Online Christian Counseling Degrees

Lee University's Division of Adult Learning (DAL) offers a bachelor's degree in ministry leadership. This program offers 8 different areas of emphasis, including 1 in counseling for those interested in a ministry counseling career or graduate studies in counseling. Online programs through DAL are available in fully online 7-week terms, or in a hybrid format, which consists of 7-week terms combined with 2-week on-campus intensives. Courses are delivered through Lee Online, using the Moodle platform, plus students participate in online meetings with instructors for lectures, group discussions and mentoring. Graduates of the ministry leadership program are required to earn 120 credit hours and maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 in major courses, which include 30 ministry leadership and 24 counseling concentration credit hours. For admission to Lee's DAL programs, students must have a GED or high school diploma along with 3 years of life experience beyond high school graduation, as programs are geared towards adult learners. In addition to Lee's regional accreditation, DAL programs are accredited by the Association of Christian Distance Education (ACCESS) and the Christian Adult Higher Education Association (CAHEA).

At Johnson University's School of Congregational Ministry, students may earn a BA or BS degree in pastoral care and counseling. The BS degree is 100% online, and the BA is almost completely online (students must complete the language requirements for the BA on-campus at Johnson or through another institution). The curriculum combines biblical and arts and sciences core courses for a well-rounded approach, preparing students for counseling and leadership ministry roles. Sample courses include pastoral counseling, ministry counseling, family services, and conflict and communication. Students without transfer credits typically take 4 years to complete the program, taking 2 courses during 7-week terms. Those with transfer courses can shorten this time frame considerably and can transfer up to 90 credits towards the 120 credits required for graduation. Students can also plan to transfer credits through Tennessee Transfer Pathways, which provides smooth transfer of specific associate degrees from Tennessee community colleges to Johnson bachelor's degree programs.

The Bachelor of Arts in Christian Counseling at World Mission University (WMU) is geared toward students interested in a career in counseling-related ministry, as well as to those planning to continue with graduate work. This is a fully online, 4-year program, consisting of 126 semester credit hours, with 45 being general education credit requirements and the remainder consisting of Bible, theology and major courses. WMU allows up to 84 approved transfer credits for this program, meaning only 42 credits need to be completed at WMU. Students can earn credits through a senior thesis project, and they must demonstrate Christian character and pass the Bible Comprehensive exam prior to graduation. Admission to WMU programs is open to Christians of all denominations, and is based on both academic and spiritual criteria, which includes active participation in church, a Christian ministry calling and baptism. Students will interview with the program director to determine if they meet all the requirements.

For students interested in a career in ministry along with counseling, The King's University (TKU) offers a fully online bachelor's degree in biblical counseling. This is considered a pre-professional program, which prepares graduates to work in areas such as local churches, nonprofit service and freedom ministry, while also providing a solid foundation for graduate-level studies in counseling or Divinity. Students will complete 124 credit hours prior to graduation, with a majority of the curriculum being general education and major courses, along with electives, Christian Foundation courses and practicum/experiential learning. Courses are offered in accelerated 7-week or traditional 15-week formats, and depending on transferable credits, program length can vary. Students can transfer up to 90 credit hours earned from previous colleges and may also be able to earn credits for previous life experience or CLEP testing. TKU is accredited by both TRACS (Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools) and ABHE (Association of Biblical Higher Education).

For students interested in a career involving Christian-based counseling, Grace Christian University offers a Bachelor of Science in Human Services degree. The program blends general psychological principles, traditional counseling methods and biblical counseling components to prepare students to bring a Christian outlook and ethics to their work. While it is geared towards those planning to serve individuals or communities in areas such as education, corrections, social services, recreation and business, it can also be applied in other careers or serve as a foundation for graduate work. The accelerated bachelor's degree portion of the program takes about 24 months to complete and consists of 48 core and 12 concentration credits. Classes cover topics such as the theology of leadership, working with teams, survival psychology and biblical counseling. Students can transfer credits from other schools to meet the 120 total credits necessary for graduation. A capstone project is also required.

