Master of Divinity (MDiv) | Pastoral Counseling Online Degree

Credit Hours

Online,* 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026 | May 18, 2026

Provide Pastoral Counsel with Our Master of Divinity Online – Pastoral Counseling Degree

Do you have a passion for ministry, serving, and counseling others? Liberty University’s Master of Divinity (MDiv) in Pastoral Counseling provides training in pastoral counseling strategies so you can discover how to serve the needs of your ministry and congregation. Through this program, you can gain a deeper understanding of discipleship, evangelism, preparing a sermon, and theology, all through a biblical and theoretical framework.

You will have the option to choose from pastoral counseling courses on various topics, including multicultural issues in counseling, human sexuality, and counseling special groups like women, young people, or the elderly. If you have a heart for people and ministry, our MDiv in Pastoral Counseling can give you the knowledge to lead others with a biblical perspective through the difficult circumstances in life.

Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Divinity (MDiv) in Pastoral Counseling.

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

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

Accreditation

Liberty Theological Seminary, as part of Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Your seminary degree is approved by ATS and has met rigorous accreditation standards, so you can feel confident that your degree is both academically excellent and well-respected among churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.

Backed by a brick-and-mortar campus ranked as Niche.com’s #2 Best College Campus in America for 2026

Private Nonprofit University
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 University’s Master of Divinity Online – Pastoral Counseling Degree?

Liberty University’s core mission is to Train Champions for Christ. By pursuing our Master of Divinity online, you can graduate confidently from one of the nation’s largest Christian universities. Our specialization in pastoral counseling can help you to gain skills and knowledge that can be useful in your church. Our online format is an added benefit, allowing you to remain active in your family, church, and community while adding essential experience that can help you become an invaluable member of your ministry.

As a Master of Divinity online student, you will not have to sacrifice quality for flexibility, as our Master of Divinity degrees are available online and in 8-week course formats. Additionally, Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Your degree will be widely recognized and provide the credentials you need to succeed in your career.

Get the Tools You Need for Ministry Success – Included with Your Program

As a student enrolled in a Rawlings School of Divinity program, you receive a Logos Max subscription – unlocking a robust library of biblical and theological resources while you study.

The majority of our Liberty Theological Seminary master’s programs even integrate Logos into your courses, teaching you how to use it effectively and giving you additional resources and training to help you dig deeper into Scripture and prepare for ministry.

What Will You Study in Our Master of Divinity Online – Pastoral Counseling Degree?

Our Master of Divinity online programs with numerous specializations feature a wide range of in-depth coursework in apologetics, church ministry, evangelism, homiletics, Old and New Testaments, and theology. Your instructors are equipped with the education and experience in ministry needed to communicate biblical concepts.

Our pastoral counseling specialization provides the seminary training you need to engage many topics and areas of ministry, including multicultural awareness, pastoral counseling for men, women, children, the elderly, married couples, and more. We encourage you to review our featured courses below and explore what you could be learning as early as our next start date!

Potential Career Opportunities

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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.

To continue our mission of providing affordable education, electronic textbooks are provided for many divinity courses* all for one convenient fee.

*Electronic textbooks are not provided for PACO courses or courses that fall under departments outside the School of Divinity.

Grad & Postgrad Divinity Block Rate (9-15 credit hours)	$2,850
Grad & Postgrad Divinity Part Time (1-8.99 or over 15 credit hours)	$410/Credit
Military Grad & Postgrad Divinity Block Rate (9-15 credit hours)	$2,575
Military Grad & Postgrad Divinity Part Time (1-8.99 or over 15 credit hours)	$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 of Divinity Online – Pastoral 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. *Please note: the MA in Christian Apologetics requires a 2.5 GPA for admission in good standing.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Admission to this program also requires:
- The School of Divinity Questionnaire (login required).
- Submission of contact information (login required) for 1 pastoral recommender.
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 part-time graduate and postgraduate divinity courses
Discounted divinity block rate – $2,575 per semester*
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)

*Credits taken below 9 and above 15 credit hours per semester are charged at the part-time rate.

**Not applicable to certificates, postgraduate, or doctoral programs.

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.

View Military Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions for Our Pastoral Counseling MDiv

Is a master’s in divinity worth it?

We believe a Master of Divinity is absolutely worth your time and effort! But first, you have to decide if this program is right for you and your goals. Take a look at these questions to find out:

Are you passionate about God’s Word and interested in increasing your knowledge of the Gospel?
Do you want to become better equipped to minister to others and fulfill the Great Commission?
Do you want to move into a new role, like lead pastor, church administrator, or nonprofit director?
Are you interested in increasing your earning potential?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then a Master of Divinity is probably the next step in your professional journey!

What are the benefits of earning Liberty University’s online MDiv?

The Master of Divinity is the most comprehensive seminary program available to ministers, missionaries, and ministry professionals.
Those with shorter graduate seminary degrees may find that most of their previous coursework will be transferred to Liberty’s MDiv online program.
Unlike many online colleges, Liberty University is regionally accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Institutional Challenge Exams (ICE) are available to test out of foundational biblical and theological studies content for the online MDiv program.

What does Master of Divinity mean?

Are you ready to change your future?

Apply Now

App Fee Waived This Week*

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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 of Divinity Online – Pastoral Counseling Degree Lead with Empathy

Provide Pastoral Counsel with Our Master of Divinity Online – Pastoral Counseling Degree

Accreditation

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty University’s Master of Divinity Online – Pastoral Counseling Degree?

Get the Tools You Need for Ministry Success – Included with Your Program

What Will You Study in Our Master of Divinity Online – Pastoral Counseling Degree?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Liberty’s Master of Divinity Online – Pastoral Counseling Degree

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

Ready to Apply?

Military

Frequently Asked Questions for Our Pastoral Counseling MDiv

Is a master’s in divinity worth it?

What are the benefits of earning Liberty University’s online MDiv?

What does Master of Divinity mean?

Are you ready to change your future?

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