Admission Requirements
Admission and entry requirements
Applicants must hold a master's degree in a related field and provide evidence of academic excellence. A personal statement outlining leadership goals and relevant experience is also required along with letters of recommendation. Career Opportunities Director of Community Outreach Senior Church Administrator Non-Profit Executive Director Cultural Consultant for Faith-Based Organizations University Professor in Leadership Studies Leadership Development Coordinator Religious Affiliated Organizational Leader 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 Leadership, Cultural Management Total program length | 84 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 leadership and cultural management 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 Dissertation research and defense | 18 credit hours Total | 120 semester credit hours Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites GRAD 501 | Graduate Academic Writing | 3 | None LCM 801 | Doctoral Seminar: Leadership Theory & Scholarship | 3 | None LCM 802 | Organizational Behavior, Culture, and Climate | 3 | None LCM 803 | Strategic Leadership & Decision Systems | 3 | None LCM 804 | Change Leadership & Organizational Development | 3 | None Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites LCM 805 | Ethics, Governance, and Responsible Leadership | 3 | None LCM 810 | Cultural Management Theory: Institutions, Arts, and Society | 3 | None LCM 811 | Global & Intercultural Leadership | 3 | None LCM 812 | Cultural Policy, Public Affairs, and Advocacy | 3 | None LCM 813 | Community Development, Social Impact, and Equity | 3 | None Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites LCM 814 | Cultural Economics & Resource Strategy | 3 | None RES 821 | Philosophy of Science & Theory Building | 3 | None RES 822 | Quantitative Research Design & Causal Inference | 3 | Completion of foundational research methods course RES 823 | Applied Statistics I (Regression & GLM) | 3 | None RES 824 | Applied Statistics II (Multivariate & SEM) | 3 | None Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites RES 825 | Qualitative Methods I (Interviewing & Field Research) | 3 | Semester 5 RES 826 | Qualitative Methods II (Case Study & Mixed Methods) | 3 | Semester 6 LCM 830 | Doctoral Colloquium: Research in Leadership & Culture | 3 | None LCM 831 | Teaching in Higher Education: Pedagogy & Assessment | 3 | None LCM 840 | Qualifying Examination Seminar | 3 | None Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites DIS 890 | Dissertation Proposal Development & Prospectus Defense | 3 | None DIS 891 | Dissertation Research I | 3 | None DIS 892 | Dissertation Research II | 3 | None DIS 893 | Dissertation Writing & Defense | 3 | None CHL 901 | Biblical and Theological Foundations of Christian Leadership | 3 | None Code | Title | Credits | Prerequisites CHL 903 | Spiritual Formation and Leader Identity | 3 | None CHL 904 | Christian Ethics, Justice, and Moral Leadership | 3 | None CHL 905 | Integrative Seminar in Christian Leadership and Culture | 3 | None