Master’s in Church History Degree Deepen your understanding of the church
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60
Credit Hours
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Enrich Your Ministry with Liberty’s Master of Arts in Religion – Christian History Degree Online
Understanding the roots of the Christian church is vital knowledge for any ministry professional. If you want to embark on an in-depth exploration of topics like the Reformation and the history of evangelicalism, Liberty can help! Our 100% online Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) – Church History degree provides training in important foundations and historical movements within the Christian church.
The core content of our MAR program offers a practical study of sermon preparation, evangelism, and discipleship ministries. With the church history specialization, you’ll have the opportunity to explore how the church came to be what it is today. Our goal is to help you pursue rewarding ministry opportunities in churches, parachurch settings, and nonprofit organizations.
At Liberty, you can enhance your personal study of Scripture and prepare to more effectively share the Gospel with other people. As you explore the challenges faced by the early Christian church, you can hone your understanding of how we can learn from our church fathers and create better unity today.
Partner with us and see how far a master’s in Christian history degree can take you!
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 Master of Arts in Religion – Church History Online Program?
As an accredited university, Liberty offers a history of Christianity master’s degree that holds weight as an advanced educational credential while providing the flexibility of a 100% online program. Our goal is to help equip you for ministry in a variety of fields. Whether you are currently serving as a ministry professional or looking to pursue new job opportunities, we can help you develop the knowledge and skills needed to impact the world for Christ.
Liberty has been a pioneer in distance learning since 1985. A lot has changed since then, but our commitment to Training Champions for Christ has not. We’re committed to offering online programs that blend flexibility, affordability, and accessibility. Because our master’s in church history courses are offered 100% online, you’ll have the freedom to earn your degree without putting your life on hold.
Throughout this program, you’ll study under faculty who are well-versed in their field and firmly rooted in the Christian faith. You can learn from their expertise and hone your understanding of Scripture as you dig deep into the foundations of the Christian church.
What Will You Study in Our Online History of Christianity Master’s Degree Program?
This program offers a mix of core religion classes and church history courses online. You can enrich your study of religion while exploring the foundations of the early church. With this knowledge, you can prepare to serve in a variety of ministry roles, both inside and outside the church.
The core of the online master’s in religion provides in-depth studies of the Old and New Testaments, systematic theology, global studies, and evangelism. You can also study the art of researching and writing sermons as well as essential topics in hermeneutics and biblical interpretation.
Within our church history courses online, you’ll explore the historic expansion of global Christianity from the first century to the present day. Additionally, you’ll study how the Reformation and other important historical events in church history have impacted contemporary evangelism. You’ll also learn about the particulars of Christianity in America so you can understand how the church and our nation have affected each other.
After earning this church history degree, you may want to pursue our online Doctor of Ministry (DMin).
Potential Career Opportunities
Our Christian history courses online can help you tackle challenges in ministry roles at churches and parachurch organizations. Additionally, our Christian history degree may help you qualify for college-level and non-licensure K-12 religious studies teaching positions. Some of the other roles you could pursue include:
- Adjunct religion instructor
- Associate pastor
- Church education administrator
- K-12 religion instructor (non-licensure)
- Lay ministry leader
- Missionary
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity.
- View our Graduate Divinity Course Guides (login required).
Degree Completion Plan (PDF)
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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 |
---|---|
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 |
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Requirements for Liberty’s Online Master’s in Church History 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. *Please note: the M.A. 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.
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
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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 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.
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 receive college credit for personal studies and expertise in ministry (subject to transfer limitations).
- Liberty’s online seminary offers divinity degrees at a graduate tuition rate of just $395 per credit hour for part-time students.
- With the online divinity block rate, students attending full time (9-15 credit hours) are eligible for a block rate of $2,750 per semester!*
*Credits taken below 9 and above 15 credit hours for the online Master of Arts in Religion are charged at the part-time rate.
What is the difference between an MDiv and the MAR in Church History?
Liberty’s Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Religion have many similarities, with both providing an in-depth look at topics like apologetics, the Old and New Testaments, and sermon preparation. However, the MDiv is a broader, more comprehensive degree that offers training in additional subjects, such as Greek and Hebrew language tools.
If you complete your MAR and later want to pursue an MDiv, you can potentially transfer 2/3 of your MAR degree into our online MDiv program — saving you time and money! For instance, you may be interested in our MDiv in Church History.
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- Overview
- What Sets Us Apart?
- Why Choose Liberty?
- What Will You Study?
- Tuition & Aid
- Admission Information
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