Help Others Break the Cycle of Addiction with Our Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling – Addictions and Recovery
We know that part of a healthy church or ministry organization is the strong presence of Christian counseling support. Whether you are a pastor who desires to counsel your flock or you want to minister to those who struggle with addiction and want to help them onto the road of recovery, Liberty University’s 100% online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling is designed to train ministry professionals and church leaders to become Christian counselors in ministry and agency-based, non-licensure settings. If you want to earn a degree in counseling and recovery, our Christian addiction counseling and recovery program is designed to provide training for non-licensure settings.
In your online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling, you will study psychology and the Christian understanding of human nature that informs biblical counseling. By pursuing your online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling, you will study how to help provide a balanced treatment of spiritual and mental health counseling practices. With training like this, you can be better equipped to minister to those who are serving in ministry roles.
The addictions and recovery area of study for the online pastoral counseling master’s degree is designed to train you in specialized diagnosis and treatment for clients who want to break out of the cycle of addiction to harmful substances or sexual behaviors. This training can help give you a thorough understanding of the biological and mental aspects of addiction and how the recovery process works so that you can be better prepared to guide clients through their journey to better mental and spiritual health.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
Why Choose Liberty’s Online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling – Addictions and Recovery?
If you are already a ministry professional and find that you need the training to help people struggling with spiritual and mental health crises, completing an online Christian counseling degree like Liberty’s master’s in Christian counseling online is designed to help fill in the gaps and build on your ministry experience. If you want to branch out into a Christian counseling role, the field-specific training and biblical counseling techniques offered in this program can help you provide much-needed support and guidance on a variety of issues.
As a pastor or ministry leader, you may find that you encounter a need for substance abuse counseling or sexual addiction counseling in your congregation and need specialized training to give biblical and professional guidance. If you have a desire to reach out and help those in your community, the addictions and recovery area of study in your online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling is designed to equip you with training that is informed by a biblical worldview so you can help others break out of the cycle of addiction.
Many addiction counseling programs and substance abuse counseling programs do not provide training in pastoral care or the biblical concept of “the helping relationship” — but Liberty does. Our professors teach with a biblical worldview, seek to mentor you, and will pray for you. In this way, they continue to fulfill our mission of Training Champions for Christ.
Our Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling – Addictions and Recovery is taught by talented faculty who have years of hands-on experience and advanced degrees in related fields — so you can be confident that you are receiving a world-class education.
What Are the Benefits of Liberty’s Online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling?
- Unlike many online Bible colleges or seminaries, Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
- Study a balanced perspective on the theological principles that underlie psychology, giving you effective Christian counseling techniques with a firm biblical worldview.
- Gain marketable real-world experience in addiction and recovery care by helping people in your community through the pastoral counseling internship.
- The online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling receives the graduate Divinity tuition rate of just $395 per credit hour for part-time students as well as the online seminary’s block rate. Students attending full time (9-15 credit hours) are eligible for a block rate of $2,750 per semester!*
*Credits taken below 9 and above 15 credit hours for the Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling online are charged at the part-time rate.
What Will You Learn in the Online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling?
While pursuing your online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling, you will study a broad set of foundational Christian counseling skills and knowledge along with field-specialized topic courses and hands-on skill areas. You will study elements of biblical counseling in the online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling as well as how the science of psychology reflects biblical principles of personhood and human nature and how mental health treatment benefits spiritual health. Additionally, you can gain hands-on experience in your own community through your pastoral counseling internship.
The addictions and recovery area of study builds on biblical counseling core content to sharpen skills that can help you address drug addiction, chemical dependency, and sexual addiction as well as biblical approaches to mental and spiritual health. You will also dive deep into studying methods of identifying and diagnosing addiction as well as the biological and chemical aspects of addiction and their impact on treatment. With the addictions and recovery area of study, you can be more prepared to bring effective Christian counseling and pastoral care to addiction counseling ministry with evidence-based and field-tested techniques.
*Please note that the online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling is not designed to fulfill clinical counseling licensure requirements. If you are interested in counseling licensure, please view the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Featured Courses
- SUBS 505 – Addictions and the Recovery Process
- SUBS 606 – Biological Aspects of Addiction and Recovery
- SUBS 607 – Treatment and the Recovery Process
- SUBS 608 – Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexual Addiction
MA in Pastoral Counseling – Addictions and Recovery 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.
- Tuition for all 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 Pastoral Counseling – Addiction and Recovery in as little as 1.5 years.
- Develop broad experience in Christian counseling and pastoral care to address mental and spiritual health issues in your ministry or biblical counseling practice.
MA in Pastoral Counseling Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Behavioral Sciences.
- Download and review the Degree Completion Plan for this program.
- View the Graduate Behavioral Sciences Course Guides (login required).
MA in Pastoral Counseling – Addictions and Recovery Military Benefits
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 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 part-time graduate courses
- Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)
- Discounted divinity block rate: $2,475 per semester – only $165/credit at 15 credit hours*
- 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 below 9 and above 15 credit hours for the online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling are charged at the part-time rate.
Potential Career Options with a Pastoral Counseling Degree
When you complete a degree in Christian counseling, like the online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling, you can be better equipped for ministry-based, non-licensure counseling roles in many areas, including marriage and family counseling, crisis counseling, and counseling women.
With the addiction and recovery area of study, you can be more prepared for a role in substance abuse counseling and addiction recovery care. Some of the roles you could pursue include:
- Associate pastor
- Church counselor
- Non-licensed counselor
- Rehabilitation specialist
- Substance abuse counselor
MA in Pastoral Counseling – Addictions and Recovery Admission Requirements
A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with a 2.0 or above cumulative 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.
