Christian Leadership Ed.D. – Pastoral Counseling

What Will You Study in Liberty University’s Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership – Pastoral Counseling?

• Biblical and theological foundations for leadership and education 
• Character, ethics, and theological anthropology in ministry leadership 
• Crises and current issues in pastoral counseling 
• Group dynamics, teaching theory, and organizational development 
• Individual, family, premarital, and marital issues in pastoral counseling 
• Planning, implementation, assessment, and dissertation-in-praxis research 

Across your coursework, you will study both the personal and organizational sides of pastoral counseling. The leadership core examines how Christian leaders guide teams, develop programs, and respond to ministry needs with integrity. The pastoral counseling specialization focuses on the role of the pastoral counselor and common counseling concerns in church and ministry settings. Your dissertation-in-praxis work will focus on applied research, planning, implementation, and assessment in a leadership context.  

Potential Careers for Ed.D. in Christian Leadership – Pastoral Counseling Graduates 

• Church counseling ministry leader 
• College or seminary instructor 
• Community outreach director 
• Faith-based nonprofit director 
• Pastoral counseling program director  

Benefits of Pursuing Your Online Christian Leadership Ed.D. – Pastoral Counseling with Liberty University 

As a leader in distance education since 1985, we understand what it takes to create a flexible and affordable education for busy people. Since we have been investing in distance and online learning for decades, our experience has taught us how to streamline our degree options so you can focus on what really matters to you. While many schools offer online degrees, we believe Liberty stands out.   

Here’s what sets us apart:  

• Our online programs are backed by our brick-and-mortar campus – ranked as Niche.com’s #2 Best College Campus in America for 2026 – and that commitment to excellence extends to our online students as well. Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field. 
• Most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors. As a nonprofit university, Liberty continues to strive to keep costs low for our students!
• This degree is backed by accreditation from the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), supporting academic quality and recognition in ministry education.
• Our faculty possess both academic credentials and hands-on ministry experience, helping you connect theory to real-world pastoral counseling situations.
• You can access Liberty’s extensive online library, which provides scholarly journals, research databases, and support services for doctoral-level study.
• The dissertation-in-praxis model allows you to apply research directly to a ministry or organizational need rather than focusing only on theory.

Military Benefits

Service is important to us, so whether you’re currently serving in the Armed Forces, have served, or are married to someone who serves, we’re here to serve you. Liberty’s military benefits are available to:  

• Active duty service members of the U.S. Armed Forces 
• Reserve/National Guard 
• Veterans/retirees 
• Spouses of service members and veterans/retirees 
• Current Department of Defense employees .

We are proud to support you in your pursuit of a flexible and affordable online education by offering you the following benefits:  

• Tuition discounts - $375 per credit hour for Ed.D. courses 
• 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)