Master of Arts in Religion – NextGen Ministry Address the Next Generation

60
Credit Hours
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Reach a New Generation with a Master’s Degree in NextGen Ministry
You have spent years of your life serving others and you recognize the importance of spreading your ministry to people of all ages – one of the most critical groups being the up and coming generation.
We want to help you address the challenges and opportunities facing tomorrow’s generation of Christian leaders. Conferring Liberty’s Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.)– Next Generation Ministry can help you learn how to best approach children and young adults as you grow your ministry. Partner with us and our mission to Train Champions for Christ while earning a reputable master’s degree in your field.
You can be an example of an intentional ministry leader for children, adolescents, and their families as you create more effective and fruitful ministries for decades to come.
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 among Niche.com's Top 5 College Campuses in America
What Sets Us Apart?
- 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
Why Choose Liberty’s M.A.R. in NextGen Ministry Degree?
With so many online religion degrees to choose from, you may be wondering if our Master of Arts in Religion is the right program for you. If you are looking for a program that can be used as preparation for future doctoral studies, this 60 credit hour degree is a great stepping stone.
We also understand that in your pursuit of ministry you are looking for an affordable way to continue your education. Liberty’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity provides 100% online master’s degrees for a lower, block tuition rate of just $2,750 for 9-15 credits. As a full-time M.A.R. student, this can save you up to $6,000 a semester compared with our other master’s degrees.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
What Will You Study in Our Master of Arts in Religion Degree?
With Liberty’s M.A.R. program, you will gain extensive, well-rounded training in discipleship ministries, apologetics, theology, and biblical studies. Additionally, you will complete courses in research and writing to help you become an expert in your area of study and prepare for potential doctoral studies.
By choosing to specialize in next-generation ministry, you will take 12 credit hours focused on preparing you to reach, disciple, and lead young people and their families. Our NextGen courses provide advanced training on the issues and trends of ministering to today’s youth. With the growing need for churches to broaden their reach to people from birth through young adulthood, our program provides vital ministry training to prepare you to meet that need.
You will also learn how to:
- Create plans for personal growth, development, and service.
- Defend the theological and historical foundations of the Christian faith.
- Design a discipleship ministry strategy for Christian ministries.
- Expound on your knowledge of the origin and contents of the Bible.
Potential Career Opportunities
- Associate pastor
- Christian camp leader
- Christian educator
- Christian nonprofit manager
- Missionary
- Pastor
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity.
- View the Graduate Divinity Course Guides (login required).
Degree Completion Plan

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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.
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) | $2,750 |
---|---|
Grad & Postgrad Divinity Part Time (1-8.99 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 (1-8.99 or over 15 credit hours) | $275/Credit |
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Requirements for the Online M.A.R. 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.
- 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 serve 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
Is Liberty accredited?
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.
What are the benefits of Liberty's online seminary degrees?
- Unlike many online Bible colleges or online seminaries, Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees.
- Liberty University online seminary students can complete Institutional Challenge Exams (ICE) to potentially get college credit for personal studies and expertise in ministry.
- Liberty’s online degrees of divinity have a discounted graduate tuition rate of $395 per credit for part-time enrollment.
- Students attending full time (9-15 credit hours) are eligible for our online seminary block rate of $2,750 per semester!*
*Credits taken below 9 and above 15 credit hours for the Master of Arts in Religion online are charged at the part-time rate.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Inner Navigation
- Overview
- What Sets Us Apart?
- Why Choose Liberty?
- What Will You Study?
- Tuition & Aid
- Admission Information
- Military
- FAQs
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