Pastoral Studies Degrees Online – Bachelor’s, Master’s and More

What is pastoral studies? Pastoral studies degrees are college-level programs that are designed to prepare people for a career in the ministry. They include both Scriptural and philosophical education in Christian beliefs and doctrine as well as studies in liturgical worship and practical pastoral skills such as counseling and evangelism.

Being called to become a pastor means being entrusted with enormous responsibility. The Lord is placing faith in you just as you are in Him, calling you to a position of care and leadership of His children.

So, guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.
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~ Acts 20:28

It’s a position that requires moral authority and wisdom. You have to have the ability not just to quote Scripture and verse, but to understand and interpret it for your congregation. And you must be able to draw on that knowledge to apply Biblical teachings to complex emotional and ethical questions that rise in the lives of your flock.

A pastor is called upon to not just spread the Word and evangelize, but also to support their congregation in practical terms. When there are sick, hungry, and oppressed within your parish, you are expected to take action. Your compassion must be bottomless; your abilities have to be strong.

All of this argues for earning a college degree in pastoral studies or ministry. All the faith or strength of testimony in the world isn’t enough—becoming an effective pastor takes training, and a university education is where you get it.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
~ James 3:13

Degrees in Pastoral Studies at Every Level Serve As Steps to Becoming a Pastor

Degrees in pastoral studies can be found under a wide range of different titles:

The common thread you’ll find through all of them is that they are aimed at providing a practical course of study in ministering to groups or individuals. While they will deliver a considerable amount of training in Scripture, morality, and theology, the aim is always to improve your skills in caring for people.

Pastoral studies degrees can be found at every level of college education. While the scope of your studies will be a lot different between a doctoral program in pastoral ministry versus an associate’s program in the field, the objective for each of them is to help you to become a more knowledgeable and effective witness in His praise.

We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.
~ Acts 5:32

Associate Degrees in Pastoral Studies

A two-year associate degree is pretty much universally seen as just a first step in a much longer path to becoming a pastor. Although these programs cover the same basic subjects as other pastoral studies programs, it's a thin layer of instruction. Only about half your credits will actually be taken in ministry topics.

That's because associate degrees are also designed to prepare you for more general skills in learning and working. You'll find a required set of liberal arts and science classes are also required, basics to build your communication, knowledge, and thinking skills.

But those are all important building blocks, because an associate degree can often be used to transfer to a four-year bachelor's program. If the colleges you attend for each have a transfer agreement, you can basically fulfill your first two years of bachelor's work through an associate degree. And because two-year schools are usually less expensive than larger four-year colleges, that can be a big savings on your path to Christian leadership, and eventually becoming a pastor.

Bachelor’s Degrees in Pastoral Studies

The four-year bachelor’s degree is where you really start to get off the ground in pastoral studies. These are multi-purpose degrees that offer far more than just a religious education. Instead, they combine those pastoral studies with a traditional general liberal arts education. That means classes in social studies, English, history, math, and science—everything that makes an American college graduate a skilled communicator, critical-thinker, and problem-solver.

This is the first level where a pastoral studies degree may qualify you for genuine positions as pastors and leaders in ministry. It may be possible in some denominations to seek ordination with a bachelor’s degree, although it is rare. More commonly, assistant pastorships, Christian jobs in non-profits, or teaching positions open up for you.

Master’s Degrees in Pastoral Studies

Master’s degrees in this field are most often aimed at offering qualifications for Christian leaders pursuing the path of ordination in their denominations. Becoming ordained comes with a steep set of requirements, typically including a master’s degree, and often very specific coursework at the master’s level.

You’ll spend about three years to get a degree at this level, but those are all years jam-packed with focused coursework in ministry skills. With your thinking, communicating, and learning skills built out already by your bachelor’s program, you can apply yourself fully to pastoral subjects at this level.

That also allows master’s degrees to become highly specialized in a particular kind of ministry. Specializations are more common at this level, and all your classes are more in-depth.

Doctoral Degrees in Pastoral Studies

At the doctoral level, pastoral studies programs are designed to help hone and perfect your relationship with God and your skills as a minister in His service. Frequently, these degrees come with a very specific focus, such as pastoral counseling or missions. They are often used by already ordained ministers to improve their skills in a particular type of service.

You’ll notice a division between programs specifically designed for practical ministry applications and those oriented more toward academic achievement, however. The DMin, or doctor of ministry, is one common example of practical training. It focuses on honing your skills in directly ministering to your congregation, often with a practical capstone project to round it all off, showing what you have learned through real-world action.

A PhD in pastoral ministry, on the other hand, represents a more theoretical kind of learning. These are aimed at improving academic skills, usually for the purpose of training educators or researchers. Most involve intensive study and original thinking in theological subjects, usually culminating in a doctoral dissertation.

There are no specific rules about how you can apply your advanced training in pastoral studies, though. Many beloved and respected pastors and bishops hold PhDs, while widely-published and effective researchers and professors may have DMins or similar doctorates.

Pastoral Studies Coursework Develops Knowledge and Skills for Hands-on Ministry Work

You’ll find classes in pastoral studies offer a combination of practical and theological instruction. And some of those classes will teach you how to put the two together, evangelizing and ministering with the wisdom of the Lord and His prophets.

