The document summarizes a study exploring curricular variations in leadership doctoral programs. It finds that while there are some common core course requirements in leadership theory and organizational behavior, there are notable differences between Ph.D. programs in leadership, organizational leadership, and leadership studies in terms of required research credits and examinations for advancement. Additionally, these leadership doctoral programs tend to be located in schools of education and professional graduate studies rather than business schools.

1. Exploring Curricular Variations in
Leadership Doctoral Education
Taylor Peyton Roberts & Lindsey McDougle
University of San Diego
1

2. Background
The study of leadership has become one of the fastest
growing academic fields in higher education.1
At the doctoral level, such programs are intended to educate
students to become leadership scholars, academics,
researchers, and/or practitioners.
The multidisciplinary nature of leadership education yields
curricular variations by institution.2
1
Brungardt, 1996; Brungardt Gould, Moore, & Potts, 1997; Rost, 1991;
Rost & Barker, 2000; Doh, 2003; Daloz Parks, 2005
2
Klenke, 1993
2

3. Background
Crawford, Brungardt, Scott, and Gould (2002):
At the master’s level, the above authors found that most
organizational leadership degree programs were grounded
in “both theory and practice,” but the level and quality of
research offerings in these programs varied
(p. 73). For instance, courses in research methods and
statistics were “generally replaced by applied methods,
if required at all” (p. 73).
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4. Background
The level and quality of educational preparation students
receive in academic programs related to the study of
leadership may differ substantially.
Limited research exists on the curricular content of academic
programs in leadership.
The extent to which such variation also exists among
leadership-oriented Ph.D. programs and the importance of
any such potential variation remains unknown.
4

5. Purpose
The purpose of this research was to explore the curricular
content and degree requirements of Leadership, Leadership
Studies, and Organizational Leadership Ph.D. programs.
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6. Primary Questions
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Is there a substantial difference in the curricular content
between Leadership, Leadership Studies, and Organizational
Leadership Ph.D. programs?
What are the degree and course (i.e., research and elective)
requirements for these programs?
Where are these programs located within universities?

7. Method: Program Selection
Examined 21 interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs in the United
States specifically focused on:
--Leadership
--Leadership Studies
--Organizational Leadership
Internet search for programs included the following terms:
--Ph.D., doctoral, doctorate
--Leadership studies, organizational leadership, leadership
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8. Method: Program Selection
Criteria for program inclusion:
1)Offered at a college or university as a doctoral degree
granting program
2)Degree program in Leadership studies, Organizational
Leadership, or Leadership
3)Curricular focus primarily oriented towards leadership as
opposed to management education, education, or other
academic disciplines
4)Generic in nature rather than focusing on a particular
subgroup or specific area of leadership
(e.g., healthcare leadership or
educational leadership)
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9. Method: Program Analysis
Content analysis included:
--Program websites
--Brochures
--Graduate bulletins
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10. Method: Program Analysis
Analysis per program focused on:
--Degree type
--Location within the college/university
--Maximum time allowed for degree completion
--Core requirements
--Research requirements
--Elective requirement3
--Requirements for advancement into doctoral candidacy
and dissertation
--Carnegie Foundation basic classification
3
For programs that did not specifically classify degree requirements into separate categories
(core/research/elective), course descriptions were assessed in order to determine the best
categorization for each course.
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11. FindingsLeadership-Oriented Ph.D. Programs in the U.S.
11

12. Findings
The most commonly required core courses across all
programs were in the following areas:
--Leadership theory, foundations, and development
--Organizational theory, development, and behavior
--Ethical and legal issues in leadership
The average number of minimum required research credits
differed by program type, as Ph.D. in Leadership programs
required the least research credits and
Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership programs
required the most research credits (Slide 13).
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13. FindingsAverage Number of Required Research Credits
13

