Doctor of Faith-Based Professional Doctorate (P.D.) Concentration: Ministry of Leadership, Research, Applied Professional Practice

Program Overview

Degree abbreviation

P.D. in Faith-Based Professional Doctorate

Total program length

120 semester credit hours

Maximum approved transfer credit

Up to 40 semester credit hours

Minimum credits completed through the University after maximum transfer

80 semester credit hours

Normal completion time

Three to six academic years, depending on approved transfer credit, enrollment status, academic progress, and completion of the doctoral project

Advanced Ministry of Leadership, Research, and Applied Professional Practice and Specialization Courses

30 credit hours

Ministry Leadership, Administration, and Professional Practice

21 credit hours

Research Methods and Program Evaluation

18 credit hours

Professional Application and Doctoral Residency

15 credit hours

Advanced Electives or Ministry of Leadership Concentration Courses

12 credit hours

Comprehensive Examination and Doctoral Candidacy

6 credit hours

Applied Doctoral Project and Defense

18 credit hours

Total

120 semester credit hours

The Professional Doctorate (P.D.) in Ministry of Leadership, Research, and Applied Professional Practice is an advanced interdisciplinary degree program designed for seasoned professionals seeking to enhance their intellectual and practical capacities for leadership. This program emphasizes the integration of sophisticated research methodologies with real-world administrative and organizational challenges, fostering a culture of scholarly inquiry and ethical excellence. Students are encouraged to develop a rigorous, evidence-based approach to problem-solving that honors the complexity of institutional management within diverse societal contexts.

The curriculum is structured to support the development of high-level analytical skills, strategic decision-making, and organizational leadership through a lens of stewardship and professional accountability. By engaging with both foundational theory and current practical applications, participants cultivate the ability to lead effectively in mission-driven environments. This program provides a comprehensive framework for those dedicated to synthesizing professional expertise with a commitment to integrity and community-centered service.

The Doctor of Faith-Based Professional Doctorate (P.D.) in Ministry of Leadership, Research, and Applied Professional Practice is an applied professional doctorate emphasizing advanced ministry of leadership, research, and applied professional practice knowledge, organizational leadership, ethical stewardship, program development, community-care systems, higher-education instruction, and evidence-informed professional practice.

Students may receive up to 40 semester credit hours of approved graduate or doctoral transfer credit. Accepted transfer credits are applied toward the 120-credit graduation requirement and may reduce the number of courses and the amount of time required to complete the degree. A student receiving the maximum transfer-credit award must complete at least 80 semester credit hours through the University.

The applied doctoral project must address a documented ministry of leadership, research, and applied professional practice-support, educational, organizational, or community-care need. The project must include scholarly research, an implementation model, measurable outcomes, ethical safeguards, an evaluation plan, and a successful oral defense.

DOCTORAL TRANSFER-CREDIT POLICY: The Doctor of Faith-Based Professional Doctorate (P.D.) and Doctor of Philosophy programs each require 120 semester credit hours. Students may transfer up to 40 semester credit hours of eligible graduate or doctoral coursework toward either degree. Transfer credit is not automatically awarded. Each request is evaluated individually according to: The academic level of the previous coursework; The relevance of the coursework to the doctoral curriculum; Course content and learning outcomes; Credit-hour equivalency; Grades earned; The age of the coursework; Official institutional documentation; The University's residency and transfer-credit policies. Accepted transfer credit may reduce the number of courses and the amount of time required to complete the degree. Students awarded the maximum 40 transfer credits will have 80 semester credit hours remaining in the 120-credit doctoral program. Comprehensive examinations, doctoral candidacy, doctoral residency, the applied doctoral project, dissertation research, and the final oral defense must ordinarily be completed through the University. These requirements may not be satisfied through transfer credit unless expressly permitted under a published University policy.

Program Details

• Total Credits: 120
• Duration: 3 years
• Degree Level: Doctorate

Dissertation Defense and Completion

• 10
• RES850
• MGT895

Capstone Leadership Colloquium

• 2
• None
• BUS898
• Strategic Future Planning
• 2
• None
• MIN899
• Mentorship and Professional Legacy
• 2
• None
• DIS890 — Dissertation Defense and Completion: The final phase of the dissertation, involving the submission of the written work and the oral defense. Students demonstrate mastery of their topic. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• MGT895 — Capstone Leadership Colloquium: A closing seminar where students reflect on their growth and future leadership challenges. Discussions focus on sustaining personal integrity. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• BUS898 — Strategic Future Planning: Students develop a long-term professional development plan. Focuses on long-term sustainability for their organization. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• MIN899 — Mentorship and Professional Legacy: Examines the responsibility of the leader in mentoring the next generation. Focuses on legacy and succession planning. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Requirement

• The Dissertation represents the culminating intellectual achievement of the P.D. program, requiring students to execute an original, applied research project that addresses a substantive problem within their field of practice. The scope of this work involves identifying a professional challenge, conducting an exhaustive literature review, and implementing a rigorous research design that results in actionable solutions for a specific organization or community sector. This project demands a high level of scholarly rigor, critical analysis, and intellectual independence, while remaining firmly grounded in the practical realities of the professional world.
• Integrally, the dissertation serves as a testament to the student’s ability to synthesize their professional expertise with faith-informed values such as servant leadership, biblical stewardship, and ethical integrity. Students are required to demonstrate how their proposed solutions reflect a commitment to the flourishing of their community and the responsible management of institutional resources. Through the dissertation process, students cultivate both the academic competence required of a doctoral scholar and the character development necessary for long-term service, ensuring their work is both technically excellent and morally grounded. This capstone is worth 10 credits and serves as the final measure of student readiness for advanced professional responsibility.

