Department of Leadership Studies
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Leadership Studies
The Department of Leadership Studies offers the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in leadership studies. The 75 semester credit hour doctoral program utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to prepare individuals who will emerge as leaders capable of excelling in business, healthcare, education and public affairs agencies.
The PhD in leadership studies program at Our Lady of the Lake University is designed as a four year sequence, which begins with intensive course work and culminates with the dissertation. Courses in the program reflect emerging new knowledge and skills and are taught as interdisciplinary, thematic units. This is a cohort program, which includes approximately 15-25 participants taking courses together. The cohort model provides individuals with opportunities to work collaboratively to meet the demands of the program. The program requires:
- 75 semester hours in leadership studies beyond the master's degree, including dissertation
- Doctoral coursework taken at an accredited college/university up to five years prior to the student's entry in the program may partially fulfill semester hour requirements
Admission Application Requirements
Regular Admission
- Completed OLLU application forms
- Nonrefundable $25 application fee
- Official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended at the master's degree and undergraduate levels
- A master's degree with a minimum of 36 credit hours in an appropriate field from a regionally accredited college or university. Leveling work may be required
- Preferred grade point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale in all previous master's degree work
- Official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) either from a testing center or as recorded on an official transcript.
- At least three letters of professional recommendation from individuals who can attest to the applicant's leadership qualities and potential
- A complete résumé
- A personal statement may be required.
- Must take the following assessment tests at the University Assessment Center:
- NEO Personality Inventory – Revised (NEOPI-R)
- Watson-Glaser critical thinking skills inventory
- Writing Assessment
- Interview with DLS Faculty arranged by the Leadership Department and is by appointment only
- Applicants whose primary language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), as stipulated in the OLLU Admission Information for International Graduate Applicants
Admission Deadline
Admissions deadlines are available on the Department of Leadership Studies website.
Admission Procedures
- All completed admission files will be submitted to the PhD Admission Committee who will review the completed applications.
- All applicants will be notified of their admission decision no later than two weeks after the admissions deadline date.
International Students
An international student seeking admission into the graduate program for a PhD in leadership studies should refer to page 36 of this bulletin for additional information on credentials needed for admission.
Conditional Admission
Conditional acceptance is granted on the merits of each case. In some circumstances, applicants who do not meet all of the requirements for regular admission may be admitted conditionally, providing they fulfill the conditions listed in their letters of conditional acceptance within the period of specified time. If conditional acceptance is given because of missing official credentials, the period of time to provide those documents will not extend beyond the first term of attendance.
Academic Requirements
Doctoral students will be expected to complete the following requirements in addition to required coursework:
- Comprehensive examinations — each student is required to pass successfully all written and oral comprehensive examinations. The first comprehensive exam occurs after 18 credit hours. Students may not continue beyond 30 semester hours until they have passed this exam. The candidacy comprehensive exam is taken after 48 semester hours. Upon passing the candidacy exam, students may form a dissertation committee and register for dissertation credits.
- Dissertation — a dissertation is required as part of the doctoral program. A student must register for at least nine semester hours of dissertation courses. If a student has not completed the dissertation by the end of the three-course sequence, the student must register for one credit hour of dissertation credit for each semester until completion.
- Time limits — the interdisciplinary program is designed as a four-year cohort experience. Students are expected to complete the doctoral program in the time limit prescribed. Exceptions may be approved by the chair of the Department of Leadership Studies. Students will not be permitted to complete the program after 10 years from the time of first enrollment. Students who take longer than seven years from time of first enrollment to complete all coursework and the dissertation may need to repeat some of their courses.
Students complete 60 credit hours of required course work, 3 credit hours of electives, and 12 credit hours spent researching and writing an original dissertation.
