Help Heal Broken Marriages and Families by Earning Your Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling – Marriage and Family
Mental health professionals are in high demand. Organizations, businesses, and churches need Christ-centered counselors to provide biblically-based services for community betterment. If you have a natural inclination to help others through personal ministry or in agency-based settings, then Liberty University’s Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling with a marriage and family specialization is the perfect degree option for you!
Our graduate pastoral counseling degree, focusing on marriage and family, will equip you with the knowledge and skills that are critical for effectively counseling families and individuals in a variety of church and para-church settings. This degree is a valuable option if you are seeking to further your education and received advanced counseling training as an avenue for professional promotion. It is important to note that this is a non-licensure program that is suitable for ministry and agency-based professionals as well as students just entering the field.
What Will You Learn in Our Pastoral Counseling Master’s Degree?
Each of the courses within our marriage and family degree will equip you with a biblical worldview of human behavior and the application of helping skills. You will be introduced to the theories and skills required to provide pastoral crisis intervention and counseling as well as knowledge on how to address specific psychological issues that apply to men, women, and children throughout their lifespan.
Three specific courses that play an important role in this degree are Spiritual Formation in Pastoral Counseling, Theories and Techniques in Pastoral Counseling, and Pastoral Counseling Internship. You will also integrate biblical perspectives into a pastoral outlook on counseling as well as acquire knowledge in:
- Counseling the adolescent and their families
- Healthy sexuality
- Premarital and marital counseling
Career Options for Pastoral Counseling Degree Graduates
Upon completion of this master’s degree, you can pursue careers in many areas, some of which include:
- Chaplain
- Church counselor
- Marriage and family counselor
Study Online
We understand the dilemma of wanting to further your education while also staying connected to your family, career, church, and community. This degree program is offered 100% online, so you don’t have to worry about sacrificing time with the people most important to you while you pursue your degree.
As an innovator in distance learning since 1985, Liberty will provide the following benefits:
- Our online programs are backed by our brick-and-mortar campus – ranked among Niche.com’s Top 5 College Campuses in America – and that commitment to excellence extends to our online students as well. Earning your online master’s in pastoral counseling 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.
- You can complete our online pastoral counseling degree in about 2 years.
Military Benefits
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students from 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 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 above 15 credit hours for the online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling are charged at the part-time rate.
Residential Benefits
- With students from all 50 states and over 70 countries around the world, you can immerse yourself in different cultures and experience the diversity of on-campus life.
- As a residential student, your scholarship opportunities could include the Heroes Fund Scholarship, Keesee Scholarship, or the Virginia: Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship.
- Learn from professors who have doctoral degrees in their fields, as well as years of real-life experience.
- As a graduate student, you will have multiple research opportunities led by students and faculty to bolster your education and résumé.
- Outside of classes and studying, you will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of on-campus activities, such as our NCAA sports, over 200 student-led clubs, and recreation centers like Snowflex, the LaHaye Ice Center, and Camp Hydaway.
- Enjoy our Reber-Thomas Dining Hall with over 20 available food stations, including gluten-free and vegan options. Work with a nutritionist to develop a dietary plan that is right for you!
Credit Hours
Available Online or On Campus
Class Type
Online, 8-week or residential
Transfer Credits
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Next Start Date
Varies
Accreditation
Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC
