Master of Arts in Family Life Ministry in Montgomery, AL
The Master of Arts in family life ministry (MAFLM) offered by Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, is an innovative online degree that prepares students to serve youth and families in a wide range of church and community settings. The program stands apart from other family ministry degrees in that it combines prevention-based models and therapy-style intervention strategies in the teaching of family life counseling. Grounded in Christian values, this framework allows graduates to serve the needs of youth and families more effectively.
Program Curriculum
The family life ministry program is taught asynchronously in 8-week courses. It requires 37 credit hours and provides a curriculum that enables students to gain critical knowledge and experience in topics that include:
- Family dynamics
- Family life ministry
- Marital and family strengths
- Parent and character education
- Personal and family finances
- Counseling families in crisis
- Family life cycle (diversity and complexity)
Additionally, students partake in ample experiential learning through a supervised family ministry counseling practicum that integrates counseling methods with the Christian faith. To graduate, students must also pass a comprehensive exam.
This master’s degree is designed to prepare and inform future and current youth and family ministers, church leaders, educators, and others in providing family life counseling and programs to children, adolescents, and their parents so they can become strong, faithful families.
The goal of the program is to provide graduates with the technical and faith-based knowledge to effectively design, implement, and evaluate community and ministry programs that provide relationship guidance for youths and families.
Certificate in Family Life Ministry
A certificate is available for those who would like the family life ministry education without pursuing a full master's degree. The certificate requires 19 hours and coursework includes:
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- Christian Counseling the Skilled Helper
- Couple Family, and Church Assessments
- Family Life Ministry: Contexts and Methods
Whether a student opts for the certificate or the full master's degree, they will be prepared to begin or enrich an exciting career in family ministry. For more specific information about the certificate and the curriculum in general, view the full MAFLM degree plan.
Admissions Requirements
Those interested in enrolling in the Master of Arts in youth and family ministry program must meet certain conditions to be admitted. Once you meet these obligations, you can complete the online application. You must also submit official transcripts from all schools you attended previously along with the proper fee. Finally, you may mail the application and other necessary documents to Faulkner University at:
Faulkner University
Attn: Graduate Enrollment
5345 Atlanta Hwy
Montgomery, AL 36109
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- Submit a completed online application.
- Complete and print the Official Transcript Request form and submit it to all previously attended schools with the appropriate fee.
- Send all additional items via mail to:
Faulkner University
Attn: Graduate Enrollment
5345 Atlanta Hwy
Montgomery, AL 36109
Admission Requirements
Prospective students who wish to enroll in the Master of Arts in Family Life Ministry program must meet the following admission requirements:
- Completed graduate application for admission.
- Hold bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended.
- Names and contact information for three individuals (at least one of whom is a church leader) who could provide letters of recommendation for the applicant if contacted
- A goals statement of at least 1000 words specifying personal goals and stating ways that the Master of Arts program at Faulkner University will contribute to those goals. Include in this goals statement: (1) background preparation for the degree; (2) basis for the choice of the KGST; (3) spiritual and academic goals; (4) impact of the degree sought on financiers and personal, employment, and family time. A student must obtain a score of 40 or above (out of 60 possible points) as partial qualification for admission.
A maximum of six semester hours can be transferred into the M.A. program from a regionally accreditation institution. Transfer hours must be approved.
Tuition
Tuition and Fees
2025 - 2026 Financial Information
| Tuition | $510 per semester hour |
| General Fee | $350 per semester ($250 if 5 hours or less) |
| Online Course Fee | $75 per semester hour |
| Applicable Course Fees | see full tuition and fee schedule |
Benefits of Studying at Faulkner University
Individuals who enroll in the MAFLM program find it offers various advantages. Consider the following reasons why students choose Faulkner University:
Online Flexibility
This advanced degree in family life ministry is offered entirely online, enabling students from across the United States to learn at a higher education institution grounded in the Christian faith.
Because all classes are offered online, students can access course and curriculum information from anywhere at any time. Students have the flexibility and freedom to pursue a family life ministry degree at their own pace while balancing existing work and family commitments.
Graduates will be ready to promote healthy family and interpersonal relationships, foster effective parenting, engage in spiritual formation, and strengthen marriage and family life.
University Resources
Even though online MAFLM students aren’t located on one of the Faulkner University campuses in Alabama, they still have full access to all the same services that on-campus learners enjoy, including instructor feedback and student resources.
Comprehensive and Unique Design
The family ministry degree combines prevention-oriented methods rooted in ministry practice with family therapy intervention approaches from the field of counseling. Graduates of the program are adequately prepared to provide counseling with a Christian foundation and to be effective family ministers or educators.
The MAFLM is not designed for students seeking to become state-licensed therapists. Rather, it is intended for those who want to counsel community members in a faith-based setting. Faulkner University does offer a Master of Science in counseling that prepares graduates for licensure.
Career Preparation
This personalized, self-paced online degree is geared toward current and future church leaders and workers, educators, family youth service providers, administrators, and others who perform Christian-based counseling and family guidance.
Graduates of the family life master’s degree become skills needed to address the most challenging contemporary family issues. They help parents and family guardians to find common ground to develop more healthy relationships and stronger marriages. Graduates can also train parents to shape the faith and moral character of their adolescent children, showing them how to approach conversations about intimacy and sexuality from a biblical perspective.
Pursue the Family Ministry Degree at Faulkner University
Earning an online Master of Arts in family life ministry through Faulkner University opens the door for students to make a genuine difference in their communities and advance their careers with a Christian foundation. Individuals may enroll for classes online, at the main Montgomery campus, or at our satellite campuses in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile. Take the next step and request information or apply today.