The sequence of courses is designed around four broad areas. The four course leadership sequence progresses from theories of leading individuals and small groups through leadership in international organizations. The applied courses improve practitioner skills in the areas of communication, management and legal/ethical. The policy development courses introduce students to seminal arguments for and against a variety of societal issues. The leadership research sequence provides students the needed skills to conceive, design and conduct their doctoral dissertation. The leadership electives are taken in the last year of study concomitant to work on the dissertation.
The Complexity of the Leadership Task
Progression of Courses
Intermediate Leadership Theories |
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Intra-Organizational Leadership |
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Inter-Organizational Leadership |
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Global Leadership |
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Synthesis of Leadership and Research Theories |
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Leadership Theories Synthesis for Leadership |
Readings in Leadership
Historical Leadership Theories |
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Advanced Leadership Theories |
Applied Courses for Leaders
Communication
Oral Communication for Leaders |
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Conflict Management |
Management
Leadership Issues in Technology and Organizational Change OR |
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Leadership Decision Processes |
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Resource Management I |
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Management Synthesis for Leadership |
Legal and Ethical
Legal Issues |
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Leadership Ethics and Morality |
Policy Development at the Leadership Level
Policy, Values and Partnerships |
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Applications in Policy and Services |
The Complexity of Leadership Research
Progression of Related Courses
Intermediate Research Methods |
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Advanced Research Methods |
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Experimental Design and Statistics I |
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Experimental Design and Statistics II |
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Research Synthesis for Leadership |
Applied Leadership Research
Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
Leadership Electives (Topics Change Each Semester)
Selected Topics in Leadership Studies |
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Leadership Studies and Master of Business Administration
93 hours
Students in the PhD program may choose to also get an MBA in management. This can be accomplished by taking an additional 18 hours of course work in the MBA program. The course listed with the prefix "BADM" are the courses required. All students seeking to get an MBA must meet the admission requirements to the MBA program.
Intermediate Leadership Theories |
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Leadership Assessment |
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Intra-Organizational Leadership |
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Inter-Organizational Leadership |
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Global Leadership |
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Synthesis of Leadership and Research Theories |
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Leadership Theories Synthesis for Leadership |
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Historical Leadership Theories |
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Advanced Leadership Theories |
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Oral Communication for Leaders |
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Conflict Management |
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Leadership Issues in Technology and Organizational Change OR |
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Leadership Decision Processes |
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Management Synthesis for Leadership |
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Resources Management I |
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Legal Issues |
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Leadership Ethics and Morality |
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Policy, Values and Partnerships |
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Applications in Policy and Services |
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Intermediate Research Methods |
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Advanced Research Methods |
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Experimental Design and Statistics I |
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Experimental Design and Statistics II |
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Research Synthesis for Leadership |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Dissertation Defense |
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Selected Topics in Leadership Studies |
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Managerial Control Systems |
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Corporate Finance |
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Marketing Strategies and Policies |
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Information Systems for Management |
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Supply Chain and Operations Management |
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The Economics of Global Business Conditions |
Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Leadership Studies
93 hours
Leadership Theory and Practice |
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Critical Thinking and Problem Analysis for Leaders |
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Readings in Leadership |
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Written Communication for Leaders |
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Leadership Strategies and Processes |
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Introduction to Leadership Research Methods |
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Intermediate Leadership Theories |
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Intra-Organizational Leadership |
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Inter-Organizational Leadership |
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Global Leadership |
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Historical Leadership Theories |
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Advanced Leadership Theories |
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Oral Communication for Leaders |
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Conflict Management |
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Leadership Issues in Technology and Organizational Change |
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Leader Decision Processes |
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Financial Issues in Leadership |
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Legal Issues |
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Leadership Ethics and Morality |
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Policy, Values and Partnerships |
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Applications in Policy and Services |
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Intermediate Research Methods |
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Advanced Leadership Research |
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Experimental Design and Statistics I |
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Experimental Design and Statistics II |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Field Based Research |
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Selected Topics in Leadership |
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Selected Topics in Leadership |
Master of Science in Organizational Leadership
Students are admitted to begin their programs of study three times each year: fall, spring and summer. Applicants submit a battery of materials including:
- GRE, GMAT or MAT scores and official master's degree and undergraduate transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended
- A complete résumé, detailing professional work experience
- A personal statement of three to five, double-spaced pages describing long-range professional and scholarly interests
The Master of Science in organizational leadership enhances the leadership skills of dedicated professionals in a wide range of fields to include business, education and healthcare administration. The interdisciplinary degree combines theory and fieldwork in order to graduate "practitioner-scholars" who can provide enlightened leadership at the workplace.
