Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Public Policy, Specialization in Public Policy in Non-Profit

Program Overview

Degree abbreviation

Ed.D. in Faith-Based Public Policy

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 Public Policy 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 Public Policy, Specialization in Public Policy in Non-Profit, is an advanced research degree designed for scholars and practitioners seeking to influence social welfare through ethical and data-driven governance. The program investigates the intersection of public policy, civic engagement, and nonprofit administration, emphasizing the role of organizations in addressing complex societal challenges through a lens of servant leadership and stewardship. Students engage in rigorous academic inquiry, analyzing the legal, economic, and moral frameworks that govern the nonprofit sector. The curriculum is structured to foster critical thinking regarding how policy development can support community resilience and social equity. By integrating advanced research methodologies with practical administrative strategies, the program equips graduates to operate effectively within the shifting landscape of modern public policy, ensuring that non-profit missions remain sustainable and impactful. This degree path facilitates an environment of high-level intellectual exploration, encouraging candidates to contribute original research to the field while refining their capacity for moral leadership in both domestic and international contexts.

The Doctor of Education in Faith-Based Public Policy is an applied professional doctorate emphasizing advanced faith-based public policy 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 public policy-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 Seminar

• 4
• RES810
• MGT860
• Crisis Management for Non-Profits
• 3
• MGT740
• HIS870
• Historical Context of Social Service
• 4
• None
• POL840 — Advanced Comparative Policy: Evaluation of policy variations across different regions and the implications for transnational non-profit operations. Students apply cross-cultural analysis to domestic challenges. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• RES850 — Dissertation Seminar: A workshop-style course dedicated to refining the dissertation prospectus and conducting a preliminary literature review. Peer-review processes are utilized to sharpen scholarly arguments. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• MGT860 — Crisis Management for Non-Profits: Students analyze high-stakes scenarios and leadership responses required for organizational survival and continuity. Focus is on maintaining mission integrity under pressure. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• HIS870 — Historical Context of Social Service: Examination of the evolution of the non-profit sector and historical movements that have shaped modern civic policy. This historical perspective informs future strategic planning. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation

• 12
• RES890
• DIS900 — Dissertation: Culminating research experience resulting in an original dissertation that addresses a gap in nonprofit policy literature. Final defense and oral presentation required. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Requirement

• The Dissertation serves as the culmination of the doctoral journey, representing an original, significant contribution to the field of non-profit public policy. Students must identify a relevant policy problem, conduct rigorous independent research, and produce a scholarly document that adheres to the highest academic standards. The project emphasizes the integration of faith-based principles such as stewardship, justice, and vocational calling into professional policy analysis and implementation strategies. Through this 12-credit requirement, candidates demonstrate their capacity to synthesize complex theoretical frameworks with practical community needs, ensuring that their scholarly work reflects both technical expertise and profound ethical depth. The dissertation process is monitored by a faculty committee, guiding the candidate toward a demonstration of intellectual mastery and the development of character-informed leadership. Ultimately, the successful defense of the dissertation validates the student's readiness to participate as a scholar-practitioner who views policy advocacy as a form of sacred service to the community.

Career Opportunities

• Non-Profit Executive Director
• Public Policy Consultant
• Advocacy Strategist for Non-Governmental Organizations
• Academic Researcher in Social Policy
• Director of Community Development
• Policy Analyst for Faith-Based Organizations
• Grant and Foundation Program Officer

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 Public Policy
• 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 Public Policy 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 | Research Design and Methodology | 3 | None
• POL710 | Foundations of Public Policy | 3 | None
• BUS720 | Ethical Stewardship in Non-Profits | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES705 | Advanced Statistical Analysis | 4 | RES701
• POL715 | Regulatory Frameworks for Non-Profits | 3 | POL710
• SOC730 | Community Dynamics and Development | 3 | None
• MGT740 | Organizational Leadership and Culture | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• POL801 | Policy Implementation Strategy | 3 | POL710
• RES810 | Qualitative Inquiry in Policy | 4 | RES701
• BUS820 | Strategic Philanthropy and Funding | 3 | BUS720
• ETH830 | Advanced Moral Philosophy in Public Life | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• POL840 | Advanced Comparative Policy | 3 | POL710
• RES850 | Dissertation Seminar | 4 | RES810
• MGT860 | Crisis Management for Non-Profits | 3 | MGT740
• HIS870 | Historical Context of Social Service | 4 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• POL880 | Policy Advocacy and Public Engagement | 3 | POL710
• RES890 | Advanced Data Synthesis | 4 | RES850
• CAP895 | Independent Research Study | 4 | RES850
• SOC899 | Sociology of Labor and Professional Identity | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• DIS900 | Dissertation | 12 | RES890