Online EdS in Community Care | Pastoral Counseling

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

Provide Counseling from a Biblical Perspective with Liberty’s EdS in Pastoral Care and Counseling Degree

Are you passionate about helping people work through life’s challenges? By conferring Liberty’s Education Specialist (EdS) in Community Care and Counseling – Pastoral Care and Counseling, you can learn how to combine biblical principles with effective counseling techniques and help hurting people find healing. Throughout this program, you’ll explore practical methods for promoting spiritual, mental, and emotional health in your community.

As a postgraduate program, the EdS degree in pastoral counseling allows you to gain doctoral-level training. If you’re thinking about later pursuing a full doctoral degree, you can potentially transfer up to 27 credits from this EdS into our Doctor of Education (EdD) in Community Care and Counseling program – allowing you to get a jumpstart on your doctorate!

This online EdS is a great option if you’re a pastor, licensed professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, or clinical social worker looking to further your career. With guidance from our seasoned faculty, you can develop the skills for your journey as an educator, administrator, or researcher in the helping professions.

Please note: This EdS degree is not designed to meet state counseling licensure requirements. If you are interested in a counseling license, please see our Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, or Master of Education in School Counseling.

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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 Online EdS Degree in Pastoral Counseling?

This pastoral counseling degree is designed to help you integrate research, theory, application, and biblical truth as you serve those in your community. If you have a passion for reaching hurting individuals with the love of Christ, our EdS in pastoral care and counseling degree can help you gain the knowledge, skills, and values to make your counseling ministry more effective.

As a pioneer in distance learning since 1985, Liberty seeks to offer programs that fit your busy schedule. That’s why our EdS degree in pastoral counseling is available 100% online with no set login times. At Liberty, you’ll be able to stay invested in the things that matter – like your family, job, church, and community – while pursuing your goals.

Additionally, Liberty is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), and our faculty have years of experience in the field. With our rigorous curriculum and expert instructors, you can rest assured that you are receiving an education of the highest quality.

At Liberty, you can gain a well-rounded perspective on how to help those around you find lasting peace. We believe that mental health and spiritual health go hand in hand, which is why our EdS in Community Care and Counseling – Pastoral Care and Counseling offers a biblical approach to understanding human nature and suffering. That way, you can learn how to help people grow in their walk with Christ and use their faith to overcome life’s challenges.

What Will You Study in Our EdS in Community Care and Counseling – Pastoral Counseling Degree Program?

In this pastoral counseling degree, you’ll explore a variety of core topics such as advanced group counseling, applied counseling theories, and research methods. You’ll also study the community mental health system with an emphasis on community outreach, intervention, client advocacy, and multicultural competence. By examining the key issues and trends facing pastoral and community counselors today, you can learn how to serve your clients with wisdom and grace.

In addition, you will study teaching and learning strategies for use in the human services educational context – preparing you to potentially teach at a college or university. You’ll also study counseling and treatment strategies through the lens of a Christian worldview and explore a holistic approach that accounts for the emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects of human existence.

Within the pastoral care and counseling specialization, you will examine ethical issues related to pastoral counseling as well as strategies for promoting your personal growth as a Christian counselor. Additionally, you can learn how to address various issues that impact individuals and families – including childbirth, parenting, and blended family situations. If you want to work with engaged or married couples, our pastoral care degree can also help you promote marital health, enrichment, and stability from a biblical standpoint.

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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.

EdS and EdD Full Time	$610/Credit
EdS and EdD Part Time	$675/Credit
Military EdS and EdD	$375/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Admission Information for Liberty’s EdS Degree in Pastoral Counseling

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 master’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing.
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.

Applicants lacking a graduate-level statistics course will be required to complete MMFT 515 Research Methods and Evidence Based Practice in MFT (3 c.h.), or EDUC 518 Educational Research and Assessment (3 c.h.), or its equivalent prior to EDCO 735 in the EdD

The Office of Graduate Admissions may request additional documentation while conducting admission reviews to evaluate a candidate’s record before a final admission decision can be made.

Preliminary Acceptance

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

Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
Complete a Master’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 transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
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 doctoral degree.

Transcript Policies

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.

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 – $375 per credit hour for EdS and EdD courses
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)

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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Online EdS in Pastoral Counseling Degree Ignite Healing with Spiritual Care

Provide Counseling from a Biblical Perspective with Liberty’s EdS in Pastoral Care and Counseling Degree

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Online EdS Degree in Pastoral Counseling?

What Will You Study in Our EdS in Community Care and Counseling – Pastoral Counseling Degree Program?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

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Admission Information for Liberty’s EdS Degree in Pastoral Counseling

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are there opportunities to continue my studies after finishing the EdS?

What accreditation does Liberty University have?

Are you ready to change your future?

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