Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Counseling Empowering Leaders in Spiritual Guidance
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9
Credit Hours
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the certificate total
Help Bring Healing to Your Community with a Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Counseling
Do you want to help hurting people find healing and hope? Are you passionate about discovering lasting solutions to mental and emotional problems? Do you believe in the power of the Gospel to transform people’s lives?
If so, then a career in pastoral counseling may be right for you! Liberty’s Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Counseling can equip you for a variety of ministry-related roles by developing your skills in Christian counseling, pastoral leadership, and biblical studies. Our program provides an in-depth look at biblical, research-based counseling practices that can be applied to many situations.
Partner with us and gain the tools you’ll need to serve as an unlicensed counselor in your church and community.
*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.
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Ranked in the Top 10% of Niche.com’s Best Online Schools 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 Pastoral Counseling Certificate Online Program?
Complete your coursework when and where it’s most convenient for you. As pioneers in distance learning, we have designed this certificate program to be affordable and 100% online. You can stay invested in your family, job, church, and community while earning a certificate that can take your career to the next level.
You are continuing your education because you have a passion for serving others. To support you in this endeavor, we offer training from seasoned professors who are committed to your success. They can equip you to become a Champion for Christ in the field of pastoral counseling. Our faculty are knowledgeable in their field, passionate about what they do, and dedicated to helping you reach your full potential.
Our graduate certificate program is an excellent alternative to a full-length master’s degree. You can hone your skills and achieve career readiness without the cost and commitment of a master’s program. Through our pastoral counseling courses, you can learn how to offer lasting help to hurting people in the midst of tragedy or hardship.
Join us and prepare to serve with humility and Christlike love as a pastoral counselor.
What Will You Study in Our Pastoral Counseling Certificate Program?
Explore a holistic approach to treatment that combines cognitive-behavioral theory, biblical teaching, and leading mental health research.
Our pastoral counseling courses can equip you to counsel individuals in your community from a biblical perspective. As a pastoral counselor, you can serve in many Christian, non-licensed roles, including as a marriage and family therapist, mental health counselor, crisis counselor, or substance abuse therapist. By learning how to treat problems and illnesses within a spiritual context, you can help people find peace, healing, and meaning in life.
Pastoral counselors offer hope through the truth of the Gospel. In our graduate certificate program, you’ll gain both practical skills and biblical knowledge while preparing to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus in our broken world. After completing this certificate, you’ll have a firm foundation in mental health practices and biblical counseling, allowing you to effectively help those who are struggling or suffering.
Explore how psychology and theology intertwine. In this program, you can learn how to use counseling methods that are both clinically and biblically sound. You’ll also examine counseling theories that have been developed by prominent Christian counselors. Our faculty can help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, so you can offer quality pastoral care to people in your religious community.
Potential Career Opportunities
Our pastoral counseling certificate can help you prepare for several career paths. Depending on your current knowledge, education level, and experience, there are many different positions that could benefit from our accredited certificate:
The counseling and mental health skills that you gain from our certificate in pastoral counseling can be an asset in many other aspects of the ministry world as you pursue positions of added responsibility. Additionally, the credits from this certificate may transfer directly into the master’s in pastoral counseling. Take the next step towards your personal and professional goals with a pastoral counseling certificate from Liberty University.
Additional education or training may be required for some jobs or occupations. Conferral of a certificate does not guarantee job placement.
Required Courses
Certificate Information
- This program falls under Liberty’s Liberty Theological Seminary.
- View the Graduate Divinity Course Guides (login required).
Certificate Completion Plan
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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.
Graduate Full Time | $565/Credit |
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Graduate Part Time | $615/Credit |
Military Graduate | $275/Credit |
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Our Graduate Certificate 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 bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.0 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.
- 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.
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
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
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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 graduate courses
- 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)
*Not applicable to certificates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between clinical mental health counseling and pastoral counseling?
Pastoral counselors offer a unique, well-rounded approach to counseling and human suffering. While regular counselors focus on people’s mental and emotional needs, pastoral counselors also recognize the importance of spiritual matters. They help people find lasting healing by offering biblical guidance that addresses spiritual, mental, and emotional issues. As religious leaders trained in ministry and mental health, they provide a valuable service to their communities.
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