Career Opportunities

• Executive Director of a Faith-Based Nonprofit
• Organizational Consultant for Community Service Agencies
• Higher Education Administrator
• Director of Institutional Research
• Corporate Social Responsibility Manager
• Mission-Driven Organizational Strategist
• Policy Analyst for Social Service Organizations

Important Notices

• The program educates ethical professionals who demonstrate technical excellence, servant leadership, professional integrity, and a commitment to apply sound principles to advance faith-based organizations, strengthen communities, and contribute responsibly.
• HBIU is a lawfully operating nonpublic faith-based postsecondary institution that maintains its status under section 1005.06(1)(f), Florida Statutes. The University annually affirms its compliance with the requirements applicable to faith-based institutions in Florida through Commission for Independent Education.
• HBIU accreditation from QAHE (for quality assurance in pre-tertiary and higher education mechanisms). QAHE offers globally recognized accreditation and quality assurance for higher education, training providers, and professional institutions worldwide. Students should consider the nature and scope of this recognition in relation to their individual certification and professional goals.
• Transfer credit is evaluated individually based on course content, credit hours, grades, institutional documentation, program requirements, and applicable university policies. Although HBIU provides academically structured programs, no institution can guarantee that another college, university, employer, licensing board, or credential-evaluation service will accept its credits or credentials. Students are encouraged to obtain advance written confirmation from the intended receiving organization.
• The program develops academic knowledge and applied competencies for service in faith-based organizations, nonprofit institutions, community programs, and related professional environments. Some occupations associated with the subject area may be regulated by governmental or professional authorities. A degree from HBIU demonstrates completion of the University's academic requirements but does not, by itself, confer professional licensure or legal authority to perform regulated services.
• Where a program is related to an external certification, eligibility is determined exclusively by the applicable certifying organization. Certification bodies may establish additional requirements involving education, examinations, experience, background screening, continuing education, or membership. HBIU does not guarantee certification eligibility or examination approval unless a formal written agreement expressly provides otherwise.
• Career and occupational information is provided to help students make informed educational decisions. Employment outcomes depend on factors such as the graduate's experience, geographic location, professional qualifications, employer requirements, economic conditions, interviewing ability, and any applicable licensure or certification requirements. Completion of a program does not constitute a promise of employment, promotion, job placement, or a particular occupational title.
• This program is delivered through online instruction. Students must have access to the technology, equipment, internet service, software, and learning resources identified in the University's technology requirements.
• Internship or field-experience participation is subject to academic eligibility, site availability, supervisor approval, and the requirements of the participating organization. The University assists students with the placement process but cannot guarantee placement with a particular organization, supervisor, location, or schedule.
• Students are responsible for reviewing the catalog, understanding program requirements, providing accurate information, meeting academic and financial obligations, and verifying whether the program supports their intended educational or professional goals.
• Completion of a University program does not authorize a graduate to use a professional title that is protected or restricted by law. Graduates must use titles that accurately reflect their education, credentials, employment role, and current licensure or certification status.
• Degree abbreviation | P.D. in Faith-Based Professional Doctorate
• Total program length | 120 semester credit hours
• Maximum approved transfer credit | Up to 40 semester credit hours
• Minimum credits completed through the University after maximum transfer | 80 semester credit hours
• Normal completion time | Three to six academic years, depending on approved transfer credit, enrollment status, academic progress, and completion of the doctoral project
• Advanced Ministry of Leadership, Research, and Applied Professional Practice and Specialization Courses | 30 credit hours
• Ministry Leadership, Administration, and Professional Practice | 21 credit hours
• Research Methods and Program Evaluation | 18 credit hours
• Professional Application and Doctoral Residency | 15 credit hours
• Advanced Electives or Ministry of Leadership Concentration Courses | 12 credit hours
• Comprehensive Examination and Doctoral Candidacy | 6 credit hours
• Applied Doctoral Project and Defense | 18 credit hours
• Total | 120 semester credit hours
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES701 | Advanced Research Methodology | 3 | None
• MGT702 | Strategic Leadership Theory | 3 | None
• THE703 | Ethics and Stewardship in Practice | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES710 | Applied Data Analysis | 3 | RES701
• MGT715 | Organizational Behavior | 3 | MGT702
• MIN720 | Servant Leadership in Community Engagement | 3 | None
• BUS725 | Nonprofit Financial Management | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES801 | Doctoral Research Prospectus | 4 | RES710
• MGT805 | Policy Development and Advocacy | 3 | None
• CHR810 | Spiritual Formation and Character Leadership | 3 | None
• COM815 | Professional Communication and Stakeholder Relations | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES820 | Qualitative Inquiry | 3 | RES801
• MGT825 | Change Management and Organizational Development | 3 | MGT715
• BUS830 | Global Perspectives on Social Innovation | 3 | None
• CAP835 | Applied Professional Practicum | 4 | MGT825
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES850 | Advanced Dissertation Research Seminar | 4 | RES820
• MGT855 | Leadership in Diverse Communities | 3 | None
• THE860 | Theology of Work and Vocation | 3 | None
• RES865 | Institutional Research and Evaluation | 3 | RES820
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• DIS890 | Dissertation Defense and Completion | 10 | RES850
• MGT895 | Capstone Leadership Colloquium | 2 | None
• BUS898 | Strategic Future Planning | 2 | None
• MIN899 | Mentorship and Professional Legacy | 2 | None