Program Overview
Degree abbreviation
Ed.D. in Faith-Based International Business
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 international business 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 International Business, Specialization in Non-Profit International Business Development, is a rigorous terminal degree designed for scholars and practitioners seeking to advance the intersection of ethical commerce and global community stewardship. This program provides an advanced intellectual framework for navigating the complexities of international markets while emphasizing the application of servant leadership, sustainable development, and corporate social responsibility in non-profit environments. By integrating rigorous business theory with a commitment to organizational mission, the curriculum empowers students to address global challenges through the lens of ethical stewardship and effective operational strategy. The program is structured to foster deep inquiry into cross-cultural organizational behavior, international economic policy, and the strategic management of non-profit entities. Through a comprehensive academic approach, candidates examine the ethical implications of global expansion, human resource development in diverse cultural contexts, and the optimization of resource allocation for maximum social impact. This interdisciplinary effort prepares graduates to contribute scholarly insights and practical solutions to the evolving landscape of international non-profit operations.
The Doctor of Education in Faith-Based International Business is an applied professional doctorate emphasizing advanced faith-based international business 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 international business-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.