Top 15 Most Affordable Online Graduate Degrees in Pastoral Care and Counseling

The Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling at Luther Rice University and Seminary prepares graduates for careers as counselors in local churches and other ministry settings. This 36 credit hour graduate degree program is designed to prepare a graduate for a career as a non-licensed counselor in a variety of roles such as church counselor, lay counselor, jail or prison chaplain, youth and family pastor, or christian counselor. While this program requires a practicum that can be completed in a variety of settings, it is available 100% online or through on campus classes in Atlanta.

• Religious Accreditation: Association for Biblical Higher Education
• Religious Accreditation: Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
• Graduate Tuition: $4,266.00

Courses Include:

Introduction to the Old Testament; introduction to psychology and counseling theories; foundations of Biblical counseling; spiritual formation, marriage and family counseling; issues, ethics, and legal concerns for counselors; crisis counseling and pastoral care; and methodology for Biblical counseling.

All degree programs at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary provide students with a foundation in seven competencies as well as numerous areas of focus to support students in pursuing their individual interests and goals in Christian service. The Master of Divinity offers a broad range of specializations including one in counseling. This 84 credit hour online degree prepares graduates to serve in a number of ways including pastoral ministry, youth ministry, and chaplaincy. Students can complete this degree fully online or may choose to combine with on campus courses or workshops.

• Regional Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Religious Accreditation: Association of Theological Schools
• Graduate Tuition: $4,590.00

The Seven Competencies Covered in all Degree Programs at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary are:

Biblical exposition; Christian theological heritage; disciple making; interpersonal skills; servant leadership; spiritual and character formation; and worship leadership.

Shasta Bible College and Graduate School offers two counseling focused distance education programs: the Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling; and the Master of Divinity in Biblical Counseling and Christian Family. Online courses are offered at the same time as on campus courses and run throughout the year in 15 week semesters offered in the fall, spring, and summer. Students in this program have access to the online classroom at any time of day or night that works for them. Students will have the ability to download audio and visual lectures and access the school's online library.

• Religious Accreditation: Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
• Graduate Tuition: $5,400.00

Courses Include:

The Biblical counselor and family life educator; courtship, marriage, and the family; theology of biblical counseling; marital and family counseling; counseling children, adolescents, and their families; addictions; premarital preparation and counseling; principles of Biblical counseling; life-cycle issues; foundations of interpersonal relations and conflict resolution; and crisis management.

Ohio Christian University offers a Master of Arts in Ministry with a Pastoral Care and Counseling Concentration. This graduate degree is designed to prepare individuals for careers in the field of pastoral care and counseling. This degree is not designed to prepare graduates for professional licensure as counselors, but rather for those that are called to a counseling ministry. Students in this program will learn counseling assessment and intervention techniques, crisis intervention skills, how spiritual issues impact individuals, and ethical standards for counseling professionals.

• Regional Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Religious Accreditation: Association for Biblical Higher Education
• Graduate Tuition: $7,125.00

Concentration Courses Include:

Methods of pastoral counseling; spiritual issues in pastoral counseling; ethical and legal issues in pastoral counseling; and pastoral intervention in crisis.

Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary offers a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Pastoral Counseling. Students in this 96 credit hour program will engage with classmates and faculty through online discussion boards, blog postings, online videos, and more. Courses are offered in eight week blocks, with two sessions of online classes offered each semester.

• Religious Accreditation: Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
• Graduate Tuition: $7,800.00

Courses Include:

Introduction to pastoral care; spiritual formation and growth; pastoral counseling; Christian ethics; premarital and marital counseling; advanced issues of counseling; grief and loss counseling; theological foundations of Biblical counseling; clinical foundations to biblical counseling; and addictions.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine offers a Master of Arts in Theology with a Pastoral Theology Specialization. This degree focuses on providing students with a strong theological foundation based in Catholic doctrine. Saint Joseph's College Master of Arts in Theology offers different specializations, one of which is the pastoral theology specialization. This specialization is designed for individuals interested in serving people in a variety of settings and contexts such as parishes, hospitals, retreat and spiritual centers, and social service agencies. Graduates with this degree may choose to provide services in the church or community such as counseling related to marital, financial, relational, or religious problems.

• Regional Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• Graduate Tuition: $8,246.00

Courses Include:

Foundations of moral theology; youth ministry and family faith formation; foundations of Catholic spirituality; pastoral counseling: theory and practice; ministry with the aging, sick, and dying; ministry in the multicultural church of America; and spiritual direction.

Liberty University offers a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling. The programs website clearly outlines their online 36 credit hour program offerings and requirements. Students at Liberty University will develop a strong foundation in counseling covering areas including psychology, theology, gerontology, and healthy sexuality. Graduates of this program will be prepared to offer counsel based on biblical principles to diverse clients. Graduates will find careers as non-licensed counselors within the church. Graduates of this program may choose to pursue professional licensure with the completion of some post graduation courses and requirements which vary by state.

• Regional Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Religious Accreditation: Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
• Graduate Tuition: $9,360.00

Courses Include:

Introduction to pastoral counseling; multicultural issues in pastoral counseling; spiritual formation in pastoral counseling; crisis intervention in pastoral counseling; marriage and family counseling; theories and techniques in pastoral counseling; survey of theology; integration of psychology and theology; theology and spirituality in counseling; healthy sexuality; gerontology and counseling; and counseling women.

Northwest Nazarene University offers what they call a Course of Study Online. In this program Northwest Nazarene University offers course modules to support clergy development to prepare graduates for effective ministry. All courses are offered over 12 weeks sessions and are facilitated by a pastor/teacher who holds at least a Master's degree to support students in reaching their individual goals in the field of ministry. This program is open to anyone interested in an education in Christian studies but is designed for those pursuing ordination in the Church of the Nazarene. This program is perhaps less specific to counseling than some of the other programs listed here, but still covers the topic with the goal of introducing students to the fundamentals of pastoral counseling in their course called Shepherding God's People.

• Regional Accreditation: None
• Graduate Tuition: $9,920.00

Course modules include:

Shepherding God's people, supervised ministry experience, communicating Christ cross-culturally, leading the people of God.

All online students at Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) have access to the University's on-campus support, resources and facilities. SAGU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctorate degrees, and as a result their degrees are recognized across the country. This 72 credit hour program offers a variety of courses to prepare graduates to counsel diverse populations. Students in this program can prepare for a variety of callings by selecting a concentration in one of six areas including counseling. A thesis option is also available and designed for students that plan to pursue a Ph.D. after completing their Masters.

• Regional Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Religious Accreditation: Association for Biblical Higher Education
• Graduate Tuition: $10,080.00

Courses Include:

Marriage and family counseling; crisis intervention; religion in contemporary world society; ministering within cultural diversity; pastoral care; and research literature and technology.

Harding University offers a 36 credit hour Master of Ministry. This program is focused on preparing individuals to serve as ministers in the church. Because serving a congregation often involves counseling members of the church, a summer course and practicum experience focuses on training students in people helping. This course and practicum experience looks at human development and how to best support people in a variety of contexts. Students will learn to prepare couples for marriage as well as how to strengthen marriage and family relationships. Additionally, issues such as divorce, grief and loss, addiction, and dependency issues are explored. Graduates will be prepared to offer counsel in the church setting and know how and when a referral for outside counsel might be more appropriate.

• Regional Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Graduate Tuition: $12,096.00

Courses Include:

Research and resources for advanced bible study; theological foundations of ministry; ethics in ministry; Christian ministry in contemporary culture; Christian communication; people helping, people helping practicum; conflict management; conflict management practicum; family ministry; and women's ministries.