Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Architecture, Specialization in Religious Artifacts

Program Overview

Degree abbreviation

Ph.D. in Faith-Based Architecture, Specialization in Religious Artifacts

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 architecture 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 Architecture with a specialization in Religious Artifacts offers a rigorous, interdisciplinary approach to the study of the intersection between sacred spaces and the historical preservation of religious objects. This program engages students in advanced architectural theory, historiography, and the stewardship of material culture within a framework of ethical and social responsibility. By blending aesthetic analysis with community-oriented design principles, the curriculum addresses the complex requirements of modern religious facilities and the protection of heritage items.
• Students will explore how built environments shape spiritual experiences and the societal roles of religious artifacts. The curriculum emphasizes the application of architectural theory, environmental stewardship, and the preservation of historical integrity in diverse community contexts. Through an integration of professional design practice and scholarly inquiry, candidates are encouraged to develop innovative strategies for sustainable, inclusive, and mission-driven religious architecture.
• The Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Architecture, Specialization in Religious Artifacts is a research-intensive doctoral program emphasizing advanced faith-based architecture theory, original research, quantitative and qualitative methodology, scholarly publication, higher-education teaching, ethical leadership, and the development and evaluation of faith-based architecture-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 Proposal Development

• 3
• RES710
• ARC801 — Sustainable Practices in Architecture: Integration of environmental stewardship and energy-efficient design strategies. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• HIS801 — Conservation Ethics and Policy: Evaluation of ethical standards and legal policies governing the preservation of sacred artifacts. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• CHR801 — Ethical Leadership in Context: Application of moral philosophy and servant leadership to professional architectural practice. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• RES801 — Dissertation Proposal Development: Drafting and refinement of the research proposal for the final dissertation project. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Research I

• 4
• RES801
• ARC901
• Advanced Practicum in Preservation
• 4
• HIS801
• CHR901
• Spiritual Formation and Professional Practice
• 3
• CHR801
• RES901

Dissertation Research II

• 3
• DIS900
• DIS900 — Dissertation Research I: Initial phase of the doctoral dissertation, focusing on data collection and literature synthesis. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• ARC901 — Advanced Practicum in Preservation: Hands-on application of preservation techniques for sensitive religious artifacts. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• CHR901 — Spiritual Formation and Professional Practice: Reflecting on the integration of personal spiritual growth with professional architectural excellence. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• RES901 — Dissertation Research II: Development of analytical chapters and primary findings for the dissertation. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Defense and Completion

• 8
• RES901
• ARC990
• Contemporary Trends in Institutional Design
• 3
• ARC810
• HIS990
• Global Perspectives on Sacred Heritage
• 3
• HIS810
• CAP900

Capstone Portfolio Review

• 3
• All Core Courses
• DIS999 — Dissertation Defense and Completion: Final synthesis of the dissertation, including revisions, final submission, and oral defense. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• ARC990 — Contemporary Trends in Institutional Design: Reviewing current innovations in the design of space for communal and faith-based impact. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• HIS990 — Global Perspectives on Sacred Heritage: Comparative analysis of how different cultures preserve religious heritage and history. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• CAP900 — Capstone Portfolio Review: Assessment of the student's entire body of scholarly and professional work for graduation readiness. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Requirement

• The Dissertation serves as the culminating academic experience of the PhD program, requiring 15 credit hours of original scholarly research. Students must identify a specific challenge or opportunity within the realm of religious architecture or artifact preservation, conduct rigorous investigation, and produce a high-quality written work that contributes new knowledge to the field. This process necessitates the synthesis of architectural theory, historiography, and professional practice.
• Integration of faith-based perspectives is central to the dissertation, as students must demonstrate how their research upholds biblical stewardship and reflects a commitment to servant leadership. The dissertation process encourages students to apply ethical integrity to their scholarly inquiry, ensuring that their findings support the mission-driven goals of nonprofit and community-focused organizations. This final project serves as a demonstration of both advanced academic mastery and the development of a character that prioritizes the ethical service of communal spaces.

Dissertation research and defense | 18 credit hours

• Total | 120 semester credit hours
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• ARC701 | Advanced Architectural Theory | 3 | None
• RES701 | Research Methodologies in the Humanities | 3 | None
• THE701 | Theology of Space and Stewardship | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• HIS710 | Historiography of Religious Artifacts | 4 | ARC701
• ARC720 | Design for Faith-Based Environments | 4 | ARC701
• RES710 | Advanced Archival Research | 3 | RES701
• MGT701 | Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• ARC801 | Sustainable Practices in Architecture | 4 | ARC720
• HIS801 | Conservation Ethics and Policy | 4 | HIS710
• CHR801 | Ethical Leadership in Context | 3 | MGT701
• RES801 | Dissertation Proposal Development | 3 | RES710
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• ARC810 | Urban Design and Community Impact | 4 | ARC801
• HIS810 | Material Culture and Spirituality | 4 | HIS801
• COM801 | Strategic Communication for Nonprofits | 3 | MGT701
• RES810 | Independent Research Study | 3 | RES801
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• DIS900 | Dissertation Research I | 4 | RES801
• ARC901 | Advanced Practicum in Preservation | 4 | HIS801
• CHR901 | Spiritual Formation and Professional Practice | 3 | CHR801
• RES901 | Dissertation Research II | 3 | DIS900
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• DIS999 | Dissertation Defense and Completion | 8 | RES901
• ARC990 | Contemporary Trends in Institutional Design | 3 | ARC810
• HIS990 | Global Perspectives on Sacred Heritage | 3 | HIS810
• CAP900 | Capstone Portfolio Review | 3 | All Core Courses

Career Opportunities

• University Professor of Architectural History
• Curator of Religious Artifacts and Collections
• Faith-Based Facility Consultant
• Historic Preservation Specialist
• Nonprofit Architectural Director
• Institutional Stewardship Coordinator
• Denominational Property Planner

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 Architecture, Specialization in Religious Artifacts
• 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 architecture 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