The Dissertation

The dissertation will be a research-based, practice-centered inquiry that attests to the student's understanding of the field and ability to conduct scholarly inquiry about an issue related to leadership practices and performance in organizations from which other leaders can benefit. In addition, the research must provide a unique contribution to the understanding of organizational leadership.

Students may conduct qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, or any other type of research that meets the approval of their Dissertation Committee. The dissertation is expected to meet the highest standards of scholarship and inquiry, and should demonstrate doctoral level composition and format. The student should identify the problem and its significance, outline the background and literature that informs the problem, and collect and analyze data. The process should result in a written document detailing findings, implications, and recommendations for future policy, governance, and/or practice.

Dissertation Requirements

For the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership major, coursework comprises 48 credit hours. Then, the dissertation includes a minimum of an additional 12 hours. Three credit-hours of a Dissertation Seminar (DOL-915) and nine credit hours of dissertation credit after DOL-915 are required to reach the 12 credit-hour dissertation threshold. The coursework (48 hours) and dissertation (12 hours) combine to make the Organizational Leadership major a 60-credit hour program.

Every Organizational Leadership student will be required to write and defend a dissertation. The Organizational Leadership course of study emphasizes the development of theory-in-use research and skills with a practitioner focus. A doctoral research study addresses a problem of practice, where the focus is upon the integration of knowledge or its application. A dissertation generates or confirms knowledge and expanded capacity while linking theory-in-use to current best practice. The process of scholarship, research, and leadership utilizes a variety of research methods, including empirical, interpretive, or critical. All doctoral research studies and dissertations will result in a substantial written document.

A Dissertation Manual will be released annually by the Department of Leadership Studies. Students are required to follow all policies, procedures, and guidelines contained in the most recent manual. Students should consult their Dissertation Chair regarding specific questions related to the requirements of the Dissertation Manual.

Degree Completion Limits

Many students require four to six years to complete the doctoral degree. The coursework of the Ph.D. program is designed as a lock-step curriculum, which is to be completed in 33-36 months (depending on whether the program is started in July or January). Following the coursework and comprehensive exam, the student begins the dissertation which must be completed within six years from the point of completing the DOL-915 course. At any point after a student has been working on the dissertation for four years from completion of the DOL-915 course, the student may be required to achieve specific benchmarks during each term session to continue in the program. Benchmarks will be established in consultation between the student, dissertation chair (and committee where established), department chair, and school dean. Failure to achieve established benchmarks may result in dismissal from the program. Request for exceptions to this degree completion limits policy must be made in writing to the CAPS Academic Appeals Committee.

Dissertation Continuation

Doctoral students not completing the dissertation by the end of the 12 hours of dissertation courses will be required to maintain continuous enrollment. They will be required to enroll in a one-hour Dissertation Continuation course (DOL-922) with the university each successive term until the dissertation is successfully defended. Students will pay the one-hour tuition fee per term to maintain continuous enrollment. 

Candidate Status

Doctoral students will attain candidacy status upon successful:

• Completion of all coursework.
• Completion of the comprehensive exam.
• Completion and committee approval of the dissertation proposal (Chapters 1-3).