Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Social Work (Addiction, Family Systems) Specialization in Interfaith Helping Professions

Program Overview

Degree abbreviation

Ph.D. in Faith-Based Social Work (Addiction, Family Systems)

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 Social Work 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 Social Work with a specialization in Addiction and Family Systems, focusing on Interfaith Helping Professions, is a rigorous research-oriented degree designed for advanced scholars and practitioners. This program explores the intersection of social welfare, addiction recovery dynamics, and family systems theory through an interdisciplinary lens. Scholars engage in high-level intellectual inquiry, investigating complex social challenges while developing robust, evidence-informed frameworks for community-based interventions.
• Rooted in the academic tradition of service and intellectual excellence, the curriculum emphasizes ethical leadership, the application of stewardship in institutional contexts, and the synthesis of theoretical constructs with practice-based research. By examining global interfaith paradigms and the role of diverse belief systems in social support, students gain the analytical depth necessary to influence social policy and organizational strategy effectively within a pluralistic society.
• The Doctor of Philosophy in Faith-Based Social Work (Addiction, Family Systems) is a research-intensive doctoral program emphasizing advanced faith-based social work (addiction, family systems) theory, original research, quantitative and qualitative methodology, scholarly publication, higher-education teaching, ethical leadership, and the development and evaluation of faith-based social work (addiction, family systems)-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
• RES810
• HUM860
• Comparative Interfaith Perspectives
• 3
• HUM750
• BUS870
• Non-Profit Grant Writing and Stewardship
• 4
• MGT830
• COU840 — Advanced Family Systems Analysis: In-depth study of complex family system interactions and systemic interventions. Addresses conflict resolution and resilience in diverse populations. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• RES850 — Dissertation Proposal Development: Scholarly guidance in formulating a dissertation topic, literature review, and methodology. Students defend their research proposal to faculty. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• HUM860 — Comparative Interfaith Perspectives: An analysis of comparative religious worldviews and their influence on social helping practices. Focuses on enhancing cultural intelligence in professional settings. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• BUS870 — Non-Profit Grant Writing and Stewardship: Practical study of funding acquisition and responsible stewardship of resources in the nonprofit sector. Covers proposal design and financial ethics. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Research I

• 6
• RES850
• EDU910
• Professional Supervision and Mentorship
• 3
• None
• COU920
• Cultural Humility in Social Practice
• 3
• None
• RES930
• Data Analysis and Synthesis
• 2
• RES900
• RES900 — Dissertation Research I: Execution of approved dissertation research under faculty supervision. Focuses on data collection and preliminary analysis. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• EDU910 — Professional Supervision and Mentorship: Examination of supervisory models and mentorship techniques in faith-based social agencies. Focuses on professional development and staff support. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• COU920 — Cultural Humility in Social Practice: Exploration of cultural humility as a foundation for professional interaction and inclusive community service. Critical evaluation of bias in practice. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• RES930 — Data Analysis and Synthesis: Instruction on advanced thematic analysis and statistical validation of research findings. Synthesis of data into actionable institutional insights. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Finalization and Defense

• 6
• RES900
• MIN960
• Servant Leadership in Contemporary Contexts
• 3
• MIN760
• SOC970
• Community Engagement and Public Policy
• 3
• SOC820
• THE980
• Applied Ethics for Scholars
• 2
• THE720
• CAP950 — Dissertation Finalization and Defense: Completion of the dissertation document and oral defense before a faculty committee. Demonstration of scholarship and faith-informed character integration. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• MIN960 — Servant Leadership in Contemporary Contexts: A capstone look at servant leadership applied to organizational culture and community sustainability. Focuses on legacy and lasting impact. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• SOC970 — Community Engagement and Public Policy: Analysis of community mobilization techniques and the role of social work in influencing public policy. Focuses on civic responsibility. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.
• THE980 — Applied Ethics for Scholars: A final synthesis course addressing ethical dilemmas encountered in research and organizational life. Application of integrated moral frameworks. This course prepares students in supporting faith-based, nonprofit, community organizations' missions.

Dissertation Requirement

• The Dissertation serves as the culminating academic achievement of the PhD program, representing a significant, original contribution to the field of faith-based social work. Students must identify a relevant research question, design a rigorous methodology, and conduct an investigation that integrates theoretical insights into addiction and family systems with ethical, faith-informed analysis. This 12-credit capstone is structured to demonstrate the student's mastery of academic inquiry and their ability to navigate complex societal problems with scholarly rigor.
• Beyond technical academic competence, the Dissertation process emphasizes the candidate's development as an ethical servant leader. Through the lens of spiritual formation and stewardship, students reflect on the implications of their research for marginalized populations and the broader community. The finished work must adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity while articulating a commitment to service, demonstrating that the scholar has achieved both intellectual distinction and the character maturity required for professional stewardship in their chosen vocation.

Dissertation research and defense | 18 credit hours

• Total | 120 semester credit hours
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES700 | Advanced Research Methodology | 3 | None
• COU710 | Addiction Science and Social Policy | 3 | None
• THE720 | Theology of Stewardship and Service | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• COU730 | Family Systems and Relational Health | 4 | COU710
• RES740 | Statistical Analysis for Social Research | 4 | RES700
• HUM750 | Interfaith Collaboration in Practice | 3 | None
• MIN760 | Leadership in Non-Profit Ethics | 3 | None
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• COU800 | Systemic Approaches to Addiction Recovery | 4 | COU730
• RES810 | Qualitative Inquiry and Ethnography | 3 | RES700
• SOC820 | Sociology of Faith-Based Organizations | 3 | None
• MGT830 | Strategic Planning for Social Impact | 4 | MIN760
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• COU840 | Advanced Family Systems Analysis | 4 | COU800
• RES850 | Dissertation Proposal Development | 3 | RES810
• HUM860 | Comparative Interfaith Perspectives | 3 | HUM750
• BUS870 | Non-Profit Grant Writing and Stewardship | 4 | MGT830
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• RES900 | Dissertation Research I | 6 | RES850
• EDU910 | Professional Supervision and Mentorship | 3 | None
• COU920 | Cultural Humility in Social Practice | 3 | None
• RES930 | Data Analysis and Synthesis | 2 | RES900
• Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites
• CAP950 | Dissertation Finalization and Defense | 6 | RES900
• MIN960 | Servant Leadership in Contemporary Contexts | 3 | MIN760
• SOC970 | Community Engagement and Public Policy | 3 | SOC820
• THE980 | Applied Ethics for Scholars | 2 | THE720

Career Opportunities

• Nonprofit organizational consultant
• Academic researcher in family and addiction studies
• Director of faith-based community outreach
• Policy analyst for social services
• Educational administrator in faith-based institutions
• Executive director of social welfare programs

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 Social Work (Addiction, Family Systems)
• 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 Social Work 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