Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Human Rights, Ethics, Global Justice

Program Overview

Degree abbreviation

Ph.D. in Faith-Based Human Rights, Ethics, Global Justice

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 human rights, ethics, and global justice 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 Human Rights, Ethics, and Global Justice is an advanced research-intensive program designed to equip scholars for high-level engagement in the intersection of justice, morality, and global social systems. Through a rigorous multidisciplinary framework, candidates analyze the foundations of human rights and ethical governance, evaluating how justice mechanisms function within diverse global contexts. This program prepares leaders to critically assess social challenges while cultivating the intellectual and moral character necessary to serve as stewards of human dignity in an increasingly complex world. By blending advanced academic theory with practical, ethically grounded inquiry, the curriculum fosters a comprehensive understanding of how global policies and localized human experiences converge within a framework of servant leadership and moral integrity. Scholars are encouraged to produce original research that addresses systemic injustices while promoting sustainable and compassionate solutions to pressing global concerns.
• The Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Human Rights, Ethics, Global Justice is a research-intensive doctoral program emphasizing advanced faith-based human rights, ethics, and global justice theory, original research, quantitative and qualitative methodology, scholarly publication, higher-education teaching, ethical leadership, and the development and evaluation of faith-based human rights, ethics, and global justice-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 Seminar: Proposal Design

• 4
• RES701
• ETH810
• Leadership in Ethics and Stewardship
• 4
• None
• HUM820
• Humanitarian Law and Ethics
• 3
• None
• BUS830
• Economic Justice and Sustainable Development
• 3
• None
• RES800 — Dissertation Seminar: Proposal Design: Guides students through the development of a formal dissertation proposal. Includes literature review synthesis and research design refinementThis course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions..
• ETH810 — Leadership in Ethics and Stewardship: Examines models of servant leadership and administrative stewardship within the context of global advocacy. Focuses on the integrity of institutional operationsThis course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions..
• HUM820 — Humanitarian Law and Ethics: Studies the ethical implications of international humanitarian intervention and aid distribution. Evaluates the duty of global actors to protect vulnerable populationsThis course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions..
• BUS830 — Economic Justice and Sustainable Development: Addresses the intersection of global markets, social equity, and environmental stewardship. Evaluates sustainable policy strategies for addressing global povertyThis course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions..

Dissertation Requirement

• The Dissertation serves as the crowning achievement of the PhD program, representing an original contribution to the field of human rights and global justice. Candidates are required to design, conduct, and defend a comprehensive research project that addresses a substantive issue within their chosen area of study. This process requires the demonstration of rigorous scholarly methodology, critical analysis, and the ability to synthesize complex, multidisciplinary literature. The scope of the work should provide significant theoretical or practical implications for policy, ethics, or human rights practice, moving the discipline forward through disciplined, evidence-based inquiry. By integrating faith-based principles of stewardship and moral responsibility, the dissertation serves as a testament to the candidate's capacity to translate theoretical ethical reasoning into impactful, character-driven research. The final deliverable is an oral defense of the written document before a committee of scholars, confirming the student's mastery of the subject matter and their commitment to service-oriented scholarship.

Dissertation research and defense | 18 credit hours

• Total | 120 semester credit hours
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES700 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods | 3 | None
• ETH710 | Foundations of Ethical Governance | 3 | None
• HUM720 | Human Rights and Global Societies | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES701 | Advanced Quantitative Research Methods | 3 | RES700
• ETH725 | Moral Philosophy and Global Justice | 3 | None
• HUM730 | Historical Perspectives on Global Rights | 4 | None
• SOC740 | Sociology of Civil Society and Community Advocacy | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES800 | Dissertation Seminar: Proposal Design | 4 | RES701
• ETH810 | Leadership in Ethics and Stewardship | 4 | None
• HUM820 | Humanitarian Law and Ethics | 3 | None
• BUS830 | Economic Justice and Sustainable Development | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES850 | Advanced Data Analysis and Interpretation | 4 | RES701
• ETH860 | Contemporary Ethical Dilemmas in Policy | 3 | None
• HUM870 | Advocacy and Global Human Rights Communication | 4 | None
• SOC880 | Social Justice and Global Development Models | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES890 | Doctoral Dissertation Research I | 4 | RES800
• ETH895 | Ethical Integration Seminar | 3 | None
• HUM890 | Global Justice Policy Implementation | 3 | None
• MGT890 | Organizational Stewardship in Global Contexts | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES900 | Doctoral Dissertation Defense II | 4 | RES890
• ETH900 | Professional Ethics and Global Citizenship | 3 | None
• HUM900 | Advanced Topics in Global Human Rights | 4 | None
• RES910 | Scholarly Publication and Dissemination | 3 | None

Career Opportunities

• International Policy Analyst
• Human Rights Non-Profit Executive
• Academic Faculty in Ethics or Public Policy
• Global Justice Advocacy Specialist
• Faith-Based Institutional Consultant
• Researcher for Global Governance Organizations
• Social Justice Program Director

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 Human Rights, Ethics, Global Justice
• 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 human rights, ethics, and global justice 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