MA in Pastoral Counseling – Pastoral Counseling Sow Seeds of Healing: Cultivate Your Calling
36
Credit Hours
100% online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Provide Comfort and Hope to the Hurting with a Master’s in Pastoral Counseling
You are fascinated with psychology and the intricacies of the human mind. You love working in a ministry setting and sharing the Gospel with other people. You want to combine your passion for psychology and theology into a career that lets you bring hope and healing to those in your community.
If that sounds like you, Liberty’s online Master of Arts (MA) in Pastoral Counseling – Pastoral Counseling can help. Our program is designed to train ministry professionals and church leaders to become Christian counselors in churches and non-licensure agencies. With the pastoral counseling cognate, you can learn how to help people of various ages and backgrounds thrive mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
Students in Liberty University’s counseling program will study clinically and biblically sound methods for understanding human nature, responding to challenging life circumstances, and providing guidance that addresses the root of human struggles. Whether you are already serving as a ministry professional or just getting started in the field, our M.A. in Pastoral Counseling can help equip you to fill a variety of Christian counseling roles.
Please note that the online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling is not designed to fulfill clinical requirements for state-licensed professional counseling. Please see the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for a fully licensure-track clinical counseling program.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
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.
Why Choose Liberty University’s Pastoral Counseling Program?
If you are already a ministry professional and want to branch out into pastoral counseling, our online Christian counseling degree can help you aid people who are struggling with spiritual and mental health crises. This program will help build on your previous ministry experience so you can provide the best possible pastoral care to those in your church community.
If you’re worried that school will get in the way of your other commitments and priorities, we have just what you need. This degree is offered 100% online, and the courses have no set login times — which means you can complete your classes from the comfort of your home and stay invested in your family and career while earning your degree.
Our pastoral counseling professors have years of experience working in professional ministry settings. They are ready and eager to share their expertise with you as you take this important next step in your academic journey. With their guidance, you can develop a deeper understanding of how to meet people’s spiritual and psychological needs.
What Will You Study in Our Master’s in Pastoral Counseling Courses?
This degree contains a mix of core courses and the pastoral counseling cognate. By completing this general track, you can develop a flexible skill set and potentially pursue many different types of counseling roles. The pastoral counseling area of study will cover a wide variety of counseling and pastoral care topics, and you can tailor your degree to fit your unique ministry needs.
Explore best methods for addressing spiritual and mental health issues in your congregation. In this program, you can learn how to understand personhood, suffering, and human nature through the lens of both psychology and theology. You’ll also examine how meeting people’s spiritual needs is a vital part of addressing their mental and emotional challenges.
Our pastoral counseling courses cover many essential topics, including crisis intervention, marriage and family counseling, spiritual formation, healthy sexuality, and multicultural issues in counseling. Whether you want to counsel couples, families with children, elderly people, or women, our M.A. in Pastoral Counseling can help. You’ll dive into practical methods for helping people of all ages work through grief, trauma, and the everyday hardships of life. By completing an internship, you can gain practical, hands-on experience.
Partner with us and prepare to serve as a Champion for Christ in your church and community.
Potential Career Opportunities
Liberty’s Christian counseling degree online can equip you to serve the people within your church using biblically sound counseling methods. Some of the roles you may qualify for after completing this program include:
- Associate pastor
- Church counselor
- Non-licensed counselor
- Women’s ministry director
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the Liberty Theological Seminary.
- View the Graduate Divinity Course Guides (login required).
Degree Completion Plan (PDF)
Not sure what to choose?
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
Grad & Postgrad Divinity Block Rate (9-15 credit hours) | $2,750 |
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Grad & Postgrad Divinity Part Time (0-8.99 or over 15 credit hours) | $395/Credit |
Military Grad & Postgrad Divinity Block Rate (9-15 credit hours) | $2,475 |
Military Grad & Postgrad Divinity Part Time (0-8.99 or over 15 credit hours) | $275/Credit |
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Liberty University’s Biblical Counseling Program
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.
- 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.
Dual Enrollment
Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.
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
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
Ready to Apply?
Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
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 – $275 per credit hour for part-time graduate and postgraduate divinity courses
- Discounted divinity block rate – $2,475 per semester*
- Additional discount for veterans who service in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)**
- 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.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the duration of the online courses offered?
Our online courses are only 8 weeks long, with 8 different start dates offered each year and no set login times.
What is a pastoral counselor?
Pastoral counseling is a form of counseling that draws on biblical truth and psychological principles to offer a well-rounded approach to human suffering. Pastoral counselors are ministers who are trained to provide psychological and spiritual guidance to members of their congregation. Some pastoral counselors also work in other settings, such as hospitals, military bases, workplaces, or Christian counseling centers. The goal of pastoral counseling is to offer therapy that is based on spiritual truth and cutting-edge psychological research.
What is the value of pastoral counseling?
Pastoral counseling is unique because it combines psychology and theology. As a pastoral counselor, you can provide both mental health treatment and spiritual guidance to those who are struggling. Some of the challenges you can help people work through include substance abuse, mental health issues, relationship problems, and grief.
What is the difference between pastoral counseling and professional counseling?
While regular clinical counselors focus on people’s mental and emotional needs, pastoral counselors also recognize the importance of spiritual matters. As a pastoral counselor, you can combine science and theology to address the root of human suffering and help people discover healing that lasts.
Is Liberty University accredited?
Liberty is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
What resources will be available to me in this program?
Online Liberty students have access to a wealth of resources through our top-notch research portal.
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