Doctorate Program in Leadership

Initiated more than two decades ago, the Doctoral program in Leadership is a practitioner-oriented, distinctive degree program open to leaders in all occupational sectors that prides itself on applying theory to real-life situations. Here, you can apply everything from academic research findings to the brainstorms of cohort members to your organization’s critical issues and challenging situations.

During your doctoral studies, you will learn the foundations of leadership by:

• Contributing to a culture of intellectual challenge and support within a community of learners.
• Deepening your understanding of leadership and organizational theory. 
• Analyzing critical leadership issues related to equity, global interdependence, conflicting cultural values, and accelerating social and technological change.
• Examining ethical dimensions of policy and decision making. 
• Utilizing research, critical analysis and imagination in planning, problem solving and evaluation.

Course of Study

The Doctoral program in Leadership coursework has been developed to meet your scheduling needs and provides working professionals with the opportunity to obtain this doctoral degree while maintaining a reasonable work-life balance.

The program’s four components are core, research, collateral and dissertation coursework. Over a three year period, students attend core courses with their cohort. Core courses are the heart of the doctoral program, focusing on ideas and issues central to leadership.While pursuing the core component, students may concurrently take collateral and research courses, typically offered one evening per week. Many courses include online components. A faculty chairperson and two committee members mentor each doctoral candidate’s research and writing every step of the way as they develop their dissertation.

Open Cohort Model

The program’s cohort component (18 credits) fosters respectful and critical conversation, a diversity of perspectives and camaraderie among learners. Because members of each cohort come from a variety of backgrounds, discussions are rich and experiences are deep. Welcoming, comfortable learning spaces, meals together and time away from other responsibilities help the cohort come together as a group. For many, the cohort is one of the most meaningful elements of the program, connecting personally, intellectually and professionally for a lifetime.

The non-cohort element of the program incorporates an array of elective (24 credits) and research (24 credits) coursework in addition to the dissertation. This unique blend of cohort and elective courses enables students to benefit from the best aspects of a traditional doctoral program while gaining the supportive community provided by the cohort model.

Students are encouraged to take elective courses across a wide spectrum of theoretical and professional arenas. Most commonly, students take at least a few courses offered within the following areas of study:

• Critical Pedagogy
• International Leadership
• P-12 Administrative Licensure
• Policy
• Student Affairs/Higher Education

Classes meet on the St. Thomas Minneapolis campus in a conference-like setting. For the first core course in the summer, students reside in apartment suites on the St. Paul campus. Two core courses at the program’s beginning and conclusion include an overnight retreat at the St. Thomas Gainey  Conference Center in Owatonna, Minn.

Beyond the Classroom

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the wide range of conferences and other events hosted by the university. The Department of Leadership, Policy and Administration sponsors one such event, the annual Midwest Qualitative Research Conference, a gathering of people who use a variety of qualitative research methods to better understand the world in which they work and live. In addition to listening to national scholars, the conference offers an important opportunity for doctoral students and alumni scholars to present their research. Doctoral students gain the invaluable experience of presenting at a professional conference, in a familiar, supportive and comfortable setting.