Educational Leadership & Organizational Development (PhD) specializations

Overview

The Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development offers a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development with an emphasis in Evaluation. The Evaluation specialization is designed to train education professionals and scholars in educational program evaluation. This program is flexible to accommodate part-time students seeking a terminal degree in evaluation. Graduates with an Evaluation specialization are eligible for leadership roles in a variety of settings, such as school districts, government agencies, non- profit organizations, educational foundations, private research and development companies, federal and state education agencies, and higher education institutions. 

Students in Evaluation take courses in the professional specialty area of evaluation, as well as courses in quantitative and qualitative research methods and applied statistics. All students complete an internship in educational evaluation and a dissertation. Applicants to the program should have completed a master’s degree. Applicants are required to submit scores on the Graduate Record Examination (Quantitative and Verbal), letters of recommendation, a curriculum vitae describing relevant past experience, and a professional goal statement. 

Those who are interested in this program should contact Dr. Jason Immekus at 502-852-3825 or jason.immekus@louisville.edu. 

This program is open to all eligible students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. 

Overview

Human Resources and Organizational Development (HROD) is a field of practice dedicated to learning, development and performance for work and workplaces.  

The program is designed to prepare leaders in the HROD field. The coursework and other requirements are designed to help prepare (a) HROD-related faculty members in college/university settings, (b) advanced scholar-practitioners who lead HROD functions in a variety of organization types, and (c) policy specialists/professional researchers. 

The HROD specialty in the Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development contains three areas of emphasis: 

This program is open to all eligible students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. 

Leadership and Organization Development 

This emphasis is designed for students who are interested in: 

• Organizational Change 
• Organization Development 
• Organizational Leadership 

Workplace Learning and Human Resources 

This emphasis is designed for students who are interested in: 

• Employee Training and Learning 
• Performance Improvement 
• E-Learning in Workplaces 
• Career Planning and Talent Management 
• Human Resource Management 

Workforce Development 

This emphasis is designed for students who are interested in: 

• Career and Technical Education 
• Postsecondary Workforce Development 
• Community-based Workforce Development 
• Adult Education 

Our Students

In recent years, most new HROD doctoral students have been highly talented, experienced professionals who have returned to school to engage in full-time graduate study. However, part-time study is also an option. Our HROD doctoral students tend to be highly motivated to work in a collegial community by engaging with ideas and research to advance theory and knowledge in this important specialization. In the process, our students build their professional capacity to improve practice and policy in workplace learning, human resources, organizational development, and workforce development. 

Curriculum

HROD is a specialization in the Ph.D. program in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development in the Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development in the College of Education and Human Development. Outside of core requirements, individual programs are highly customizable and interdisciplinary. 

Depending upon your specific areas of interest, you can also take classes and work with other faculty in diverse fields. In our own department, students have access to scholars in Workforce and Human Resource Education, Evaluation, Higher Education Administration, and P-12 Leadership. In other departments, students can work with scholars in diverse fields such as Educational Psychology, Teaching and Learning, Sport Administration, Sociology, Public Administration, Sociology, Communication, and Women's and Gender Studies. 

Contact

Contact Dr. Brad Shuck at 502-852-7396 if you have questions about the program or would like to apply. 

Overview

This is a concentration of the Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development program, which seeks to prepare professional researchers, scholars, or scholar practitioners and develop competencies in educational scholarship and research that focuses on acquiring new knowledge. 

Curriculum

Ph.D. students with a concentration in P-12 complete a rigorous core curriculum (a minimum of 60 hours) in educational leadership/organizational theory and research methods that develop an understanding of inquiry, qualitative, and quantitative research. The remainder of courses are selected in consultation with the doctoral student's program advisor, but should develop competencies in P-12 educational leadership and policy. 

Contact

For information about this program, contact Dr. Kyle Ingle at 502-852-6097. 

