pastoral counselors also recognize the importance of spiritual matters. Liberty’s master’s in pastoral counseling can help provide the tools you need to offer counseling that is both clinically and biblically sound.
The life coaching cognate contains specialized training that can help you guide members of your church toward reaching their professional, financial, and relational goals. With the knowledge you will gain in this program, you can help lead others toward a brighter future using effective coaching techniques and relevant biblical advice.
Please note that the online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling is not designed to fulfill clinical counseling requirements. You can view Liberty University’s licensure-track Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree for more information about counseling licensure.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
Accreditation
Liberty Theological Seminary, as part of Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Your seminary 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.
Backed by a brick-and-mortar campus ranked as Niche.com’s #2 Best College Campus in America for 2026
What Sets Us Apart?
- Private Nonprofit University
- 600+ Online Degrees
- No Standardized Testing for Admission
- Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
- Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree
Why Choose Liberty University’s Life Coaching Program?
This degree is offered online, and the courses have no set login times. You can earn your degree at your own pace while studying under professors who have years of experience in ministry and pastoral counseling.
This program contains optional intensives. While not required, these residential intensives provide a great opportunity to visit our beautiful campus in Lynchburg, Virginia. If you enjoy learning in a face-to-face environment, our intensives can help you connect in-person with other students and faculty.
Maybe you are a minister who wants to provide quality pastoral counseling to those in your congregation – or perhaps you want to work as a pastoral counselor in an agency. Either way, our life coaching degree can help you pursue your goals.
Many ministry professionals want to help people who are struggling with spiritual and mental health crises. That’s why Liberty offers an MA in Pastoral Counseling. The courses in this program will build on your ministry experience so you can potentially branch out into life coaching or pastoral counseling roles. You’ll learn how to offer quality pastoral care and lead people in your congregation toward lasting hope, peace, and healing. And, if you are specifically interested in helping others set practical goals for the future, our life coaching concentration can help.
What Will You Study in Our Master’s in Life Coaching Degree?
In this program, you can develop foundational pastoral counseling skills and specialized knowledge in the area of life coaching. Ultimately, you can learn how to offer practical, biblical guidance and help others work through life’s challenges.
Your core courses will explore how the science of psychology draws on biblical principles of personhood and human nature, as well as how mental and spiritual health are intertwined. By completing a pastoral counseling internship, you can gain marketable skills and hands-on experience in your field. The internship requirement also serves as a valuable way for you to help the people in your community, even before you graduate!
If you want to become a life coach, our life coaching area of study provides the training you need to succeed. We offer a customizable completion track, which means you’ll get to select courses that are most suited to your interests and career goals. Some of the topics you might choose to study include marriage, finance, health and wellness, and professional life coaching. By learning how to help people of all ages pursue their calling, you could go on to work for a coaching agency or launch your own life coach ministry.
Our goal is to help you integrate ethical standards and biblical truth with cutting-edge psychological research. Partner with us and prepare to help people of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences pursue their goals.
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Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.
| Grad & Postgrad Divinity Block Rate (9-15 credit hours) | $2,850 |
|---|---|
| Grad & Postgrad Divinity Part Time (1-8.99 or over 15 credit hours) | $410/Credit |
| Military Grad & Postgrad Divinity Block Rate (9-15 credit hours) | $2,575 |
| Military Grad & Postgrad Divinity Part Time (1-8.99 or over 15 credit hours) | $290/Credit |
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
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Admission Information for Liberty University’s Pastoral Counseling Degree Online
Admission Requirements
Preliminary Acceptance
Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy
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Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $290 per credit hour for part-time graduate and postgraduate divinity courses
- Discounted divinity block rate – $2,575 per semester*
- Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder **
- 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 per semester are charged at the part-time rate.
**Not applicable to certificates, postgraduate, or doctoral programs.
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
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