Help Parents Raise the Next Generation with a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling – Dobson Center Parenting & Child/Adolescent Development
Liberty University’s 100% online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling – Dobson Center Parenting and Child/Adolescent Development is designed to train you in essential counseling principles and strategies. The biblical integration in this child and family studies degree can help provide a solid foundation for you to effectively work with adults and adolescents.
Liberty has collaborated with world-renowned psychologist, author, radio show host, and family expert Dr. James C. Dobson to create our James C. Dobson Center for Child Development, Marriage, and Family Studies, which houses this degree program and several others.
The parent and child/adolescent development program can help equip ministry professionals and pastors with the tools they need to guide parents and their children through difficult situations. This online counseling degree also offers essential training for aspiring human services counselors, especially if you’re interested in child and adolescent psychology.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
Why Choose Liberty’s Online Parent and Child/Adolescent Counseling Graduate Program?
If you are looking for an online child counseling degree that can help you guide parents and children through trials, our parent/child development specialization can help you explore parent-child relational problems and identify solutions that create meaningful results. These insights can help you address conflict and poor communication in families and gain the parent counseling skills you need to equip parents and help correct issues in the home.
Unlike a regular Master of Science in Child and Adolescent Development, our degree in child development seamlessly combines 3 closely related areas: Christianity, counseling, and family studies. Our adolescent development counseling degree won’t just help you gain the critical thinking skills needed to work with children and adolescents — it can also help equip you with effective, proven principles endorsed and used by Dr. Dobson himself. Whether you want to work in ministry or a non-licensure private practice, our MA in Human Services Counseling – Parent and Child/Adolescent degree can help you reach your career goals.
What Are the Benefits of Pursuing Liberty’s Master’s in Child Development and Family Counseling?
- Complete your coursework on a schedule that fits your life with Liberty University’s time-tested online learning environment.
- Study a balanced perspective on the theological principles that underlie psychology and learn effective parent, child, and adolescent counseling techniques with a firm biblical worldview.
- Be mentored by professors with real-world experience in human services and counseling while you explore cutting-edge methods for parenting skills and child/adolescent development.
- See best practices put to action by observing group meetings in your own community.
What Will You Learn in the Online MA in Human Services Degree in Family Counseling and Development?
Liberty University’s James C. Dobson Center for Child Development, Marriage, and Family Studies gives students in the parent and child/adolescent development area of study advanced training in field-tested, evidence-based family counseling and parenting skills training. The parent and child psychology degree track features lectures and material from world-renowned psychologist, author, radio host, and family expert Dr. James C. Dobson.
If you choose the parenting and child/adolescent development track, you will study important foundational subjects, such as how family issues and environmental factors affect development from childhood to adulthood. You will also be able to select specific child counseling courses such as childhood issues, trauma, and healthy sexuality.
Please note that while the parenting and child/adolescent development track may allow you to apply for some Christian counseling certifications, the online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling is not designed to fulfill clinical requirements for state-licensed professional counseling. You can view Liberty University’s licensure-track Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree for more information about counseling licensure.
Featured Courses
- DBPC 600 – Child and Family Development: Psychological and Theological Perspectives
- DBPC 610 – Human Growth and Lifespan Development
- DBPC 615 – Childhood Issues, Trauma, and Abuse
- DBPC 620 – Healthy Sexuality: Biblical and Developmental Factors
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Military Benefits for Our Human Services Counseling Degree
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students 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 through 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)
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)
MA in Human Services Counseling Degree Information
- This degree falls under the School of Behavioral Sciences.
- Download and review the Degree Completion Plan.
- View the Graduate Behavioral Sciences Course Guides (login required).
Potential Career Options with a Degree in Human Services Counseling
- Associate pastor
- Caseworker
- Child advocate
- Church counselor
- Family therapist
- Outpatient care counselor
If you choose to complete a degree in family counseling like the online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling, you can become equipped for ministry-based, non-licensure counseling roles in many areas — including marriage and family counseling, addiction counseling, and counseling for women. This program seeks to equip you with specialized parent counseling and family therapy ministry skills.
Admission Requirements for Our Online Human Services Counseling Degree
A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with a 2.0 or above GPA is required for admission in good standing. Please visit our admission requirements page for more detailed admissions-related information.
All applicants must submit the following:
- Admission application
- Application fee*
- Official college transcripts
- Unofficial college transcripts may be accepted with a completed official transcript request form**
- Proof of English proficiency (for applicants whose native language is other than English)
*There is no upfront application fee; however, a deferred $50 application fee will be assessed during Financial Check-In. This fee is waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required.
**An official transcript is needed within 60 days of acceptance or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first.
Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling Program Highlights
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 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.
- You can complete this online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling – Parenting and Child/Adolescent Development in as little as 1 year.
- Develop broad experience in Christian counseling to address mental and spiritual health issues in your counseling practice.
