Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Addiction Counseling (Substance Use, Recovery) Specialization in Psychology & Nonprofit Strategic Management

Program Overview

Degree abbreviation

Ph.D. in Faith-Based Addiction Counseling

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

Four to six academic years, depending on approved transfer credit, enrollment status, research progress, and dissertation completion

Advanced faith-based addiction counseling theory and specialization

30 credit hours

Research methods, statistics, and scholarly inquiry

24 credit hours

Professional leadership and higher-education teaching

15 credit hours

Advanced electives and concentration courses

18 credit hours

Scholarly writing and publication

9 credit hours

Comprehensive examination and doctoral candidacy

6 credit hours

Program Details

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

Dissertation research and defense

• 18 credit hours
• Total
• 120 semester credit hours
• The Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Addiction Counseling is a rigorous research-oriented doctoral program designed for professionals seeking to advance the scholarship and practice of recovery support within nonprofit organizational frameworks. The curriculum integrates advanced psychological theory with strategic management competencies to address the complex systemic challenges of addiction and recovery. Students engage in deep inquiry regarding the intersection of behavioral health, organizational sustainability, and compassionate service delivery, ensuring a sophisticated understanding of the field's most pressing issues. This program cultivates a scholar-practitioner model that emphasizes the application of ethical integrity, stewardship, and servant leadership in the service of community health. Through a blend of theoretical exploration and empirical research, students examine the dynamics of addiction recovery from both an individual and an organizational perspective. Graduates emerge as leaders equipped to bridge the gap between academic research and community-based application, fostering environments of healing and sustainable nonprofit management.
• The Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Addiction Counseling is a research-intensive doctoral program emphasizing advanced faith-based addiction counseling theory, original research, quantitative and qualitative methodology, scholarly publication, higher-education teaching, ethical leadership, and the development and evaluation of faith-based addiction counseling-support programs.
• 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 student's remaining coursework and anticipated completion time. A student receiving the maximum transfer-credit award must complete at least 80 semester credit hours through the University.
• The Ph.D. requires successful completion of all required coursework, comprehensive examinations, admission to doctoral candidacy, approval of a dissertation proposal, original scholarly research, submission of an approved written dissertation, and a successful oral defense.
• DOCTORAL TRANSFER-CREDIT POLICY: The Doctor of Education 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.

Dissertation Requirement

• The Dissertation serves as the culminating academic experience for the PhD candidate, requiring the original investigation of a significant problem within the domains of addiction recovery or nonprofit strategic management. Students must identify a research question, conduct an exhaustive literature review, utilize rigorous methodological procedures, and produce an original contribution to the existing body of knowledge. The scope of the work must demonstrate an advanced capacity for critical thinking, data analysis, and synthesis of interdisciplinary perspectives. This process represents the zenith of the student's doctoral journey, necessitating both technical proficiency and intellectual rigor.
• Throughout the research process, students are expected to weave their faith-based perspectives into their work, reflecting on how their findings inform the ethical, pastoral, and community-centered imperatives of their discipline. The dissertation must address the moral implications of management decisions and the role of service in mitigating systemic social ills. Through regular faculty mentorship, the project develops the student’s ability to conduct research that is not only academically sound but also deeply rooted in Christian character, demonstrating a commitment to spiritual formation and servant leadership that will guide their professional impact in the field.

Dissertation research and defense | 18 credit hours

• Total | 120 semester credit hours
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES701 | Advanced Research Methods in Social Science | 3 | None
• PSY710 | Neurobiology of Addiction and Recovery | 3 | None
• MGT720 | Strategic Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• COU730 | Psychological Interventions for Substance Use | 4 | None
• RES702 | Quantitative Data Analysis | 3 | RES701
• MGT725 | Financial Stewardship and Resource Development | 3 | MGT720
• THE740 | Ethics and Values in Behavioral Health | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES703 | Qualitative Research and Phenomenological Inquiry | 3 | RES701
• PSY750 | Sociological Aspects of Addiction | 4 | None
• MGT760 | Organizational Change and Systemic Reform | 4 | MGT720
• COU770 | Recovery Coaching and Peer Support Models | 3 | COU730
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES801 | Doctoral Research Seminar I: Proposal Design | 4 | RES703
• MGT820 | Strategic Human Resource Management for Nonprofits | 3 | MGT720
• PSY830 | Family Dynamics and Recovery | 4 | PSY750
• COU840 | Crisis Intervention and Prevention | 3 | COU730
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES802 | Doctoral Research Seminar II: Data Collection | 4 | RES801
• MGT850 | Public Policy and Advocacy in Addiction | 3 | MGT760
• COU860 | Professional Ethics and Clinical Practice in Behavioral Health | 3 | THE740
• PSY870 | Advanced Topics in Behavioral Science | 4 | PSY710
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• CAP890 | Doctoral Dissertation | 4 | RES802
• MGT880 | Organizational Sustainability and Impact | 3 | MGT760
• RES895 | Academic Publishing and Scholarly Communication | 3 | RES802
• COU895 | Professional Leadership Seminar | 4 | All Core Courses

Career Opportunities

• Executive Director of Faith-Based Recovery Centers
• Director of Behavioral Health Programs for Nonprofits
• Clinical Research Director for Addiction Studies
• Nonprofit Strategy Consultant for Social Services
• University Professor of Addiction Psychology
• Policy Analyst for Health and Social Services
• Director of Faith-Based Community Outreach
• Strategic Organizational Development Lead

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 | Ph.D. in Faith-Based Addiction Counseling
• 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 | Four to six academic years, depending on approved transfer credit, enrollment status, research progress, and dissertation completion
• Advanced faith-based addiction counseling theory and specialization | 30 credit hours
• Research methods, statistics, and scholarly inquiry | 24 credit hours
• Professional leadership and higher-education teaching | 15 credit hours
• Advanced electives and concentration courses | 18 credit hours
• Scholarly writing and publication | 9 credit hours
• Comprehensive examination and doctoral candidacy | 6 credit hours