MA in Human Services Family Advocacy & Public Policy

Credit Hours

100% 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

Shape Healthy Family Dynamics with the Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling – Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future

Liberty University’s 100% online Master of Arts (MA) in Human Services Counseling – Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future degree program is designed for human services professionals who need additional, graduate-level training for advancement or new opportunities and students who are entering the human services and mental health support field. The online master’s in human services counseling does not require any on-campus visits and has no thesis requirement, so you can fit the flexible online courses into your current schedule.

As a Christian college, Liberty University is invested in training human services professionals who can apply the best available scientific research and clinical tools to their practice with a biblical worldview. As such, the online master’s in human services counseling can equip you to better serve your clients who struggle with the basic challenges of life by addressing their social, psychological, and spiritual needs.

Our family advocacy, public policy, and future degree specialization provide a cultural, social, and psychological background to help you navigate the complexity of social issues and public policy so you can become an advocate for the well-being and rights of children and families. Whether you want to become a public advocate or move into public service, our family advocacy, public policy, and the future degree track provide the training you need to make a positive impact on the future of children and families in your community.

Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts (MA) in Human Services Counseling – Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future.

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

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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 Online Master’s in Human Services Counseling – Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future?

Do you have a passion for studying the human mind and for finding the best way to help people improve their lives by changing their behavior? With the online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling program, you can embark on the fascinating study of human behavior and psychology while applying this knowledge to help solve specific, real-world problems in the counseling and mental health field. The Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling provides a balance of field-tested practice and cutting-edge research in behavioral sciences so that you can be confident that your approach to treatment will be backed by solid scientific study while still maintaining a biblical worldview in ethics and practice.

Liberty University has partnered with world-renowned psychologist, author, radio show host, and family expert Dr. James C. Dobson, to create Liberty University’s James C. Dobson Center for Child Development, Marriage, and Family Studies. With this partnership, Liberty offers timely, relevant, and real-world training in family advocacy and public policy. If you are looking for a master’s degree in advocacy to learn how to become a family advocate, our family advocacy, public policy, and the future track can equip you for your human services career goals.

What Will You Study in the Master’s in Human Services Online Degree?

The core content of the online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling degree program provides a balanced overview of important theories in psychology while applying this knowledge to specific, real-world counseling practices. Students in the online master’s in human services counseling will study the development of the human mind from childhood to adulthood and how multicultural issues affect counseling in individual and group settings. As a Christian college, Liberty bases this study of human thought and behavior on a Christian worldview and demonstrates how these science and evidence-based practices are informed by biblical principles.

The family advocacy, public policy, and the future area of study will give you an overview of important cultural and political aspects of being a family advocate. It will also provide training in the specific human services skills you need to positively impact children and families in your community. You will review public policy issues that threaten the Judeo-Christian heritage of America’s founding principles, as well as learn about the causes of divorce and the psychological consequences for children and parents. You will also choose assessment and treatment-centered courses to help you focus in on specialized advocacy areas such as assisting childhood and adolescent delinquency.

Please note that the online Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling is not designed to fulfill clinical counseling licensure requirements. You can view Liberty University’s licensure-track Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for more information about counseling licensure.

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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 Online MA in Human Services Counseling Degree

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of pursuing Liberty’s Human Services Degree Online?

Complete your coursework on a schedule that fits your life with Liberty University’s online learning environment.
Study a balanced perspective on the theological principles that underlie psychology, giving you effective human services 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 human services counseling, family advocacy, and public policy.
See best practices put to action by observing group meetings in your own community.

Do counselors need a master’s degree?

In most situations, counselors need a master’s degree. As a counselor, you would be working on mental health concerns with patients. This type of work requires specialized training that can be offered through a program like the MA in Human Services Counseling at Liberty University. Please note that this is a non-licensure program, some counseling positions may require licensure.

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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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MA in Human Services – Family Advocacy & Public Policy Gain Advance Skills for Human Service Field

Shape Healthy Family Dynamics with the Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling – Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Online Master’s in Human Services Counseling – Family Advocacy, Public Policy, and the Future?

What Will You Study in the Master’s in Human Services Online Degree?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Requirements for Our Online MA in Human Services Counseling Degree

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of pursuing Liberty’s Human Services Degree Online?

Do counselors need a master’s degree?

Are you ready to change your future?

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