14. Findings
Many leadership-oriented Ph.D. programs granted
advancement to candidacy only upon successful completion
of a comprehensive or qualifying examination(s), although
the content and structure of these examinations differed by
program.
Maximum time allowable for completion ranged across
programs: 6-10 years.
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15. Findings
The Carnegie Foundation basic type classifications of the
institutions studied primarily ranged from “high research
activity” doctoral institutions to “smaller programs” master’s
institutions.
Many of the universities offering these programs were
private institutions.
Although leadership has long been a component of
management education, 18 of the 21 leadership doctoral
programs studied were not situated within
schools of business.
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16. Findings
Core Course Requirements in Leadership, Organizational
Leadership, and Leadership Studies Ph.D. Programs
LT OT EL POL GFE P/I NG CM DS SPR IT RCI SSL ALD DIV QM FIN HR
Ph.D. in Leadership
Alvernia College x xx x x x
Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary2 x x x xx
Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership
Eastern University xx xx xx x x x
Gannon University3
x xx x
Regent University xxx x x x x
University of Maryland
Eastern Shore
xxx x
University of Oklahoma x xx x x x x x x x
University of the Incarnate
Word
x xx x xxx x
Ph.D. in Leadership Studies
Dallas Baptist University4
xxx x x xx x x
Gonzaga University x x xx x x
Indiana University of
Pennsylvania5 xx x x x xx
Marian University xx x
North Carolina A&T
University
x x x x x x x x x
Our Lady of the Lake
University4 x xx xx xx x x xx x x x
University of Central
Arkansas
xxx x x x x
University of San Diego x x x x x x
Total # of Courses 24 23 13 7 7 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1
Course Key
LT -- Leadership Theory, Foundations &
Development
OT -- Organization Theory, Development &
Behavior
EL -- Ethical and Legal Issues in Leadership
POL -- Policy
GFE -- Global, Future, and Emerging
Leadership
P/I -- Practicum/ Internship/ Capstone Project
NG -- Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
CM -- Communication
DS -- Decision and Strategy
SPR -- Spirituality and Leadership
IT -- Information Technology
RCI -- Research and Critical Inquiry
SSL -- Sector Specific Leadership
ALD -- Adult Learning and Development
DIV -- Diversity and Leadership
QM -- Quality Management
FIN -- Finance
HR -- Human Relations
1
x = number of required courses in each program related to the topic or subject area.
2
This program also requires a series of colloquium in core content.
3
This program also requires a case analysis as a core content course.
4
This program also requires two readings courses in core content.
5
This program also requires a proseminar as a core content course.
Note: The program at Andrews University (Ph.D. in Leadership) requires job related competencies in lieu of coursework. The program at Antioch University (Ph.D. in Leadership and Change) requires a series of academic milestones. The programs at
Temple Tennessee University (Ph.D. in Leadership), Alliant University (Ph.D. in Leadership), and Grand Canyon University (Ph.D. in Leadership) are currently under development. As such, the core curricular requirements for these programs are not
included here.
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17. Conclusion
Notable differences exist among the myriad programs
stemming from the growing academic interest in the field of
leadership studies.
Additional research in this area can provide valuable
information to those involved in the development and
administration of leadership-oriented doctoral programs.
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18. Conclusion
Further research comparing the offerings of doctoral
programs in leadership will also be helpful to leadership
students in search of graduate programs that can adequately
prepare them for their future careers.
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19. Future Research Questions
Why is there such a heavy concentration of leadership-
oriented doctoral programs in schools of education and
professional schools of graduate study?
What kinds of professions are most commonly pursued by
students from each degree type?
What are the variations in curricular content of doctoral
leadership programs compared to doctoral programs in
Management? How do such differences influence student
learning and professional outcomes?
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20. Selected References
Crawford, C. B., Brungardt, C. L., Scott, F., & Gould, B. (2002). Graduate
programs in organizational leadership: A review of programs, faculty,
costs, and delivery methods. Journal of Leadership and Organizational
Studies, 8(4), 64-74.
Doh, J. P (2003). Can leadership be taught? Perspectives from management
educators. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 2(1), 54-67.
Rost, J. C. & Baker, R. A. (2000). Leadership education in colleges: Toward
as 21st century paradigm. The Journal of Leadership Studies, 7(1), 3-12.
Wish, N. B., Mirabella, R. M. (1998). Curricular variations in
nonprofit management graduate programs. Nonprofit
Management & Leadership, 9(1), 99-109.
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