The degree has three primary goals:
- To afford leadership development at the master's degree level for promising professionals with aspirations to higher levels of responsibility in business, education, health and public service in the region, the state and the nation
- To provide an opportunity for interdisciplinary master's degree study within a framework that fosters the development of a global perspective
- To make substantive contributions to the application of knowledge in executive leadership and policy development, research and community service
Semester 1
Introduction to Leadership Theories |
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Critical Thinking and Problem Analysis for Leaders |
Semester 2
Introduction to Leadership Research Methods |
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Leadership Strategies and Processes |
Semester 3
Readings in Leadership |
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Written Communications for Leaders |
Semester 4
Transformational Leadership |
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Oral Communications for Leaders |
Choose one of the following concentrations:
Leadership Concentration - 12 semester hours
Selected Topics in Leadership |
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Selected Topics in Leadership |
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Selected Topics in Leadership |
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Selected Topics in Leadership |
Interdisciplinary Concentration –
12 semester hours from the following:
Legal and Ethical Environment of Business and Global Decision-Making |
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International Study Tour |
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Demography |
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Selected Reading |
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Social Welfare Policy and Services |
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Policy and Practice in Human Services |
Other Leadership Related Course(s) — Approved by Adviser
Master of Business Administration and Master of Science Specializations: Business Administration and Organizational Leadership
MBA then MSOL. All students seeking to get an MSOL, in addition to the MBA, must meet the admission requirements to the MSOL program. MBA students who choose to go into the dual program, must be admitted to the dual program before completing 18 hours in Business courses.
54 semester hours
Legal and Ethical Environment of Business and Global Decision-Making |
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Managerial Control Systems |
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Corporate Finance |
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Marketing Strategies and Policies |
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Information Systems for Management |
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Supply Chain and Operations Management |
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The Economics of Global Business Conditions |
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Strategic Management Concepts and Processes |
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Management Theory and Decision-Making Practices |
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Introduction to Leadership Theories |
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Critical Thinking and Problem Analysis for Leaders |
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Introduction to Leadership Research Methods |
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Readings in Leadership |
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Multi-cultural Issues in Leadership |
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Oral Communication for Leaders |
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Written Communication for Leaders |
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Selected Topic in Leadership |
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Selected Topic in Leadership |
Candidacy Written Comp
Candidacy Oral Comp
Master of Science and Master of Business Administration Specializations: Organizational Leadership and Business Administration
MSOL then MBA. All students seeking to get an MBA, in addition to the MSOL, must meet the admission requirements to the MBA program. MSOL students who choose to go into the dual program, must be admitted to the dual program before completing 18 hours in Leadership courses.
54 semester hours
Leadership Theory and Practice |
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Critical Thinking and Problem Analysis for Leaders |
|
Introduction to Leadership Research Methods |
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Readings in Leadership |
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Multi-Cultural Issues in Leadership |
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Oral Communication for Leaders |
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Written Communication for Leaders |
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Selected Topic in Leadership |
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Selected Topic in Leadership |
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Legal and Ethical Environment of Business and Global Decision-Making |
|
Managerial Control Systems |
|
Corporate Finance |
|
Marketing Strategies and Policies |
|
Information Systems for Management |
|
Supply Chain and Operations Management |
|
The Economics of Global Business Conditions |
|
Strategic Management Concepts and Processes |
|
Management Theory and Decision-Making Practices |
Candidacy Written Comp
Candidacy Oral Comp