Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Music Composition, Specialization in Music Therapy

Program Overview

Degree abbreviation

Ed.D. in Faith-Based Music Composition, Specialization in Music Therapy

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 faith-based music composition and music therapy specialization courses

30 credit hours

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 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 Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Music Composition, Specialization in Music Therapy, is an advanced terminal degree designed for scholars who aim to integrate high-level artistic composition with therapeutic inquiry within a framework of ethical stewardship and service. This program provides an rigorous academic environment where students analyze the intersection of acoustic theory, psychological wellness, and community-oriented leadership. Students engage in deep, scholarly research to investigate how music serves as a vehicle for human flourishing and institutional impact.

Rooted in a commitment to excellence and character formation, the curriculum emphasizes the professional application of music as a social tool. Candidates are prepared to lead in diverse sectors, applying a servant-leadership model to complex artistic and wellness initiatives. By combining sophisticated compositional techniques with evidence-informed therapeutic frameworks, graduates emerge as leaders prepared to steward their musical gifts in service to their communities and the broader public interest.

The Doctor of Education in Faith-Based Music Composition, Specialization in Music Therapy is an applied professional doctorate emphasizing advanced faith-based music composition and music therapy 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 faith-based music composition and music therapy-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 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.

Program Details

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

Dissertation Proposal Development

• 4
• RES730
• COM830
• Community Advocacy and Public Engagement
• 3
• None
• MUS805 — Compositional Seminar: Specialized Genres: Provides an advanced forum for students to refine specific compositional interests and explore cross-genre collaboration. Focuses on producing original, high-impact music. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• PSY810 — Advanced Behavioral Studies in Music: Deepens the understanding of behavioral theories in relation to musical engagement and community wellness. Links theory to professional program development. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• RES820 — Dissertation Proposal Development: Guides the formal development of the doctoral dissertation proposal, focusing on research design and project scope. Ensures academic viability and alignment with program goals. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• COM830 — Community Advocacy and Public Engagement: Develops effective communication strategies for advocacy, outreach, and public relations within the nonprofit sphere. Emphasizes persuasive storytelling for program sustainability. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Research I

• 4
• RES820
• MGT860
• Grant Writing for Music Initiatives
• 3
• BUS780
• MUS840 — Advanced Creative Performance Project: Engages students in a high-level creative project that demonstrates their compositional and performative integration. Requires public presentation and critique. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• CAP850 — Interdisciplinary Synthesis in the Arts: Synthesizes concepts from psychology, musicology, and administration to solve complex nonprofit challenges. Focuses on holistic program design. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• DIS890 — Dissertation Research I: The initial stage of doctoral dissertation research, focusing on primary source gathering and empirical analysis. Students conduct field-based investigation and composition work. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• MGT860 — Grant Writing for Music Initiatives: Provides specialized training in identifying, crafting, and submitting grant proposals for music-focused community programs. Emphasizes professional accountability and stewardship. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Defense and Final Project

• 11
• DIS890
• ETH870
• Professional Ethics in Practice
• 3
• THE705
• MIN880
• Mentored Leadership Residency
• 3
• None
• EDU890
• Pedagogy and Dissemination of Arts
• 3
• None
• DIS899 — Dissertation Defense and Final Project: Final completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation, documenting an original contribution to the field. Includes submission of final compositions and scholarly analysis. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• ETH870 — Professional Ethics in Practice: Focuses on applied ethics within the professional workspace, emphasizing servant leadership and conflict resolution. Addresses complex organizational decision-making. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• MIN880 — Mentored Leadership Residency: Provides practical leadership experience within a chosen community organization under the guidance of a senior mentor. Emphasizes experiential learning and spiritual maturity. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• EDU890 — Pedagogy and Dissemination of Arts: Develops teaching strategies for sharing arts-based research and practice with diverse community audiences. Focuses on making research accessible and actionable. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Requirement

• The Dissertation represents the pinnacle of the doctoral experience, requiring an original, sustained scholarly investigation that synthesizes music composition and therapeutic theory. Students are expected to produce a significant portfolio of compositions alongside a rigorous research paper that analyzes the work’s theoretical underpinnings and its practical application to human wellness. This project mandates 15 credit hours of sustained academic effort.
• The dissertation must demonstrate not only technical and analytical excellence but also a deep engagement with the student’s faith-informed commitment to stewardship and service. Candidates must articulate how their work reflects ethical integrity, contributes to the mission of nonprofit community organizations, and demonstrates character development consistent with servant leadership. Through this research, students provide evidence of their ability to contribute original knowledge to their discipline while serving the common good with spiritual depth.

Career Opportunities

• Director of Music and Community Outreach for Nonprofit Organizations
• Faith-Based Music Therapy Program Administrator
• University Professor of Composition and Musicology
• Director of Creative Arts for Faith-Centered Wellness Initiatives
• Consultant for Community-Based Arts Programs
• Research Scholar in Music and Social Impact
• Director of Institutional Development for Fine Arts Nonprofits

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 | Ed.D. in Faith-Based Music Composition, Specialization in Music Therapy
• 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 faith-based music composition and music therapy specialization courses | 30 credit hours
• 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 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 Methods in the Arts | 3 | None
• THE705 | Ethical Frameworks in Music Leadership | 3 | None
• MUS710 | Advanced Music Compositional Theory | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• PSY720 | Psychological Foundations of Music Therapy | 3 | None
• RES730 | Data Analysis for Arts Research | 3 | RES701
• MIN740 | Servant Leadership in the Arts | 4 | None
• MUS750 | Contemporary Compositional Trends | 3 | MUS710
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• MUS760 | Advanced Orchestration and Arranging | 3 | MUS750
• PSY770 | Therapeutic Communication in Music | 3 | PSY720
• BUS780 | Nonprofit Arts Administration | 4 | None
• PSY790 | Professional Ethics and Clinical Integrity | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• MUS805 | Compositional Seminar: Specialized Genres | 3 | MUS760
• PSY810 | Advanced Behavioral Studies in Music | 3 | PSY770
• RES820 | Dissertation Proposal Development | 4 | RES730
• COM830 | Community Advocacy and Public Engagement | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• MUS840 | Advanced Creative Performance Project | 3 | MUS805
• CAP850 | Interdisciplinary Synthesis in the Arts | 3 | None
• DIS890 | Dissertation Research I | 4 | RES820
• MGT860 | Grant Writing for Music Initiatives | 3 | BUS780
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• DIS899 | Dissertation Defense and Final Project | 11 | DIS890
• ETH870 | Professional Ethics in Practice | 3 | THE705
• MIN880 | Mentored Leadership Residency | 3 | None
• EDU890 | Pedagogy and Dissemination of Arts | 3 | None