The success of an organization depends upon good leadership; but today, most organizations are desperate for highly trained, skilled leaders. The EdD in Organizational Leadership at Argosy University serves to fill the gap by preparing students to become visionaries capable of driving organizations during times of dynamic change.

Our curriculum enhances professional expertise and develops personal abilities, and it positions practicing professionals to compete and work in complex organizations faced with increasing globalization, societal shifts, and elaborate strategic partnerships.

As a student at Argosy University, you will join one of the largest graduate student communities in the nation and enjoy a collegial, supportive academic environment. You will take classes online in our interactive, user-friendly classroom and learn from seasoned faculty members who provide personalized attention in a small class setting.

Throughout your matriculation, we will support you with a student advisor, faculty mentor, career services, and an online campus community enabling you to connect with your global peers.

As a doctoral student you must also attend a minimum of two residency programs. These interactive sessions are designed to enhance student success, provide the opportunity to network, meet faculty, and acquire knowledge and skills that will assist throughout their program. The residency programs will be offered at various campus locations throughout the academic year.

All doctoral students attend a minimum of two residency programs designed to enhance student success, provide the opportunity to network, meet faculty, and acquire knowledge and skills that will assist throughout their program. The residency programs will be offered at various locations throughout the academic year.

The first residency program is four days in duration, earns each student three semester credit hours, and must be completed within the first 15 semester credit hours of the doctoral program. The first residency program is required. It focuses on topics pertinent to beginning doctoral students, including: success for learning online, conducting research, critical thinking skills, an overview of Argosy University policies, procedures, and support systems, an overview of the comprehensive examination process and guide, an understanding of Argosy University library databases and resources, and successful navigation of the online course management system. Students do not pay an incremental fee for the residency; they pay for the three semester credit hours, their room, travel, and lodging.

The second residency program is three days in duration and coincides with registration for the first three semester credit hours of the dissertation. The second residency program is required, follows the successful completion of the comprehensive examinations, and earns each student three semester credit hours. This program focuses on the successful completion of the dissertation, including: the completion of the plan of studies, more in depth library research, dissertation formatting and style, mind maps, committee meetings, and an overview of the Institution Research Board and Dissertation Guides. Students will also have an opportunity to observe dissertation defenses and hear presentations from advanced doctoral students. Students do not pay an incremental fee for the residency; they pay for the three semester credit hours, their room, travel, and lodging.

The third residency program (one day in duration) is the dissertation defense itself and is not required. Students have the opportunity to make their dissertation defense in person during the Residency I-II. For those students unable to make their defense in person, they will make their defense via teleconference.

The fourth residency program is entitled the Pinnacle Seminar and is delivered as a three semester credit hour, blended delivery course. The Pinnacle Seminar is not required. Each student attends a 7.5-week online course that culminates with an in-person weekend of workshops led by a distinguished national leader in a topic related to their doctoral studies. In addition to working with the visiting professor, students interact with professors and peers in course activities. Students do not pay an incremental fee for the residency; they pay for the three semester credit hours, their room, travel, and lodging.

The Doctor of Education (EdD) in Organizational Leadership Program requires the satisfactory completion of 60 semester credit hours distributed as follows:

All courses are 3 semester credit hours in length.

There are 24 credit hours in core courses needed for the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Organizational Leadership Program.

L7101 Foundations in Leadership

This course examines organizational leadership and its relationship to organizational development and change. The course is interdisciplinary; examples from healthcare, business and industry, public sector, and education are utilized. The course specifically addresses contemporary and futurist leadership theory and practice based in the concepts and assumptions of the "new sciences."

L7431 Theory and Development of Motivation

This course covers the theory and development of motivation. Major interest is placed on motivation, models, and strategies for enhancing motivation in individuals and groups, variables affecting (and affected by) motivation and environmental influences on motivation.

L7432 Professional Development in Leadership

This course focuses on the development of human services professionals over their careers in order to enhance their personal and professional development. Issues related to the interaction between personal and professional development, leadership approaches, and leadership styles are addressed.