Overview

The doctoral degree is granted in recognition of scholarly proficiency and distinctive achievement in a specific field/discipline. All candidates for a doctoral degree in the College of Education and Human Development must successfully complete qualifying exams and a dissertation/professional portfolio that clearly indicates the candidate has mastered and can exhibit/articulate the content knowledge, skills and dispositions specific to their discipline and can utilize appropriate research methodologies to contribute to the body of knowledge in their field. 

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Additional Admission Information

The LEAD Department PhD Admissions Committee evaluates an applicant’s potential to succeed in the doctoral program, including academic writing and analysis, theory and conceptual processing, and overall program readiness. This evaluation of an applicant is conducted through a holistic review of an applicant’s fully submitted application materials. These materials include the following: 

• Graduate Application 
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae 
• Letters of Recommendation: 2 Required (academic references preferred, but required for all applicants whose undergraduate work was completed within the last five years) 
• English Language Exam: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test required* for applicants for whom English is not their primary language  
• Transcripts: all official transcripts from any courses or degree programs taken at previous postsecondary institutions (other than dual credit) 
• Personal Statement 
• Analysis Essay 

In addition, an applicant may submit or participate in additional opportunities such as the following that are optional but not required for admission: 

1. Interview 
2. GRE Scores 
3. Any academic or published works/ creative artifacts you have been a part of or produce

Curriculum

Master’s degree prerequisite + 60 credit hours minimum 

The Student and Committee must develop courses, programs and experiences that clearly identify and address the specific themes of Leadership, Scholarship, Social Justice and Equity. These areas of emphasis must have descriptive competencies that the student should attain and the Committee can assess. 

Coursework Requirements 

¹ 

 33 credit hours minimum, selected with Program Committee Approval 

² 

 15 credit hours minimum, selected with Program Committee Approval 

³ 

 Master's degree comprises elective component of program. 

Contact

Contact Dr. Jessica Buckley at 502-852-0641 if you have questions or would like to apply to this program. 

Overview

Sport Management is a growing academic discipline, and our PhD is designed for those wishing to pursue a career as a college or university faculty member in Sport Management. The program has attracted students from around the world (United States, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Sweden, Germany) to study with the internationally recognized faculty. Our current faculty serve on multiple editorial boards, have authored or co-authored numerous sport management textbooks, and have a long history of engaging Ph.D. students in research. 

While there is no typical Ph.D. student, candidates with previous work experience in the sport industry as well as a clear research focus are preferred. Sport industry experience is extremely helpful for Sport Management faculty members since our discipline is very hands-on and the students we teach will be preparing for jobs where they will be teaching future sport industry professionals. 

We are proud to say that every student who graduated from our program is employed in a related academic or industry position. The job market is extremely competitive and students typically begin applying for jobs in the fall of their third year. Students who take advantage of the research, teaching, and service opportunities available to them while enrolled in the program have fared very well. 

A Ph.D. program is by nature a research-oriented degree where students are actively engaged in research teams with faculty members and other doctoral students. Students will also submit proposals for presentations at national and international conferences and write for publications. 

Careers

The job market is extremely competitive and students typically begin applying for jobs in the fall of their third year. Students who take advantage of the research, teaching, and service opportunities available to them while enrolled in the program have fared very well in obtaining faculty and administrative positions. Currently, 100% of our graduates are employed in the field. 

Curriculum

For more details about program curriculum, visit the Graduate Catalog. 

Program Requirements 

Master’s degree prerequisite + 60 credit hours minimum 

The Student and Committee must develop courses, programs and experiences that clearly identify and address the specific themes of Leadership, Scholarship, Social Justice and Equity. These areas of emphasis must have descriptive competencies that the student should attain and the Committee can assess. 

Coursework Requirements 

¹ 

 33 credit hours minimum, selected with Program Committee Approval 

² 

 15 credit hours minimum, selected with Program Committee Approval 

³ 

 Master's degree comprises elective component of program. 

Contact

Dr. Chris Greenwell, Professor, (502) 852-0555, chris.greenwell@louisville.edu