Master's in Religion | Theology | Liberty University

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

Study Scripture and Prepare for Ministry with Liberty’s Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) – Theology

Liberty University’s 100% online Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) – Theology is designed to help equip ministry students with an in-depth, practical knowledge of theology, biblical studies, and Christian ministry practice.

While completing the online Master of Arts in Religion, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a program that allows you to tailor your online master’s degree to your own passions and needs. Students who complete an online theological studies program like Liberty’s Master of Arts in Religion can become prepared to pursue a ministry career in churches, parachurches, and nonprofit organizations while also preparing for postgraduate and doctoral studies.

Students who complete this graduate-level online religion degree with a theology specialization will receive a thorough Christian education that explores the works of history’s greatest theologians in addition to core courses in religious studies. By pursuing the theology area of study, you can gain an even greater understanding of the Bible’s underlying themes and interwoven messages. This area of study’s 4 specialized theology classes can help prepare students for church ministry and evangelism opportunities.

Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) – Theology.

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.

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Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
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Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s Online MAR in Theological Studies?

As an accredited Christian university, Liberty’s online ministry degrees make pursuing your education easier with the flexibility of a 100% online format while holding weight as a master’s degree credential. Liberty University’s online seminary programs, such as the online master’s in religion, will give you an accredited college degree that can help equip you for ministry in a variety of fields.

While students in any specialization of Liberty University’s online Master of Arts in Religion receive foundational instruction in the fundamentals of the Bible, Christianity, and Christian theology, students who complete the area of study in theology can pursue specialized study in advanced theological topics to enhance their writing and ministry teaching. The theology area of study for the online Master of Arts in Religion is designed for students who are fascinated by the deep, interwoven messages and themes of the Bible and enjoy the in-depth academic study of Scripture.

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

As a student at Liberty University, you get access to the Logos Bible app at no extra cost. If you’re 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 Liberty’s Master’s in Theology Online?

Liberty University’s online Master of Arts in Religion offers extensive, well-rounded training in ministry and the administration of Christian organizations. This program also covers biblical and theological studies.

Additionally, the online master’s in religion provides in-depth study of both the Old and New Testaments, Christian church history, systematic theology, and the process of researching, writing, and preparing a sermon.

The online theology area of study provides an additional, advanced study of many important topics for theologians and Christian scholars. After completing core content courses in systematic theology, students in the theology specialization dive deep into challenging concepts such as ecclesiology, the biblical church organization, and the doctrine of God.

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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 Requirements for Our Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) – Theology 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
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

What is the study of theology?

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).
Liberty University online seminary students can complete Institutional Challenge Exams (ICE) to get college credit for personal studies and expertise in ministry, subject to transfer limitations.
Liberty’s online degrees of divinity through the online seminary have a Liberty’s online seminary offers divinity degrees at a graduate tuition rate of just $410 per credit hour for part-time students.
Online seminary block rate: students in 9 to 15 credit hours per semester are eligible for a block rate of $2,850 per semester!*

*Credits taken above 15 credit hours for the Master of Divinity 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.

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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 Arts in Religion (M.A.R.) – Theology Empower Your Biblical Knowledge

Study Scripture and Prepare for Ministry with Liberty’s Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) – Theology

Accreditation

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Online MAR in Theological Studies?

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

What Will You Study in Liberty’s Master’s in Theology Online?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Requirements for Our Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) – Theology Degree

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

Ready to Apply?

Military

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the study of theology?

Is Liberty accredited?

What are the benefits of Liberty’s online seminary degrees?

Are you ready to change your future?

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