Master’s Degree in Human Services Counseling | General Track

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

Become a Knowledgeable Human Services Professional with Liberty’s Online Master’s in Human Services Counseling – General

Are you a human services professional looking for a degree that offers you the flexibility to study the topics that mean the most to you? If so, conferring Liberty University’s online Master of Arts (MA) in Human Services Counseling – General may be a great next step for you! This online human services counseling master’s degree is an excellent option if you’re a mental health professional or social services worker who would like to gain additional knowledge that is specific to human services settings.

If you’ve worked in human services or mental health before, you know that people often need help overcoming personal challenges. You also know that sometimes adults and children need an advocate, which is where you can help. By partnering with us for your human services counseling master’s degree, you can advance your knowledge of the helping professions and pursue positions of added responsibility.

*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 Degree?

As a pioneer in distance education since 1985, we understand what it takes to develop a human services master’s program that can help you grow as a professional while respecting your personal commitments. This degree program is offered online in 8-week course sections with no set login times. That way, you can pursue your academic goals while staying connected to the things that matter most – your job, family, and community.

Another benefit of our online graduate human services program is the flexibility it gives you when choosing courses. The general specialization consists of several free elective courses. While other degree programs require you to take specific courses, this degree program offers you some freedom to design your own degree path around your interests, career aspirations, and strengths.

This degree program is taught by a group of expert professors who have years of experience in the helping professions. At Liberty, you won’t just study from a textbook – you’ll study under distinguished human services authorities. You’ll also have the opportunity to network with peers, work collaboratively, and consider differing views as you pursue your degree.

At Liberty, we strive to make earning your master’s degree in human services counseling as simple as possible – without sacrificing any of the quality you expect from a graduate degree. Partner with us, gain valuable knowledge, and take your career to new heights.

Can You Be a Counselor With a Human Services Degree?

While you can use this degree to pursue non-licensure counseling roles or supplement the counseling licensure you already hold, our Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling is not designed to fulfill clinical licensure requirements. If you are interested in studying to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), please see our Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

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

Our master’s in human services counseling consists of 2 sections: core human services courses and the general specialization. Together, these areas offer you a world-class human services counseling education.

You will begin your degree by studying introductory topics in human services counseling. From there, you will study human growth and development, the integration of spirituality and counseling, and interpersonal communication. You will also explore multicultural issues in human services and group dynamics.

The general specialization is made up of 4 courses. This section of our online master’s degree in human services does not require any specific courses – rather, it allows you to choose your courses from a wide variety of subjects. You can study marriage and family counseling, life coaching, military resilience, or substance abuse counseling. You can also elect to take crisis counseling courses or classes that examine the parent-adolescent relationship.

Through our curriculum, you can become a more knowledgeable and prepared human services professional who is capable of serving people from all walks of life.

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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 Information for Liberty’s Master’s in Human Services Counseling Online 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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*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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Master’s Degree in Human Services Counseling – General Forge Expertise in Human Services

Become a Knowledgeable Human Services Professional with Liberty’s Online Master’s in Human Services Counseling – General

What Sets Us Apart?

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

Can You Be a Counselor With a Human Services Degree?

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 Information for Liberty’s Master’s in Human Services Counseling Online Degree

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

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