Scripture - The inerrant Word is the basis of everything that is known and preached in Christianity. Every minister has to not only know the Bible, chapter and verse, but also to understand it. Pastoral studies include heaps of Biblical hermeneutics, teaching you to read the Word (sometimes in the original Hebrew or Greek) and analyze it yourself.

Theology - Theology is the study of spirituality and belief. It’s a systematic exploration of faith, building solid foundations beneath the inspiration of the prophets. Coursework can include not just Christian beliefs, but comparative explorations of other religions. You’ll also learn the history of the Church and the broad scope of different Christian denominations.

Ministry - Ministering to people takes empathy and skill. Much of the focus in pastoral studies programs will be teaching you those skills. It will come through coursework in subjects like:

Liturgy - The processes of worship and church ceremony are conducted by denominational doctrine. You’ll learn that doctrine through courses that take you through the practical aspects of conducting a sermon, baptisms, weddings, and more.
Counseling - Not all ministries require one-to-one counseling. They do all involves compassion, offering wisdom and guidance, and understanding how to handle people in every state of emotion. Coursework in counseling and psychology will give you a leg up in those tasks.
Church management - Churches are organizations of people for purpose of worship. But they are still organizations of people, with buildings and budgets and newsletters to publish. You’ll study basic administrative subjects as well as specific religious topics such as church planting.

Community - Context has been an important part of ministry since the Paul the Apostle brought the Word of Christ to Rome. As a pastor, you have to know your audience, to understand their needs and hopes. That starts with developing an appreciation of different cultures, and how Christianity both shapes and has been shaped by the peoples who practice it.

You will also get a sort of training in your own personal spiritual development.Understanding your inner spirituality and sources of faith is a critical part of being an effective minister. Most programs also include coursework in spiritual formation, prayer, and discipleship.

You should also expect some field-training as part of your studies. No one comes straight out of a classroom with all the delicate skills needed to deal with real-life pastoral challenges. An internship, practicum, or other opportunity to serve in genuine ministry allows you to try out your skills in a live setting where mentors and instructors can help you adjust.

Specializations Available in Pastoral Studies Degrees

With all the many kinds of pastoral ministries that exist in the world, there are many kinds of specialized training available. Although some pastoral studies majors are themselves specialized, like a degree in youth ministry, in other cases, focus comes through degree concentrations.

Concentrations offer a subset of class options to tailor your studies to the area you want to specialize in. Concentrations look different at different levels of pastoral studies degrees—an associate's program may have few or no concentration options, while bachelor's degrees can offer a dozen specific classes in that subject.

Some of the most common concentrations for pastoral studies degrees are:

Any of these options can tailor your studies to the skills you believe you will need to best fill your calling as a pastor.

How To Choose the Right Christian College for Your Pastoral Studies Degree

Every college student has their own criteria when it comes to picking a school to attend. From campus layout to professors to how full the classes are can be things you care about—or not!

But there are some special considerations for pastoral studies degrees that you need to build into your choices:

Does the school teach the right doctrine? A pastoral studies program, naturally, is intended to lead to becoming a pastor. But not every denomination has the same beliefs, and not all doctrines are taught equally in every program. You need to make sure you’re looking at schools your church will accept when it comes time to look for ministry jobs.

Is the school fully accredited? Most colleges today hold at least a general accreditation from an agency recognized by the Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. That’s what validates the administrative and academic quality of a college. Particularly at higher levels of study, though, you might want to think about whether a school also has specialty accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) or the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). Those could be important to making sure your degree is accepted for ordination

Is the program offered online? Not everyone is interested in an online degree, but they are becoming more common and opening up college as an option to more people than ever before. With the option to attend from anywhere, to take your courses any time of day, and to pick from among many more different schools than ever before, an online pastoral studies degree could be just the ticket for your circumstances.

What Can You Do With a Degree in Pastoral Studies?

Pastoral ministry is the final destination and the true calling for many students who earn degrees in this field. But it's not the only option on the table. With associate and bachelor's degrees, pastoral studies is only one step toward the ministry. You're more likely to find yourself qualified for entry-level Christian jobs such as teaching, camp counseling, or working in outreach programs run by faith-based organizations. Of course, both those degrees set you up to continue your education. So, the experience you get in the workforce along the way can be a bonus while working toward your ultimate goal. But even master's degree holders have plenty of options other than ordination on the table.

With a graduate education in ministry, you have a lot of training in working with people, showing compassion, and leading organizations.

There are many Christian charities, missionary organizations, and Christian schools that need expertise of that caliber. You can become a professor, an administrator, a manager, or even start you own evangelism or charity efforts. The skills you developed in outreach and organizing can benefit any kind of social justice mission. For doctoral graduates, all those options remain open along with advanced research or academic jobs. Perhaps all your studies have just given you a thirst for more knowledge. You can pursue it in educational settings or at Christian think-tanks. Of course, actually becoming an ordained minister is both the intended outcomes of pastoral studies degrees and an enormously rewarding job to pursue. The degree itself is only a small part of that journey, but a vital one. And it will give you the training and self-confidence to go all the way to caring for your own parish and community.