Diploma in Biblical Counseling (Dp.B.C.)

People come to church carrying burdens they often can’t name: grief, conflict, anxiety, broken relationships. Gateway’s Diploma in Biblical Counseling equips you to walk alongside them with the wisdom of God’s Word.

Designed for those who lack an undergraduate degree, the Dp.B.C. provides focused ministry preparation without requiring admission to a master’s program. It exists to equip men and women to take part more faithfully in the Great Commission by discipling believers and evangelizing the lost through biblical counseling.

The program is grounded in Scripture and shaped by a robust theological vision. It builds confidence in the authority, sufficiency, and relevance of God’s Word for the full range of human experience. Biblical counseling is a conversational, Scripture-based ministry that depends on the transforming work of the Triune God. You’ll learn to be wisely and compassionately present with people who are suffering or struggling with sin, and to offer Christ-centered counsel that leads them toward flourishing in a broken world.

The 50-credit program starts with a foundation in the Old and New Testaments, Christian theology, and church history or Baptist heritage. From there, you’ll study:

• counseling theory and methods
• theological foundations for biblical counseling
• common counseling problems
• marriage and family counseling
• intercultural counseling
• cognitive-behavioral therapy
• law and ethics in Christian counseling

A supervised practicum in a counseling setting gives you guided, hands-on experience.

Dp.B.C. is a two-year, non-licensure diploma. It is not designed to meet California’s requirements for LPC or LMFT credentialing.

The Dp.B.C. is offered at the Ontario and Arizona campuses, online, and through remote classes. Finishing on schedule may require some remote or online coursework.

You’ll leave with greater confidence in Scripture’s wisdom and a deeper conviction that the gospel of Jesus Christ changes and heals lives.