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

Program Overview

Degree abbreviation

Ed.D. in Faith-Based Music Composition

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 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 is an advanced research and creative degree designed for individuals who seek to integrate professional-level composition skills with profound theological reflection and ethical stewardship. This program emphasizes the rigorous study of musical structures, contemporary compositional techniques, and the historical evolution of sacred music traditions, preparing scholars to create complex, meaningful works of art within a global context. Students are challenged to bridge the gap between technical virtuosity and the spiritual responsibilities of the composer as a community leader. Through a combination of seminar-based learning, individual mentorship, and intensive composition projects, scholars explore the role of artistic expression in enhancing human experience and fostering community engagement. The curriculum is structured to support the development of a unique artistic voice that aligns with professional integrity and the values of servant leadership in the arts.

The Doctor of Education in Faith-Based Music Composition is an applied professional doctorate emphasizing advanced faith-based music composition 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-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

Thesis Development Seminar

• 3
• RES870
• BUS895
• Strategic Leadership for Arts Organizations
• 3
• BUS750
• MUS898
• Sociology of Performance and Audience Engagement
• 4
• None
• MUS880 — Advanced Composition IV: Students complete the final movements of their major compositional works while iterating on previous drafts. This course provides necessary time for deep creative and academic focus. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• RES890 — Thesis Development Seminar: A collaborative environment where students provide peer feedback on the analytical chapters of their dissertation. Students prepare for their final defense of the project. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• BUS895 — Strategic Leadership for Arts Organizations: Focuses on strategic planning, financial oversight, and mission-driven leadership for arts-based nonprofits. Students learn to align organizational goals with their professional creative vision. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• MUS898 — Sociology of Performance and Audience Engagement: This course investigates the complex interaction between performance artists and their diverse public audiences. Topics include the influence of cultural context, venue architecture, and societal expectations on the reception of musical works. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Requirement

• The dissertation serves as the culminating academic experience for the Doctor of Philosophy, requiring the submission of a significant original musical composition accompanied by a comprehensive analytical and theological thesis. Students must demonstrate mastery in both creative innovation and scholarly inquiry, documenting the evolution of their compositional process while exploring the broader implications of their work for faith-based communities and institutional contexts. The project is weighted at 10 credit hours to reflect its depth, scope, and the rigorous research required for completion.
• Beyond technical achievement, the dissertation requires an integrative study of how the student’s creative output serves the principles of biblical stewardship and spiritual formation. Through this work, students demonstrate academic competence by synthesizing aesthetic rigor with ethical reasoning, providing a scholarly defense of how their music contributes to the common good and supports the mission of community-serving organizations. This process highlights the student's transition from an advanced student to a mature, faith-informed professional ready to contribute to the global arts landscape.

Career Opportunities

• University Professor of Music Composition
• Director of Music for Large-Scale Community Arts Programs
• Curator for Faith-Based Arts Foundations
• Professional Orchestral Composer and Arranger
• Music Consultant for Nonprofit Religious Institutions
• Researcher and Academic Editor in Musicology
• Director of Creative Development for Faith-Oriented Publishing Houses

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
• 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 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 Methodology | 3 | None
• MUS705 | Seminar in Sacred Music History | 3 | None
• COM710 | Ethical Stewardship in the Arts | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• MUS720 | Advanced Composition I | 4 | None
• MUS730 | Philosophy of Creative Expression | 3 | None
• MUS740 | Contemporary Harmonic Analysis | 3 | None
• BUS750 | Nonprofit Arts Administration | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• MUS805 | Advanced Composition II | 4 | MUS720
• MIN810 | Servant Leadership in Community Engagement | 3 | None
• MUS820 | Music in Global Contexts | 3 | None
• RES830 | Doctoral Research Proposal | 4 | RES701
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• MUS840 | Advanced Composition III | 4 | MUS805
• EDU850 | Pedagogy for Higher Education | 3 | None
• HUM860 | Cultural Aesthetics and Ethics | 3 | None
• RES870 | Advanced Analytical Writing | 4 | RES830
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• MUS880 | Advanced Composition IV | 4 | MUS840
• RES890 | Thesis Development Seminar | 3 | RES870
• BUS895 | Strategic Leadership for Arts Organizations | 3 | BUS750
• MUS898 | Sociology of Performance and Audience Engagement | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• CAP900 | Doctoral Dissertation Defense | 10 | All Core Courses
• MUS910 | Professional Portfolio Review | 2 | None
• EDU920 | Professional Development and Mentorship in the Arts | 1 | None
• RES930 | Advanced Academic Publication | 1 | RES890