Students interested in a career in Christian counseling can find several 100% online bachelor's programs at Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) to give them the background they need, including a counseling major that is a pre-professional degree, and a human services major with a counseling focus. For students planning to work in ministry and interested in counseling, SAGU offers an online bachelor's degree in child and family studies, which focuses on counseling, relationships and child development. While these are considered traditional degrees, all programs at SAGU integrate Christian faith with learning, and the curriculum is taught with a Christian worldview. In addition to typical college admissions requirements, students applying to SAGU must provide a Christian character reference along with demonstration of a born-again spiritual experience. Graduates from this program have found work in areas such as spiritual care, rehabilitation counseling, youth programs, social services, orphanages and in hospitals. Many also continue on to graduate school and earn licensure within the counseling field.

Oral Roberts University is a Christian-centered institution based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is open to people of all denominations and is committed to a "Whole Person Education" philosophy of improving the spirit, mind and body. Among its available programs, ministry and leadership is its most popular, and its theology programs are accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. ORU offers a 128-credit-hour, 4-year, online Bachelor of Science degree in Christian caregiving and counseling that combines psychology, crisis intervention, and assessment and evaluation with Christian caregiving courses such as developing helping skills or teaching the bible, to provide students with the skill sets needed to pursue careers in lay or pastoral counseling, or as community health workers or substance-abuse counselors. Each course term is 7 weeks long, and terms run year round so that students may complete their degrees earlier. A senior practicum paper is required in the final year.

At John Wesley University, all undergraduate degrees are considered a double major ? each student completes their chosen major alongside a Bible/theology major. Students interested in an online Christian counseling degree can earn a BA in Christian ministry, with a concentration in counseling. The program includes internship and Christian community service requirements to prepare graduates to work as counselors in churches, camps, ministries and human service agencies, or to practice non-licensed Christian counseling for individuals, groups, couples and families. For those wanting to gain state licensing to become a counselor, this program serves as a solid foundation for the graduate studies required to do so. Students can complete the program in 4 years or less, depending on previous credits earned. There is no minimum credit hour requirement for transfer students, but a quarter of the 120 credits required for graduation must be earned at John Wesley. Students may also earn credits based on CLEP or DANTES testing, previous military and professional training and lifelong learning experiences.

At Toccoa Falls College, students planning to work in areas such as ministry counseling, education and human services can earn a fully online bachelor's degree in counseling psychology, and can choose from minors in psychology, family studies or counseling. This degree also provides a stepping stone to graduate school for a professional counseling degree and licensure. The program typically takes 4 years but can be completed in fewer years with transferred credits. Students must earn 126 credits in order to graduate, and will also be required to participate in an internship along with research, service and outreach activities. Optional opportunities for involvement for online students includes intramural sports (if they live within a certain distance from the campus), student clubs, participation in the commencement ceremony, online videos of chapel services and opportunities for study abroad. Special tuition discounts are available for eligible full-time online students, such as for those living in certain counties, and a 50% tuition reduction for full-time emergency first responders.

Johnson University in Florida is part of the Johnson University System and offers a variety of bachelor's degrees through Johnson University Online, including a BS or BA in pastoral care and counseling. This program prepares students to work in counseling and leadership roles within the ministry. It's considered a 100% online program; however, the BA degree does require an on-campus foreign language component. All students will participate in a professional internship prior to graduation, and must earn 120 credits for program completion. The program usually takes 4 years to complete, but with up to 90 allowable transfer credits, this time frame can be shortened considerably. For the 4-year plan, students take 2 courses per 7-week term, including over the summer. Courses are asynchronous, and delivered through Sakai, the college's Learning Management System (LMS) that serves as the online classroom and main hub for online students, and provides students access to assignments, video conferences, chat features, discussion forums and group projects.