L7438 Team Development and Leadership

This course utilizes an experiential format to focus on a variety of concepts and practices associated with developing and managing an effective team. Different approaches to management, motivation, and performance are addressed, along with some barriers to effective team efforts. Case studies and problem resolution are the focus of this experience. Expected student outcomes include mastering the basic concepts, theories, and fundamental techniques of team management, identifying current challenges and issues confronting managers in human services organizations, and identifying positive team management strategies and their application to human services.

L7450 Interpersonal and Organizational Communication

This course focuses on a variety of issues embedded in both interpersonal and organizational communication. These issues include trust, organizational climate, perception, motivation, and the communication process. The course also elaborates on patterns of miscommunication as these patterns affect organizational communication.

L7451 Leading Through and Beyond Change

This course focuses on expanding and extending the core curriculum in organizational leadership to include the process of change and how that process affects organizations and those who lead them. It explores resistance to change, change models, leadership challenges in facilitating change, the role of both the leader and the follower in the change process, and how to identify future trends.

L7452 Leadership and Ethics

This course focuses on theories and models of leadership with special attention to the demonstration of an understanding, familiarity, awareness, and competency of the principles of ethics and how they apply to decision making, leadership, leadership development, and value-based leadership.

L7900 Conflict Management

This course provides participants with the theory and best practices for understanding and managing conflict and appropriate resolution. Students examine different contexts of interpersonal and inter-group conflicts and use methods for diagnosing the extent and severity of the differences (in terms of positions, values and needs) between individuals and groups. An examination of the effects of overt and covert conflicts in terms of communication and trust breaking is included, as is the impact of differential personal styles and values on conflict management. Trade-offs and risk analysis are considered in the mediation/resolution process. The course includes theoretical orientations and theory-to-practice experiences using case studies, demonstrations and simulations.

There are 12 credit hours in elective courses needed for the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Organizational Leadership Program.

Choose four courses from the elective offerings below:

L7131 Human Resource Management

This course is designed to assist future administrators in maximizing the productive use of personnel. There is a focus on selection, motivation, evaluation and negotiation. The course includes such categories as job descriptions, development, and performance evaluation instruments, and highlights case study and problem-resolution strategies.

L7404 Stress Management Control

This course examines the organizational factors that cause stress and identifies the costs of stress to the organization. Emphasis is placed on the principles and methods of preventive stress management from an organizational perspective, including the improvement of individual organizational relationships, the shaping of organizational policies and procedures, and the design of effective stress management training, employee assistance, and personal wellness programs.

L7435 Financial Management

This course familiarizes the student with financial terms, concepts, and procedures used in the financial management of human services and other not-for-profit entities. Legal forms of organization and different entity tax statuses are identified. The student is exposed to evolving accounting theory as it relates to all not-for-profit entities. Financial planning, including various approaches to budgeting, asset management, and financial decision making, are also presented.

L7440 Organizational Consultation

This course is primarily designed for the practitioner who provides services to agencies, professionals, or organizations. The purpose of the course is to provide an understanding of the process of organizational consultation. The course focuses on providing the professional with a philosophy, a process, and evaluative criteria for determining the effectiveness of the consulting intervention that he or she provides. The course requires that the student actually do a consulting assignment as part of the course. The course also highlights case study and problem resolution strategies.

L7417 Advanced Management Consulting

This course provides advanced exploration of the latest theories and research in Organization Development. Through discussion of literature, written papers, and case analysis, students will review and analyze the theoretical foundations of Business Consulting, and the practical applications of Management Consulting to business problems and strategies. Doctoral students will demonstrate knowledge and application by submitting a term paper that is capable of being published in a referred and non-referred journal to show knowledge and application of the subject.

S7200 Pinnacle Seminar

This seminar focuses on a contemporary topic of scholarship through selected writings of a current nationally recognized author. The weekend residence portion of the blended online seminar will provide students the opportunity to personally interact with the nationally recognized author, serving as a visiting professor, in a structured but relaxed conference type setting. Throughout the seminar, students will examine an area of study through the writings and experiences of this expert, and explore the thoughts and leading edge ideas of the visiting professor's specialty.

There are 12 credit hours in research courses needed for the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Organizational Leadership Program.

