More information about this degree program can be found in the College of Education section of the catalog.
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Leadership with a concentration in either Strategic Innovation or Policy is an interdisciplinary studies degree that aims to prepare students for high-level careers in leadership and service across a range of professional sectors. The goal is to equip professionals to pursue challenging, high-level responsibilities requiring advanced knowledge, training, and rigor, and to do so with the highest levels of integrity, ethical understanding, and behavior.
The program aspires to produce graduates who have developed exceptional skills to lead effectively, understand policy development and implementation processes, organize substantial amounts of information, research subjects broadly, independently manage and bring to successful fruition complex and in-depth projects, adapt to changing environments, and who are subsequently prepared to be a valued resource to the professional community.
The concentration in Strategic Innovation focuses on developing knowledge and skills of strategic planning, entrepreneurship, innovation, change, conflict, organizational turnaround, strategic advocacy, proposal writing, and how to produce relevant and original research. The curriculum explores how organizations and communities imagine, conceptualize, analyze, resource, and implement innovative solutions to organizational and social problems. Embedded in the curriculum is exploration of effective integration of technology and artificial intelligence to improve operations, enhance decision-making processes, and create competitive advantages.
The concentration in Public Policy focuses on developing understanding of public policy theory, research and practice. The curriculum develops knowledge and skills of how public policy is conceptualized, developed, adopted, and implemented, how to analyze policy issues, develop evidence-based solutions, and contribute to the field through relevant and original research.
Admissions Process:
- Completed online application
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Three letters of recommendation (including a professional recommendation)
- Two written personal statements: 1) Journey of faith and spiritual development 2) Purpose for pursuing the Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy
- GRE or MAT
- Current resume
- Writing assessment
- Interview with doctoral faculty committee
The program features a Bachelor’s to Ph.D. route for academically high-achieving students. Bachelor degree holders who know that a Ph.D. is their ultimate goal may be considered for direct admission to the Ph.D. program if they meet the following admission criteria:
- 3.5 Cumulative GPA (at least 60 undergraduate hours must be taken at Lipscomb University)
- Above Average Score Required for either GRE or MAT:
- GRE: Score of 156 or higher on both the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections and score of 4.1 or higher on the Analytical Writing section
- MAT: Score of 408 or higher
- Meet all other admissions requirements including acceptance following an interview
- Applicants not admitted will be required to earn a masters degree before being considered for admission to the Ph.D. program.
Transfer Credit
A maximum of 15 hours of post-masters coursework may be transferred toward direct-equivalent courses in the Ph.D. Program. Only six post-masters hours may be transferred toward direct-equivalent courses in the research sequence and only if earned within the 5 years prior to enrollment in the Ph.D. program. Approved leadership courses that are 600 level or higher within an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership Program may be transferred (up to 15 hours).
Ph.D. Course of Study
EG 7403 Ph.D. Seminar I
EG 8403 Ph.D. Seminar II
EG 8473 Global Perspectives in Leadership
EG 7133 Organizational Theory and Practice
EG 7213 Qualitative Research Methods in Education
EG 7433 Statistics for Social and Behavioral Science
EG 8213 Advanced Quantitative Research Methods
EG 7173 Applied Research Seminar
EG 8323 Special Topics in Leadership and Policy (repeatable)
EG 8013-8033 Dissertation Research I, II, & III
Strategic Innovation Concentration:
EG 7233 Strategic Planning and Resource Allocation
EG 7203 Change and Conflict
EG 7323 Governance, Decision-Making and Communication
EG 6533 Cross-Functional Teaming
EG 7243 Contemporary Issues
EG 8323 Special Topics in Leadership and Policy (repeatable)
EG 7263 Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
EG 7273 Organizational Turnaround and Renewal
EG 8233 Strategic Advocacy and Proposal Writing
Policy Concentration:
EG 8453 Global Perspectives in Policy (currently includes travel experience)
EG 8313 Policy Analysis and Change
MPA 6113 Intersection of the Federal System and State Leadership
EG 7383 Finance and Policy
EG 7343 Policy Seminar
EG 8323 Special Topics in Leadership and Policy
EG 7323 Governance, Decision-Making and Communication
EG 8233 Strategic Advocacy and Proposal Writing
EG 7203 Change and Conflict