MA in Human Services Counseling | Trauma and Crisis

Credit Hours

Online*, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Help the Suffering with an Online Master’s in Trauma Counseling

Have you seen tragedy strike and felt called to help survivors? Trauma and crisis response counseling is a noble field that needs professionals who are both compassionate and well-educated. There are individuals across the world who are suffering the effects of a traumatic incident or abuse, and they need someone to come alongside them and work through their pain.

Conferring Liberty University’s Master of Arts (MA) in Human Services Counseling – Crisis Response and Trauma online degree can help you gain the training to help people suffering as a result of traumatic experiences. Whether you are looking for career advancement or just starting out in human services, this program can help.

Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts (MA) in Human Services Counseling – Crisis Response and Trauma.

Please note: The online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling is not designed to fulfill clinical counseling requirements. If you are interested in pursuing a licensure program, please see our Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

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

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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

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s Master’s in Human Services – Trauma Counseling Online?

You want to help survivors of tragedy, and we want to help you get there. Our program is designed to provide you with the tools to succeed in trauma and crisis response therapy. But we believe there is more to your education than just providing you with academic checkpoints.

Here are some of the reasons why Liberty stands out:

Complete your coursework on a schedule that fits your needs with Liberty University’s award-winning online learning environment.
Complete a study of human behavior with a balanced perspective on the theological principles that underlie psychology, giving you effective crisis response and trauma counseling techniques with a firm biblical worldview.
Be mentored by professors with real-world experience in human services and counseling while you explore the cutting-edge scholarship and methods for crisis trauma and response.
See best practices put to action by observing group meetings in your own community.

What Will You Study in a Master’s in Trauma Counseling Degree?

The core content of the online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling provides a balanced overview of important theories in psychology while applying this knowledge to specific, real-world counseling practices. Students will study the development of the human mind from childhood to adulthood and how multicultural issues impact counseling in individual and group settings.

In the master’s in human services counseling, crisis response, and trauma area of study, you can learn how to apply core crisis counseling and mental health support skills to disaster relief efforts and trauma therapy. You will have the opportunity to customize your crisis response and trauma electives in areas that will be most useful to your needs. Students in the crisis response and trauma area of study will have flexible crisis counseling tools that include assessment and treatment options to help suffering people in their communities.

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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.

Graduate Full Time	$580/Credit
Graduate Part Time	$645/Credit
Military Graduate	$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 Requirements for Our Master of Arts (MA) in Human Services Counseling – Crisis Response and Trauma

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

Start Online Application

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

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 graduate courses
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)

*Not applicable to certificates.

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.

View Military Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions for the MA in Human Services Counseling – Trauma and Crisis

What is trauma counseling?

This is the area of counseling that focuses on individuals who have experienced a traumatic life event and consequently require mental health services. Trauma counseling may be helpful to individuals struggling with PTSD from military service, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, abuse, and more. With a trauma therapist degree, you can help people dealing with the effects of traumatic experiences through counseling.

Do counselors need a master’s degree?

What degree do you need to be a trauma therapist?

How do you become a trauma specialist?

Are you ready to change your future?

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App Fee Waived This Week*

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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Human Services Counseling Master’s in Trauma Gain the Skills to Help Clients Deal with Trauma

Help the Suffering with an Online Master’s in Trauma Counseling

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Master’s in Human Services – Trauma Counseling Online?

What Will You Study in a Master’s in Trauma Counseling Degree?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Requirements for Our Master of Arts (MA) in Human Services Counseling – Crisis Response and Trauma

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

Ready to Apply?

Military

Frequently Asked Questions for the MA in Human Services Counseling – Trauma and Crisis

What is trauma counseling?

Do counselors need a master’s degree?

What degree do you need to be a trauma therapist?

How do you become a trauma specialist?

Are you ready to change your future?

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