R7031 Methods and Analysis of Quantitative Research

This seminar focuses on the structure and process of descriptive research across the disciplines of business, education, and behavioral science. It presents the concepts of relationships, correlations, and descriptive paradigms. Upon completion of the seminar, the student will be able to design a descriptive research study. The student will be able to utilize correct descriptive sampling techniques, collect and organize data systematically, adhere to acceptable reliability and validity standards in measurement, apply appropriate descriptive methodology, perform descriptive statistical analysis including mean, mode, median, correlations, chi square and t-tests with matched groups, and fully present findings. The student will also master the language of descriptive research, distinguish between various methodologies, conduct literature surveys that provide the foundation of investigation, critique descriptive research, review the dissertation research process, and construct effective descriptive research proposals. Computer applications, logistical issues, and ethical considerations are examined.

R7035 Methods and Analysis of Qualitative Research

This course introduces the assumptions, theories, and processes of qualitative inquiry. The purpose of this course is to provide advanced graduate students with the theoretical foundations necessary to understand qualitative inquiry, and to enhance their abilities to conduct qualitative research and evaluation.

R7000/E7111 Introduction to Advanced Academic Research and Writing

This course demystifies the doctoral level research process and provides a solid foundation for academic writing by analyzing and evaluating current research articles, literature reviews, and dissertations. Emphasis will be placed on APA style guidelines, preparation for the doctoral comprehensive examination, and university publication requirements. It also includes a self-inventory based on state and national standards and develops a self improvement plan.

R7032 Experimental Research Methods

This seminar focuses on the structure and process of experimental research across the disciplines of business, education, and behavioral science. The seminar presents the concepts of probability, cause-effect relationships, and experimental paradigms. Upon completion of the seminar, the student will be able to design a quasi-experimental or true experimental research study that has internal and external validity, utilize correct experimental sampling techniques, collect and organize data systematically, adhere to acceptable reliability and validity standards in measurement, apply appropriate experimental methodology, perform inferential statistical analysis including t-tests with unmatched groups, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and infer cause-effect relationships. The student will master the language of experimental research, distinguish between various methodologies, conduct literature surveys that provide the foundation of investigation, critique experimental research, review the dissertation research process, and construct effective research proposals. Also, computer applications, logistical issues, and ethical considerations are examined.

R7036 Program Evaluation Methods

This seminar emphasizes the acquisition of knowledge and skills in program evaluation methodology. Six alternative evaluation approaches are surveyed, with a focus on developing a management/decision-oriented evaluation plan. This seminar also serves as a practicum for the conceptualization and development of a doctoral research study that employs a program evaluation model.

R7038 Action Research Methods

The course advances the proposition that the action research approach is a useful paradigm in the field and worthwhile model for dissertation work. Historical, philosophical and theoretical foundations will be discussed, but practical application will be the primary focus simultaneously with learning. This is consistent with an action research approach. Collaboration and group work is also a hallmark of action research so students will demonstrate their abilities to design, diagnose, plan, implement, observe, and reflect in cooperation with classmates. The various roles and skills necessary to be an effective action researcher will be discussed, as well as important issues related to empowerment, contextualization, ethical considerations, and validity.

R7103 Solution Oriented Business Research Methods

This foundation course in business research provides an overview of business research methods and concepts of probability theory, regression analysis, and assumptions of multivariate analysis. Computer software, and the ethics of research in business settings are also components of the course.

R7037 Survey Techniques

This course provides students with skills necessary for the survey research process. This includes familiarity with questionnaire design, including framing the question, sample size, reliability, and validity in survey construction, and the strengths and limitations of the numerous methods used in survey research.

R7034 Advanced Statistical Methods

This course provides a survey of advanced techniques to support doctoral research using hands-on applications with SPSS. Topics include multiple regression, time-series analysis, multiple discriminant analysis, MANOVA, canonical analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, MDS, conjoint analysis, and cross-tabulations.

There are 12 credit hours in Dissertation Courses needed for the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Organizational Leadership Program. Students may substitute the following with any approved elective.

E7935 Dissertation - Organizational Leadership

The dissertation is offered in four, 3-semester-credit blocks, each lasting one semester.

NOTE: Students who do not complete in four semesters must apply for a dissertation extension