liberty-university

Counseling and Psychology Degrees from Liberty University

Liberty University appears in our ranking of the 10 Most Affordable Master’s in Counseling Online.

Liberty University offers counseling and psychology degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students may pursue degrees online or through the traditional in-seat campus in Lynchburg, Virginia. The bulk of Liberty University students choose to study online thanks to a large course catalog and flexible learning arrangements. There are many counseling and psychology degrees offered online.

Counseling classes at the undergraduate level include an associate degree in Christian counseling and a bachelor of science degree in both Christian counseling and crisis counseling. Master’s degrees are offered in addictions counseling, clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family counseling, school counseling, military resilience, and pastoral counseling. Students may also focus on a number of areas, including some of the following:

  • Life Coaching
  • Executive Leadership
  • Marriage and Family
  • Health and Wellness
  • Crisis Response and Trauma

Doctorate degrees are available in counseling at Liberty University as well. Students may pursue a doctor of education degree in marriage and family counseling, pastoral counseling or traumatology. Students might also be interested in a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision or a CTG in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Many degrees in counseling and psychology overlap with one another. Students who are more interested in pursuing psychology than counseling may find a bachelor of science degree in a psychology field to be more to their liking. These areas include addiction and recovery, Christian counseling, criminal psychology, crisis counseling, developmental psychology, life coaching, military resilience or general psychology.

Like counseling, the psychology field offers a variety of graduate degrees. Some choices include:

  • Ph.D. in General Psychology
  • Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology
  • Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
  • Ph.D. in Social Psychology

Students can also pursue a Master of Applied Psychology in Development Psychology or a Master of Applied Psychology in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

Residential students can also pursue counseling and psychology degrees at Liberty University. The programs are more limited on-campus but are taught face-to-face in a conservative Christian environment. Opportunities for those interested in counseling and psychology at the home campus might include an associate or bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. Other bachelor’s degree programs include biopsychology, psychology, pastoral leadership, communication or social work. Graduate degrees are offered in clinical mental health counseling, marriage counseling, pastoral counseling, and psychology.

About Liberty University

Liberty University is a conservative, evangelical university based out of Lynchburg, Virginia. The university was founded in 1971 as a private university with a strong focus on Christian ethics and beliefs. It was founded by televangelist Jerry Falwell and Elmer Leon Towns.

Liberty University has over 15,000 students at its home campus and more than 95,000 who study online. This makes Liberty University one of the largest private colleges, by student enrollment, in the country.

U.S. News and World Report ranks Liberty University at 293rd overall in national private universities. Notable alums from Liberty University include quarterback Nick Foles, Fox News anchor Shannon Bream, NFL running back Rashad Jennings and Grammy Award winner TobyMac.

Liberty University Accreditation Details

Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. This accreditation allows Liberty University to award undergraduate and graduate degrees both online and on-campus.

Liberty University Application Requirements

Undergraduate applicants to Liberty University must complete the school’s online application. They must include their cumulative high school GPA, college entrance test scores and an essay describing the role of the prospective student’s faith. The school expects students to have a minimum GPA of 3.15, a minimum ACT score of 20 and completion of a specific set of courses during high school. These include:

  • Four English units
  • Two college-prep math courses
  • Two years of laboratory science
  • Two years of social science
  • Two years of any foreign language
  • Four elective credits

Tuition and Financial Aid

The cost of attending Liberty University varies based on which program is chosen. Traditional, on-campus students must pay $23,800 per year. This covers full-time tuition only. Students are also charged for housing, dining, student center access, student health, auto registration and any costs related to specific courses. This might include lab fees, equipment costs, and any books.

The cost of attending Liberty University online is $390 per hour for full-time students or $455 per hour for part-time students. There is also a technology fee and a fee for specific courses.

Those students who wish to attend graduate school can expect to pay slightly higher rates. Online graduate courses are about $600 per credit hour, though the cost varies depending on the program.

Students can use financial aid to cover the cost of attending Liberty University. The school offers scholarships for both resident and online students. Scholarships may be need- or merit-based. There are a number of scholarships that are offered to dependents of first responders, military, and others. Students in families that earn between $35,000 and $95,000 per year may be eligible for the Middle America Scholarship, which provides $5,000 per year.

All students, regardless of income, should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA provides a full overview of the family’s finances. This helps Liberty University determine which students are eligible for certain financial aid packages. Likewise, the FAFSA is used by the federal and state government for determining eligibility for grants. The FAFSA may be used by private, outside scholarships or by those institutions that provide student loans.

In addition to grants and scholarships, Liberty University offers a payment plan that allows students and their parents to pay for tuition and other costs over the course of a year rather than in a lump sum. Students may use this plan to pay for textbooks as well.

Learn more about Liberty University and its counseling and psychology programs by visiting the school’s website.