Purpose

The Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling non-licensure program provides students with an academic program designed to educate students in the study of human behavior and the application of helping skills. Students will master coursework and review the literature in the field considered essential to the professional preparation of human service counseling workers who seek to offer services in areas such as leadership, families, addictions and recovery, etc., that are consistent with a Biblical worldview. Though students are encouraged to evaluate their own specific needs and to take advantage of available resources for personal and professional development, the learning outcomes are applicable to all students as they seek a degree relevant to the vast field of human services.

Program Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to:

• Demonstrate appropriate knowledge in all core curricular areas of human services in preparation for certification and employment.
• Conduct research and generate reports appropriate to the discipline.
• Integrate Biblical principles with professional human service’s methods in a variety of contexts.
• Identify and incorporate ethical and legal standards in the human services arena.

Program Specific Admission Procedures

In addition to the General Admission Procedures outlined in this Catalog, applicants to the non-licensure Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling must have:

1. An earned baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., SACSCOC, TRACS, ABHE, etc.);
2. An undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale).
3. Applicants for the non-licensure 30-hour M.A. in Human Services Counseling are not required to complete prerequisite work.

Applicants must submit each of the items listed in the General Admissions Procedures to the Office of Graduate Admissions before being considered for acceptance to the program.

Transfer of Credit

Students may transfer up to 15 semester hours of coursework into the non-licensure 30-hour Human Services Counseling program. For a transferred course to replace a Liberty University course, the following requirements must be met:

1. The school at which the course was taken must be appropriately accredited.
2. The course credit must be at least three semester hours or five quarter hours.
3. The student must have earned a grade of B- or better in the course.
4. The course must overlap one of Liberty’s courses by at least 80%.

Courses related to psychology and counseling that meet all but the last criterion may be transferred in as elective courses. Course work must have been completed within the previous eight years. Transfer credits from outside Liberty University will not be accepted for the following courses: HSCO 500 Introduction to Human Services Counseling (3 c.h.) and HSCO 506 Integration of Spirituality and Counseling (3 c.h.). Credit will not be awarded for life experience or continuing education workshops.

Credits from a prior degree on the same academic level earned through Liberty University are considered transfer credits. Liberty University course work that is more than ten (10) years old must be repeated.

Course Requirements

The Department of Community Care and Counseling offers two master’s-level degree programs. The non-licensure M.A. in Human Services Counseling is designed for professionals from all walks of life dedicated not only to career advancement, but impacting tomorrow’s world and the well-being of others in the spirit of Christian services. While there are some courses that can be done residentially, the program was designed to be done completely online, so all courses are in that format for the students’ convenience. The degree is grounded in a core of courses developed through the Department of Community Care and Counseling. The core is reflective of the University’s mission statement and designed to provide the values, knowledge, and skills needed for effective work in the vast field of human services. This degree consists of 18 hours of human services counseling courses and a 12-hour online cognate from such graduate level academic disciplines as Marriage and Family; Crisis Response and Trauma; Addictions and Recovery; Military Resilience and varied human-services fields.

Delivery Format: Online Only

• Behavioral Management Aide
• Career Counselor
• Case Manager
• Child Advocate
• Child Life Specialist
• Christian Counselor
• Clinical Mental Health Counselor
• Community and Social Service Specialist
• Crisis Intervention Counselor
• Dietary Counseling
• Disaster Relief Counselor
• Domestic Violence Counselor
• Family Services Specialist
• Human Services Coordinator
• Juvenile Court Counselor
• Juvenile Probation Officer
• Mental Health Specialist
• Rehabilitation Specialist
• Social Services Director
• Sports Counselor
• Substance Abuse Counselor
• Victim/Witness Advocate