Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Leadership Studies
Program Overview The University of San Diego’s (USD) Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Leadership Studies seeks to educate “practitioner-scholars” to make significant contributions to a variety of organizational settings in education, nonprofit organizations, public administration, the military and religious organizations, to name a few. The program also educates a number of students preparing to be interdisciplinary scholars of leadership; after graduation, these students may seek professions as university professors or work as policy analysts, evaluators or consultants. This degree offers flexibility for students to develop a unique area of specialization. Students will design an 18-unit course sequence in consultation with their adviser to meet their individual professional goals and educational interests. Students may choose from courses in the leadership studies programs in Higher Education Leadership, Public/Private School Leadership, Nonprofit Leadership and Management, Organizational Leadership/Consulting or from any other graduate program in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) or other graduate level courses from the other colleges and schools at USD.
Distinguishing Features • Rigorous 15-unit research component • Paid assistantships for students interested in: assessment, nonprofit leadership and management, teaching leadership, community college leadership and global education • Small class size and personalized attention from dedicated faculty • Applied learning opportunities from our institutes and centers:
• Leadership Institute
• The Caster Family Center for Nonprofit Research
• Educational Leadership Development Academy (ELDA)
• Community College Leadership Development Initiatives (CCLDI)
• Center for Education Policy and Law (CEPAL)
• The SOLES Global Center