M.A. in Pastoral Counseling – Dobson Center Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future
Influence and Empower Others with an M.A. in Pastoral Counseling – Dobson Center Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future
Do you want to help families grow closer to God as they grow closer together? Liberty University’s 100% online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling – Dobson Center Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future will provide you with practical tools to help children, educate families, and empower parents. The skills you will develop are foundations to advocate for the rights of children and families and to assist families who are facing emotional and spiritual challenges. Liberty’s online pastoral counseling program will help you develop the skills you need to be a Champion for Christ for families in your community!
Please note: while this degree may assist students seeking professional licensure, it does not meet all licensure requirements.
What Will You Learn in Our M.A. in Pastoral Counseling
- Public policy and advocacy strategies
- Divorce, marriage, and blended families
- Research and emergency paradigms in marriage and family studies
The core content of the online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling provides a broad set of foundational Christian counseling skills and knowledge along with field-specialized topic courses and hands-on skill areas. Graduates of this program are equipped to provide godly counsel and assist in conflict resolution. If you are passionate about making a positive impact for Christ in the lives of families, Liberty’s M.A. in Pastoral Counseling will help you get the training you need!
The Masters of Arts in Pastoral Counseling will provide you with a biblical worldview of human behavior and application of helping skills for a non-licensure counseling role. Through our carefully chosen courses, you can master essential biblical counseling skills and apply evidence-based practices in addictions and recovery, pastoral counseling, marriage and family therapy, pastoral leadership, and life coaching. With the specialized Family Advocacy content created in partnership with the Dobson Center, you will be able to apply these skills to help families meet the challenges of today.
Students in the Parent and Child/Adolescent track will study important foundational subjects such as how family issues and environmental factors affect child development and about the development of personhood from childhood to adulthood. Students will also be able to choose individual child counseling issues courses such as Childhood Trauma and handling Healthy Sexuality in a biblical way.
Potential Careers with a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Counseling
- Case worker
- Child advocate
- Family advocate
Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling Program Highlights
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:
- 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 master’s degree in pastoral counseling 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.
- Your ministry matters – so when you take 9-15 credit hours per semester in your divinity program, you’ll pay a discounted block rate of $2,750. It’s our way of supporting all you do to serve others.
- You can complete our online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling – Dobson Center Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future in less than 2 years.
M.A. in Pastoral Counseling Dobson Center Family Advocacy 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 – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
- Discounted Divinity Block Rate: 9-15 credits receives block rate of $2,475 per semester – only $165/credit at 15 credit hours!*
- Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)
- 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 Master’s of Pastoral Counseling degree program are charged at the part-time rate
Credit Hours
Transfer Credits
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Next Start Date
May 13, 2024
Accreditation
Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC
“In the times in which we’re living today, Liberty University’s mission, the mission of training up a generation of
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE
Experience That Matters to You
As an accredited Christian college with a 7,000-acre campus in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty University offers you an education that is both academically challenging and rooted in a biblical worldview.
At Liberty, you’ll benefit from 35+ years of learning, growing, adapting, and innovating for the distance learner — and more than a decade of researching the needs of the online student. You can be confident that we’ve taken the time to learn what’s important to you.
And what’s that?
- Affordability
- Accessibility
- Academic Quality
These important factors challenged us to find new financial solutions, get ahead of industry trends, and blaze trails into cutting-edge career fields — and it’s paid off. That’s the difference experience makes.
Ranked in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America and recognized by multiple institutions for academic quality, affordability, and accessibility.
Why Choose Liberty University?
Enjoy Flexible Courses
Choose from a wide variety of programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral level, most of which are 100% online*. With an 8-week format and 8 start dates per year, it’s easy to fit your courses around your schedule!
* Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
Maximize Your Time
Start and finish your degree faster! Liberty requires no standardized testing for admission, and you can transfer previous course credit — transfer in up to 75% of a bachelor’s degree and up to 50% of a master’s, postgraduate, or doctoral degree — or discover how your life, career, or military experience may count toward your college degree.
Grow in Your Faith
All of our courses are taught from a Christian perspective, and our faculty see themselves as mentors. Our mission is to Train Champions for Christ — we’re committed to championing you as you study to go further in your field, become a leader in your industry, or start a new career.
Access Academic Support
Throughout your educational journey, you will have access to academic resources that will aid in the completion of your degree. Services include our Jerry Falwell Library, writing center, tutoring, study aids, IT assistance, 30+ tutorial videos, live webinars, and personalized help from our academic advising team.
An Online Education with On-Campus Benefits
Cheer on 20 NCAA Division I
games that air nationwide
Graduate with your peers
Be inspired by world-renowned
speakers at Convocation
As a nonprofit (not-for-profit) university, Liberty is in the business of training skilled professionals to make a difference in the world – not gaining profit, revenue, or producing dividends for shareholders. In keeping with our commitment to your education, we invest our resources back into degree programs and into your student experience.
While many other online colleges have raised tuition, Liberty has been able to keep costs low as a nonprofit university and has not increased tuition for 9 straight years. Lower tuition means less student loan debt for students.
For Liberty University, nonprofit is more than a status; it is a valuable opportunity to invest in the lives of students who will go out and impact the world.
Financing Options
Financial Aid
Nearly 80% of all Liberty students in an online program are awarded financial aid. Virginia residents may qualify for additional aid — learn more!
Corporate Tuition Assistance
Deferred – If your company reimburses you for the cost of your education, you pay only a portion of your balance up front. You submit your grades to your employer who pays you, and then you pay the remaining balance for your classes.
Tuition Discounts
Qualified military service members, veterans, and their spouses can receive up to 55% off their tuition rate for eligible programs!
Contact one of our Admissions Counselors for more information by calling (800) 424-9595.
